Bruce Allen has made it boring for the March Champs!

[PMG12569]

meh

[crazyhorse1]

Shanny isn't doing it all by himself, he stated that although he has veto power he wants it to be a group team effort with him and Bruce.

The man hasn't even been here 4 months and people are complaining. Jeeezus

Chris, the man in acquiring old linemen who are marginal at best at a time when we desperately need to upgrade four OL, RB, LB, DE, and FS to the level of legitimate first string players, as well as find a NT. He might yet find the NT as a FA, but does Allen expect to find eight adequate players in the draft.

He might find two, if we are reasonably lucky and those two will be rookies.

The same will be true every year, but we can not build that way. It's possible Campbell (or the new QB) won't work out or be killed behind next year's line and we'll have normal attrition every year. Fletcher, Daniels, Portis, Sellers, the new NT (assuming we sign him), and Moss are nearing the end. There will be injures and defections (Rogers).

From our squad last year we lost four key players, as well as backups. That's probably about the norm.

We need first class FA's this year, every year. We especially need them now because we are not just trying to hold our own, but because we are trying to catch up. Or maybe we're not, come to think of it. It appears we're not. It seems that Allen and co. could care less that this is an uncapped year. I predict disaster, not just for this year, but for years to come.

I hope I'm wrong and will be the first to say I am if events justify my saying so. I don't really blame Shanahan. It's no secret that he's a good on- field coach and a lousy personnel guy because he thinks he can turn journeyman players into first class players. I blame Allen and ultimately Danny for hiring him; we needed a GM who was a football guy, and Allen is not.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that Shanahan thinks he can coach the second tier guys we're acquiring into being stars, thus proving his powers, and Allen is dumb enough to go along with him.

Looking back, I'd say that Spurrier failed, at least in part, because of his faith in a bad quarterback and the conviction that you can protect a quarterback without bothering to block.

Gibbs failed because the game had passed him by and he also had faith in a bad quarterback.

Zorn failed because he was incompetent and Vinny had faith in a bad, injury prone, and aged line.

Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

[NEWSKINSFAN119]

Shanny isn't doing it all by himself, he stated that although he has veto power he wants it to be a group team effort with him and Bruce.

The man hasn't even been here 4 months and people are complaining. Jeeezus

Chris, the man in acquiring old linemen who are marginal at best at a time when we desperately need to upgrade four OL, RB, LB, DE, and FS to the level of legitimate first string players, as well as find a NT. He might yet find the NT as a FA, but does Allen expect to find eight adequate players in the draft.

He might find two, if we are reasonably lucky and those two will be rookies.

The same will be true every year, but we can not build that way. It's possible Campbell (or the new QB) won't work out or be killed behind next year's line and we'll have normal attrition every year. Fletcher, Daniels, Portis, Sellers, the new NT (assuming we sign him), and Moss are nearing the end. There will be injures and defections (Rogers).

From our squad last year we lost four key players, as well as backups. That's probably about the norm.

We need first class FA's this year, every year. We especially need them now because we are not just trying to hold our own, but because we are trying to catch up. Or maybe we're not, come to think of it. It appears we're not. It seems that Allen and co. could care less that this is an uncapped year. I predict disaster, not just for this year, but for years to come.

I hope I'm wrong and will be the first to say I am if events justify my saying so. I don't really blame Shanahan. It's no secret that he's a good on- field coach and a lousy personnel guy because he thinks he can turn journeyman players into first class players. I blame Allen and ultimately Danny for hiring him; we needed a GM who was a football guy, and Allen is not.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that Shanahan thinks he can coach the second tier guys we're acquiring into being stars, thus proving his powers, and Allen is dumb enough to go along with him.

Looking back, I'd say that Spurrier failed, at least in part, because of his faith in a bad quarterback and the conviction that you can protect a quarterback without bothering to block.

Gibbs failed because the game had passed him by and he also had faith in a bad quarterback.

Zorn failed because he was incompetent and Vinny had faith in a bad, injury prone, and aged line.

Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

Wow ye of little faith do you think talent alone saves the day would you prefer the skins over pay in a weak free agent class like say the bears who now have a lazy thirty year old DE and a back up RB at best for starter money. Shanahan and Allen are acquiring what they deem to be effective veterans who have some talent and are coach-able. We complain when Danny boy spends buckets of money in the off season and for once when the FO has a plan we complain. I would rather the patient approach taken by a team like the Steelers than by the Skins of old. Yes this year we have limited picks ( so we should spend right) but spend it on what can anyone justify wasting tons of money on any of the current free agent crop. However next year if the league is collectively bargained we will have 7 picks and a fresh young crop of talented free agents to choose from. The irony in this uncapped yr is that it has made teams realize that there is really nothing worth spending money on. Come on man this team won't be good until 2012 and if we are lucky an 8-8 season this yr would be nice then competing for the playoffs in 2011 and a super bowl push in 2012. So chill out and let free agency play out.

[Chris Luva Luva]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

[SkinsJock]

C'mon guys, let's be a little patient and let this period before the draft unfold a little more - I'm not sure that all those players that were going to be free agents this year but are now UFA are going to hold to those tenders that were placed on them - the teams might start to get a little more flexible as they see how things are unfolding here

this franchise is going to be a lot different and the turnover is going to take a little time - we are not suddenly going to have a good offensive line and Campbell isn't going to suddenly be a capable QB - we will get there but we all have to give these guys a little time to do their thing

I have a lot more faith in this new way of acquiring players I guess - I think that Allen and Shanahan have a plan and that to me is a lot more promising than what we have had here for many years

[PulpExposure]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

[crazyhorse1]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

You're living in the past. The league isn't a long haul league any more, the attrition rate is too high. We've got to use all the means of acquring players to be competitive: the draft, trades, and FA's. This year we will be without Betts, Samuels, ARE, Thomas, Griffin, Cartwright, etc. and have totally depleted our stock of RB's (Portis is not the same player he was, to put it mildly) and Rabach is fast declining. How will we replace these guys by the draft and by picking up old, marginal FA's. It will take three years just to catch up to where we were a couple of years ago, and by the time we do we'll have further attrition, including a damaged quarterback or two. The era of "quick fix" is here, like it or not. You have to decide whether you want quality quick fixes or substandard ones. So far, we've been going after substandard ones. I'm presently worried that we won't acquire Larry Foote and Pashos. Yikes, as they say. We are also counting on Raback and Heyer and Landry learning to play FS. Yikes again. Not to mention counting on Kelly, Thomas, and Moss and no injuries among our CB's. Yikes, yikes, and yikes.

[Tom C]

It's going to be painfull but good teams are not built by free agency. It's going to take a while. The poor result this upcomming season will make our next draft better. Once you have a base of good players a FA signing or two can make the team better. Until you have that base of talent it just wastes money.

I'll support the skins' as long as the players on the field will fight their guts out to try to win. Winning might not happen often this season.

[SkinsJock]

I just think we need to be a little patient before we start predicting what is going to happen here - we have not seen much, but we don't really know what these guys have in mind and if there has been anything positive to take from the last couple of days, it's that we haven't just tried to sign a "marquee" player

I understand the concern, but to pronouce the season a failure or to predict how we are goin to do this season is just way too premature in my opinion

these guys have a lot of work to do to undo the mess this franchise was in - let's at least give them a little time before we think they have no clue about what they are doing here

by doing what they've done in the past 3 days (basically nothing) they have already made me feel that there's a chance they will be a whole lot better than the 2 idiots we used to have managing this franchise

[PulpExposure]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

You're living in the past. The league isn't a long haul league any more, the attrition rate is too high. We've got to use all the means of acquring players to be competitive: the draft, trades, and FA's. This year we will be without Betts, Samuels, ARE, Thomas, Griffin, Cartwright, etc. and have totally depleted our stock of RB's (Portis is not the same player he was, to put it mildly) and Rabach is fast declining. How will we replace these guys by the draft and by picking up old, marginal FA's. It will take three years just to catch up to where we were a couple of years ago, and by the time we do we'll have further attrition, including a damaged quarterback or two. The era of "quick fix" is here, like it or not. You have to decide whether you want quality quick fixes or substandard ones. So far, we've been going after substandard ones. I'm presently worried that we won't acquire Larry Foote and Pashos. Yikes, as they say. We are also counting on Raback and Heyer and Landry learning to play FS. Yikes again. Not to mention counting on Kelly, Thomas, and Moss and no injuries among our CB's. Yikes, yikes, and yikes.

So let's say they got your desired free agents. And, as you said, it would take 3 years to get this franchise competitive again. So...you now just signed a bunch of 27-30 year old free agents, and 3 years from now...they're on the decline. I'm not sure what signing them NOW does for us? Does it make us slightly more competitive? Maybe. So what? What's the point? Let's say all 3 together are worth 2 additional wins (and that's quite a supposition). So...we're now a 6-10 franchise instead of a 4-12 franchise. Why does that matter at all?

Why not try drafting young guys and letting them play? You may be able to uncover good players that you can develop. It's a shocking concept, I know, but it seems to work for other teams.

Like the Patriots, the Colts, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Giants...hell, pretty much every successful NFL franchise. So far the FA patch job has worked for...well...no one so far.

[Tom C]

I just think we need to be a little patient before we start predicting what is going to happen here - we have not seen much, but we don't really know what these guys have in mind and if there has been anything positive to take from the last couple of days, it's that we haven't just tried to sign a "marquee" player

I understand the concern, but to pronouce the season a failure or to predict how we are goin to do this season is just way too premature in my opinion

these guys have a lot of work to do to undo the mess this franchise was in - let's at least give them a little time before we think they have no clue about what they are doing here

by doing what they've done in the past 3 days (basically nothing) they have already made me feel that there's a chance they will be a whole lot better than the 2 idiots we used to have managing this franchise

If there is a team that needed to be blown up it's the skins. A smart team will not waste money on players that are a stop gap at the best. If the skins go 8-8 next year I'll be happy for the over achievement. We need to build from the ground up. That means drafts and young ufs.

[crazyhorse1]

I just think we need to be a little patient before we start predicting what is going to happen here - we have not seen much, but we don't really know what these guys have in mind and if there has been anything positive to take from the last couple of days, it's that we haven't just tried to sign a "marquee" player

I understand the concern, but to pronouce the season a failure or to predict how we are goin to do this season is just way too premature in my opinion

these guys have a lot of work to do to undo the mess this franchise was in - let's at least give them a little time before we think they have no clue about what they are doing here

by doing what they've done in the past 3 days (basically nothing) they have already made me feel that there's a chance they will be a whole lot better than the 2 idiots we used to have managing this franchise

If there is a team that needed to be blown up it's the skins. A smart team will not waste money on players that are a stop gap at the best. If the skins go 8-8 next year I'll be happy for the over achievement. We need to build from the ground up. That means drafts and young ufs.

We can't fill our numerous holes with just the draft. We do have to field a team next year. To even approach legitimacy, we need two Ot's, two running backs, an ilb, two quarterbacks, and an NT. To be competitive we also need an OG and a FS, as well as qualified backups for almost all positions (that lets Heyer out.) If we rely on the draft alone, we'll have to wait three or four years just to plug holes. Do the math. Don't forget to figure in attrition.
What's a ufs?
8-8 next year would not be an over-achievement. It would be a miracle.

[1niksder]

We can't fill our numerous holes with just the draft. We do have to field a team next year.

Those holes can't be filled in the first 48 hrs of free agency either, yet some are already throwing in the towel

To even approach legitimacy, we need two Ot's, two running backs, an ilb, two quarterbacks, and an NT. To be competitive we also need an OG and a FS, as well as qualified backups for almost all positions (that lets Heyer out.)

If you look back over the last few days Kemoeatu and Parker are the only players that have been on the teams radar other than offensive lineman. Tony Pashos was talked to about RT so they may fell the same as you about Heyer. So the are cutting dead weight, looking at players that have a few years left in them and fit what they want to do for now (like Artis Hicks, a guy that didn't cost much and plays every spot on the line but center)

If we rely on the draft alone, we'll have to wait three or four years just to plug holes. Do the math. Don't forget to figure in attrition.

Prior to the market opening Allen pointed out it takes all 3 tools (FA, the Draft, and making trades) to rebuild the Redskins.

What's a ufs?

ufs is a typo for un-drafted free agents

8-8 next year would not be an over-achievement. It would be a miracle.

Anything over 4 wins will be a improvement. The draft is more than a month away and the free agency market will still be open after the draft ends. Just because Vinny went out and signed everybody in the first 3 hours every year doesn't mean the market was closed. It means he blew all his money early and often, to the point a lot of people here thinks the Free Agent signing period is a weekend event

[Chris Luva Luva]

I don't know why you guys even try to reason with it...

[1niksder]

I don't know why you guys even try to reason with it...

No Cap numbers to crunch

[SkinsJock]

no news is good news for this franchise as far as I'm concerned

I agree that a lot of work needs to be done but the fact is we now have guys that are trying to get this franchise into a situation where we not only have guys that can lead and start but also guys that can back-up players or replace them - there are always going to be holes and we have a long way to go to become a consistently competitive franchise again

as bad as we were last year I'm still optimistic these guys will have a better chance at getting this franchise back on track because I think that they will not be hoping that players can help this team, they are going to bring a new work ethic to the way things are done here than we have seen recently

we will not be an NFC East contender this season but who thought that would happen after last year - this process will take more than just a draft and some lucky free agent signings - we are going to see a lot of new faces on this franchise by the time the 2012 season starts but I also think we will see a lot more competitive franchise on the field as long as these guys get the opportunity to totally remake the franchise

[langleyparkjoe]

Patience my friends, patience... just remember the past when we truely were the offseason champs and also remember our agony immediately following it. Sure this new "we're waiting" technique is different but all of us wanted something different so let's just wait it out.

HAVE PATIENCE!!!

[crazyhorse1]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

You're living in the past. The league isn't a long haul league any more, the attrition rate is too high. We've got to use all the means of acquring players to be competitive: the draft, trades, and FA's. This year we will be without Betts, Samuels, ARE, Thomas, Griffin, Cartwright, etc. and have totally depleted our stock of RB's (Portis is not the same player he was, to put it mildly) and Rabach is fast declining. How will we replace these guys by the draft and by picking up old, marginal FA's. It will take three years just to catch up to where we were a couple of years ago, and by the time we do we'll have further attrition, including a damaged quarterback or two. The era of "quick fix" is here, like it or not. You have to decide whether you want quality quick fixes or substandard ones. So far, we've been going after substandard ones. I'm presently worried that we won't acquire Larry Foote and Pashos. Yikes, as they say. We are also counting on Raback and Heyer and Landry learning to play FS. Yikes again. Not to mention counting on Kelly, Thomas, and Moss and no injuries among our CB's. Yikes, yikes, and yikes.

So let's say they got your desired free agents. And, as you said, it would take 3 years to get this franchise competitive again. So...you now just signed a bunch of 27-30 year old free agents, and 3 years from now...they're on the decline. I'm not sure what signing them NOW does for us? Does it make us slightly more competitive? Maybe. So what? What's the point? Let's say all 3 together are worth 2 additional wins (and that's quite a supposition). So...we're now a 6-10 franchise instead of a 4-12 franchise. Why does that matter at all?

Why not try drafting young guys and letting them play? You may be able to uncover good players that you can develop. It's a shocking concept, I know, but it seems to work for other teams.

Like the Patriots, the Colts, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Giants...hell, pretty much every successful NFL franchise. So far the FA patch job has worked for...well...no one so far.

Ever heard of Drew Brees?

[broomboy]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

You're living in the past. The league isn't a long haul league any more, the attrition rate is too high. We've got to use all the means of acquring players to be competitive: the draft, trades, and FA's. This year we will be without Betts, Samuels, ARE, Thomas, Griffin, Cartwright, etc. and have totally depleted our stock of RB's (Portis is not the same player he was, to put it mildly) and Rabach is fast declining. How will we replace these guys by the draft and by picking up old, marginal FA's. It will take three years just to catch up to where we were a couple of years ago, and by the time we do we'll have further attrition, including a damaged quarterback or two. The era of "quick fix" is here, like it or not. You have to decide whether you want quality quick fixes or substandard ones. So far, we've been going after substandard ones. I'm presently worried that we won't acquire Larry Foote and Pashos. Yikes, as they say. We are also counting on Raback and Heyer and Landry learning to play FS. Yikes again. Not to mention counting on Kelly, Thomas, and Moss and no injuries among our CB's. Yikes, yikes, and yikes.

So let's say they got your desired free agents. And, as you said, it would take 3 years to get this franchise competitive again. So...you now just signed a bunch of 27-30 year old free agents, and 3 years from now...they're on the decline. I'm not sure what signing them NOW does for us? Does it make us slightly more competitive? Maybe. So what? What's the point? Let's say all 3 together are worth 2 additional wins (and that's quite a supposition). So...we're now a 6-10 franchise instead of a 4-12 franchise. Why does that matter at all?

Why not try drafting young guys and letting them play? You may be able to uncover good players that you can develop. It's a shocking concept, I know, but it seems to work for other teams.

Like the Patriots, the Colts, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Giants...hell, pretty much every successful NFL franchise. So far the FA patch job has worked for...well...no one so far.

Ever heard of Drew Brees?

Ever heard of the Washington Redskins of the last decade? Yeah theres always an exception to the rule, but has it worked for us the in the past?

[PulpExposure]

[
Shanahan is going to fail because he has such faith in himself to make bad players good that he doesn't make good personnel decisions.

So why are you wasting your expertise on us? Why aren't you a GM or a HC? You should be giving advice to a superbowl winning HC not to us.

I love that quote. NostraCrazyHorse is already saying Shanahan will fail in DC based on THREE WHOLE DAYS of free agency. Haven't had the draft yet, haven't finished Free Agency, haven't started practicing, haven't stepped foot on the field. But HE WILL FAIL. You should be in Vegas with your predictive abilities, CH.

If the Skins were going to win the Superbowl with Dansby, Rolle, Clifton, and Peppers, maybe I can see going after them. But, face it; the Skinsa are a 4-12 team in dire need of a rebuild. Why patch over cracks in the paint when the foundation is critically flawed? And, by the time this team is rebuilt to contend, those guys will be on the downslope...so why sign them now? What does it do for us?

We seriously need to send you and Gibbs4Life through a Vinnie detox program or something; it should be crystal clear that signing free agents while not fixing the team ISN'T WORKING. Let's try a different tactic; perhaps involving a bit of long-term planning, and maybe actually build our own team, and our own team chemistry, instead of paying FA rates to external guys that ends up pissing off the drafted people who get paid less, and who really end up forming the backbone of your team.

You're living in the past. The league isn't a long haul league any more, the attrition rate is too high. We've got to use all the means of acquring players to be competitive: the draft, trades, and FA's. This year we will be without Betts, Samuels, ARE, Thomas, Griffin, Cartwright, etc. and have totally depleted our stock of RB's (Portis is not the same player he was, to put it mildly) and Rabach is fast declining. How will we replace these guys by the draft and by picking up old, marginal FA's. It will take three years just to catch up to where we were a couple of years ago, and by the time we do we'll have further attrition, including a damaged quarterback or two. The era of "quick fix" is here, like it or not. You have to decide whether you want quality quick fixes or substandard ones. So far, we've been going after substandard ones. I'm presently worried that we won't acquire Larry Foote and Pashos. Yikes, as they say. We are also counting on Raback and Heyer and Landry learning to play FS. Yikes again. Not to mention counting on Kelly, Thomas, and Moss and no injuries among our CB's. Yikes, yikes, and yikes.

So let's say they got your desired free agents. And, as you said, it would take 3 years to get this franchise competitive again. So...you now just signed a bunch of 27-30 year old free agents, and 3 years from now...they're on the decline. I'm not sure what signing them NOW does for us? Does it make us slightly more competitive? Maybe. So what? What's the point? Let's say all 3 together are worth 2 additional wins (and that's quite a supposition). So...we're now a 6-10 franchise instead of a 4-12 franchise. Why does that matter at all?

Why not try drafting young guys and letting them play? You may be able to uncover good players that you can develop. It's a shocking concept, I know, but it seems to work for other teams.

Like the Patriots, the Colts, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Giants...hell, pretty much every successful NFL franchise. So far the FA patch job has worked for...well...no one so far.

Ever heard of Drew Brees?

So your entire rebuttal is based upon one guy. That's solid.

I mean, I could be completely flippant in return and say:

Ever heard of Adam Archuleta? But, I don't need to. Because I could actually name any one of the zillion free agents that haven't worked out for us.

Here's something interesting for you to read.

Look at the chart he has of the top FA WRs. What a huge impact they made!

Eight players who struck it rich, who combined to earn $58 million last year -- and none of the eight made the Pro Bowl, none of them had 80-catch seasons.

Or....not.

[langleyparkjoe]

Pulp, we really can't include Antonio Bryant though man, he really didn't have a solid QB down there.