Dallas Morning News: Top moves

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Dallas Morning News: Top moves

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Gibbs, Portis are gold strike for Redskins|
(Sunday 7-11 release)
By Rick Gosselin
The Dallas Morning News
(KRT)
DALLAS — NFL Championships have always been won on the field during the season. But teams historically have been able to stack the deck during the off-season.
Tampa Bay traded several premium draft picks in 2002 for head coach Jon Gruden, who directed the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl championship that season.
Baltimore signed free-agent tight end Shannon Sharpe in 2000, St. Louis traded for running back Marshall Faulk in 1999, and the Cowboys signed free-agent cornerback Deion Sanders in 1995. All were Pro Bowl additions — and all three teams went on to win Super Bowls that season.
Make the right move in March and you may wind up with a Super Bowl ring in February.
The Washington Redskins certainly hope so. The Redskins have been among the NFL’s busiest teams this off-season. That’s been their history under the ownership of Dan Snyder.
But with the Redskins coming off a fourth consecutive non-playoff season, Snyder made his boldest move yet — bolder even than the signings of future Hall of Famers Sanders and Bruce Smith in 2000.
This off-season, Snyder lured a current Hall of Famer to Redskins Park, hiring Joe Gibbs back as head coach. He’s the 14th-winningest coach in NFL history. He also won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks.
In a salary-cap world, a greater premium has been placed on the head coach. Stability on the sideline can overcome a lack of stability on the field. Witness the quick turnarounds at Kansas City and Dallas after Dick Vermeil and Bill Parcells were coaxed out of retirement.
Snyder invested $25 million in Gibbs. It figures to be money well spent. Gibbs represents the best off-season addition in the NFL. Actually, put him down as 1A.
Snyder’s addition of Pro Bowl halfback Clinton Portis ranks as 1B. He’s already a great NFL runner, having rushed for 1,500 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons.
His new coach can make Portis an even better runner. Gibbs likes to pound the ball and has been able to generate a ground game no matter how talented his ball carrier.
Gibbs made a 200-yard rusher out of unheralded Timmy Smith in the 1988 Super Bowl and a 1,200-yard rusher out of an aging Earnest Byner in 1990. In addition to his success with quarterbacks, Gibbs won three NFL titles at Washington with three different running backs.
But Gibbs coached John Riggins, George Rogers and Byner at the back end of their careers. At 22, Portis is still at the front end of his career. He is arguably the most talented back Gibbs has coached. Gibbs and Portis pose a daunting combination in 2004 and thereafter.
But the Redskins weren’t the only team that swung for the fences this off-season. Here are eight more additions that round out the NFL’s Top 10 off-season moves:
1A. Joe Gibbs
1B. Clinton Portis
3. Terrell Owens, WR, Philadelphia.
The Eagles have tried for three years to win on offense with a star quarterback and 10 role players. Having lost three consecutive NFC title games, Andy Reid decided it was time to bring in another star to ease Donovan McNabb’s burden. Owens has caught 51 TD passes in his past four seasons. Suddenly, McNabb has a go-to guy.
4. Gunther Cunningham, defensive coordinator, Kansas City.
Cunningham spoiled Kansas City fans with a physical, attacking defense in the 1990s that made the Chiefs annual Super Bowl contenders. But under Greg Robinson the past three years, the Chiefs played a softer, finesse style that sank to 29th in the NFL in defense in 2003. Now Cunningham is back, and so are those Super Bowl aspirations.
5. Corey Dillon, HB, New England.
Bill Belichick won two Super Bowls in the last three years with a sub par running game. Dillon gives the Patriots what Owens gives the Eagles — someone to ease the pressure on an overburdened quarterback. But can Belichick convince Dillon it’s a team game? If so, pencil in the Patriots as favorites to repeat.
6. Damien Woody, G, Detroit.
Woody was the best blocker on the best team in football in 2003. But when New England won the Super Bowl without an injured Woody last February, the Patriots decided against overpaying to keep him. So he brings his talent and leadership to one of the most talented young offenses in the NFL.
7. Antoine Winfield, CB, Minnesota.
The Vikings lacked grit on defense, which explains why the NFL’s best offense sat out the 2003 postseason. Pound-for-pound, Winfield is one of the toughest players in the NFL. He’s only 5-9 but comes off a 94-tackle season for the AFC’s best defense (Buffalo). The Vikes spent $35 million on true grit.
8. Jeff Garcia, QB, Cleveland.
A controversy at quarterback produced a lack of continuity on offense, which sank the Browns from playoff contender in 2002 to last-place finisher in 2003. With the arrival of Garcia and departure of Tim Couch, there is no longer a controversy. Garcia brings a Pro Bowl presence to a huddle that sorely needs some leadership.
9. Pete Rodriguez, special teams coach, Jacksonville.
The Jaguars fielded the worst special teams in the NFL in Jack Del Rio’s debut season as head coach. So he fired the inexperienced Bill Bates and hired the experienced Rodriguez, one of the league’s best in the kicking game. In the last 10 years, Rodriguez has coached special teams that led the NFL at Washington and Seattle.
10. Kerry Collins, QB, Oakland.
Al Davis has a fondness for the long ball, and Collins has the arm to return that weapon to the Oakland offense. He’s only 31 and has a string of four consecutive 3,000-yard seasons. He wasn’t the problem in New York, but he can be a big part of the solution in Oakland.

(c) 2004, The Dallas Morning News.
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Post by genuswine hoglover »

I think it is interesting that Portis gets 1B on the list but Chump does not even appear!
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Post by Smurfskin »

Pretty interesting to see a writer from Dallas rank Redskins' moves as the two most influential in the off-season.

Also interesting to see that he ranked the acquisition of Collins in the Top Ten/Eleven. I would have ranked bringing in Sapp and Adams to the D-line as a bigger move for the Raiders.

I'm also surprised that their was no mention of Bailey to the Broncos defense. In my opinion, they needed him as much as we needed Portis.

P.S. That last comment was NOT intended to start another "We should have never let Bailey go" rant on the thread.
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Post by ANT7088 »

Is there a link????
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Post by Smithian »

Might be fake... Date says 7-11, and it is the tenth.
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Post by General Failure »

Smurfskin wrote:I would have ranked bringing in Sapp and Adams to the D-line as a bigger move for the Raiders.


I would too if I didn't think Sapp was a washed-up sack of ... this isn't the smack forum, is it. :cry:

Then again, I wouldn't have had Garthia going to the Browns in the top ten, either.
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Post by DEHog »

genuswine hoglover wrote:I think it is interesting that Portis gets 1B on the list but Chump does not even appear!


How can you have Portis and not Champ (it was part of the move he had as 1B) Just says to me he has a agenda? Your telling me Collins is a better move then Champ??
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Post by 1niksder »

Smithian wrote:Might be fake... Date says 7-11, and it is the tenth.

The D Morning News as a link but you have to sign up for a subscription to get to the story by Rick Gosselin which is focused on the NFC East
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Post by tx_skins_fan »

I'm in Dallas, and I get the Morning News. I'll let you know tomorrow if this story appears. There is a Saturday edition of the Sunday paper though.
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Post by Star City Skins Fan »

That story was embargoed by the paper for a weekend release. I got it on a newspaper wire and didn't notice it wasn't supposed to be out yet. That's why it said 7-11.
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Post by 1niksder »

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Post by tx_skins_fan »

It's in my paper!! Believe it folks!!
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Post by njskinsfan »

.....and no mention of the Cowgirls????? Oh I forgot they didn't make any offseason moves .......and no, bringing in a baseball player who hasn't picked up a football in 4 years does NOT constitute a MOVE.....

PS their draft stunk also.
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Post by gambit187 »

njskinsfan wrote:.....and no mention of the Cowgirls????? Oh I forgot they didn't make any offseason moves .......and no, bringing in a baseball player who hasn't picked up a football in 4 years does NOT constitute a MOVE.....

PS their draft stunk also.


Yeah thats because we dont keep bringing big money, past there prime free agents in. They probally did this to get you guys happy like you do every year. Drooling over all the free agency acquisitions and big name coaches , just to be sitting at home come playoff time. LOL
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