The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

First off, yes... I think that you guys did indeed overpay for Randle El.

But he is one of the best slot recievers in the game. I don't know what Gibbs's plans are but I really hope its something to the effect of Moss & Lloyd #1 and Randle El #3.

There are many positives about Randle El that you guys have probably formulated for yourselves but here are some of the things that bother me about him:

1. Punt Returning - he's not as great as people make him out to be... be ready for him to run side-to-side for about a mile while only netting 10 yards or so.

2. Dropped Balls - he'll drop balls, simple

3. Height - height... he's short. I know Santana Moss isn't that tall but he makes up for it with his route running and speed... Randle El isn't polished enough to do this. Speaking of which...

4. Randle El isn't a polished reciever yet... which is why the Steelers were in no hurry to resign him.

FWIW: I think the Lloyd signing is 10X better than the Randle El one.



Now that I've told you all there is to know from a Steeler fan's perspective, I would like to see what you guys have to say about Ryan Clark. I know he only started for a year and that he was a FS, but he's about to become our starting FS next year and I'd like to hear some analysis from Redskins' fans if possible. Unlike the Redskins (and I'm not knocking the Redskins' methods), the Steelers keep quiet during FA and always find sleepers and I'm hoping Clark is one of them. What are your thoughts? I'll be happy to answer any further questions if you guys have any.

Clark is a very good safety. A very hard hitter considering his size. He made some big plays for us in 05.

He's a cool guy with a fun personality if you ever meet him.

I think he's going to replace Hope very well.

anjang86 wrote:First off, yes... I think that you guys did indeed overpay for Randle El.

But he is one of the best slot recievers in the game. I don't know what Gibbs's plans are but I really hope its something to the effect of Moss & Lloyd #1 and Randle El #3.

There are many positives about Randle El that you guys have probably formulated for yourselves but here are some of the things that bother me about him:

1. Punt Returning - he's not as great as people make him out to be... be ready for him to run side-to-side for about a mile while only netting 10 yards or so.

2. Dropped Balls - he'll drop balls, simple

3. Height - height... he's short. I know Santana Moss isn't that tall but he makes up for it with his route running and speed... Randle El isn't polished enough to do this. Speaking of which...

4. Randle El isn't a polished reciever yet... which is why the Steelers were in no hurry to resign him.

FWIW: I think the Lloyd signing is 10X better than the Randle El one.



Now that I've told you all there is to know from a Steeler fan's perspective, I would like to see what you guys have to say about Ryan Clark. I know he only started for a year and that he was a FS, but he's about to become our starting FS next year and I'd like to hear some analysis from Redskins' fans if possible. Unlike the Redskins (and I'm not knocking the Redskins' methods), the Steelers keep quiet during FA and always find sleepers and I'm hoping Clark is one of them. What are your thoughts? I'll be happy to answer any further questions if you guys have any.

Thanks for the input on ARE. Clark was actually our starting SS and a very good player. He is a hard hitter who sometimes over pursues, but all in all a very good player. Nice addition!

IMO, Ryan Clark thrived in Gregg Williams' systm. Williams was able to utilize Clark's specific talents well and got a great year of football out of him.

But was it the man, or the system the man was in?

I think it was a bit of both... but I bet the Steelers are thinking they can do the same.

I think you guys will love clark. He's definatly a "little engine that could" type, but he plays with passion. Beyond that he is a super cool guy! i love his attitude and that hes real. I really really wish we could have kept him big time!

I appreciate the positive spirit in which you come here, but this post reminds me of the "Sideline Santana," posts of Smizzy when we traded for Moss. So far, every free agent we've gotten since Gibbs II has come here "with baggage," and has succeeded in changing his career. Griffin, Springs, Brunnel, Moss, etc....

Chad

chaddukes wrote:I appreciate the positive spirit in which you come here, but this post reminds me of the "Sideline Santana," posts of Smizzy when we traded for Moss. So far, every free agent we've gotten since Gibbs II has come here "with baggage," and has succeeded in changing his career. Griffin, Springs, Brunnel, Moss, etc....

Chad

Everybody DOES come w/ baggage. My post would be mighty boring if all I did was pat the Redskins on the back.

anjang86 wrote:First off, yes... I think that you guys did indeed overpay for Randle El.

It may seem that way because Snyder is one of the very few owners willing to dip into his cash and pay a big signing bonus, but you can be sure that the later years of this contract will never be paid out the way they are structured in this deal. In the end, I bet this contract doesn't end up paying him that much more than he'd have earned anywhere else.

Clark is a little guy who can hit like a freight train. He plays with a lot of reckless abandon and throws his body around. He doesn't have the best cover skills and isn't that fast or that big but he definately has a lot of heart.

If you let him play to his strengths he can be a solid player, if you make him do too much though I can see him potentially being a liability. He said as much this offseason saying that most of his success came from the Williams system and commenting that he would come back to Washington even if it meant less money because of the system. That was all before we signed Archulata though. Definately a good player and always a fan favorite. I wish that he was still around.

anjang86 wrote:First off, yes... I think that you guys did indeed overpay for Randle El.

First of welcome to the board, and a nice first post to boot. Not the opinion of most that roam these parts but straight forward.

anjang86 wrote:But he is one of the best slot recievers in the game. I don't know what Gibbs's plans are but I really hope its something to the effect of Moss & Lloyd #1 and Randle El #3.

Saunders will use him in ways we can only imagine I'm sure but why must everyone say he's the best slot receiver in the league or more often he is only a #3? How he was used in Pitt got him the payday he got but everybody knocks it. T.O is said to be THE BEST but 24 hours after he is free to sign with anyone he hasn't been anywhere (other than on the front of every nation sports media website out here - BTW: ARE did it already)

anjang86 wrote:There are many positives about Randle El that you guys have probably formulated for yourselves but here are some of the things that bother me about him:

I've read them and I'm responding to them, however I can't come to grip with why these things bother you - seems to me you should be reliefed to have someone like this OFF you team.

anjang86 wrote:1. Punt Returning - he's not as great as people make him out to be... be ready for him to run side-to-side for about a mile while only netting 10 yards or so.

All returnmen run east and west... when the blocking runs south

anjang86 wrote:2. Dropped Balls - he'll drop balls, simple

Name 1 just 1 that doesn't, even the simple ones every now and then

anjang86 wrote:3. Height - height... he's short. I know Santana Moss isn't that tall but he makes up for it with his route running and speed... Randle El isn't polished enough to do this. Speaking of which...

You'd think with all the raw talent there someone would have thought to develope it, but if you're saying it wasn't - well, we'll get right on it thanks for the heads up

anjang86 wrote:4. Randle El isn't a polished reciever yet... which is why the Steelers were in no hurry to resign him.

Again I ask why should this worry you.

anjang86 wrote:FWIW: I think the Lloyd signing is 10X better than the Randle El one.

Considering the WR situation we had at the end of last year any signing is good. ARE was a signing Lloyd was a trade. the two of them together will make Moss 10x better.

anjang86 wrote:Now that I've told you all there is to know from a Steeler fan's perspective, I would like to see what you guys have to say about Ryan Clark. I know he only started for a year and that he was a FS, but he's about to become our starting FS next year and I'd like to hear some analysis from Redskins' fans if possible. Unlike the Redskins (and I'm not knocking the Redskins' methods), the Steelers keep quiet during FA and always find sleepers and I'm hoping Clark is one of them. What are your thoughts? I'll be happy to answer any further questions if you guys have any.

Again thanks for your opinion on Randle El
My take on Clark is he is a good addition to any team or locker room. He leaves it on the field every game. I don't have anything negative to say that I couldn't dispute if he were wearing the B&G so I'll leave it at the Steelers signed a very good football player.

Playing with Sean one year and Troy the next, what more could a UDFA ask for

Welcome.
"Overpaid" ? Whatever. We've done that before, and we'll do it again. He's a warm body in a place where one was needed. Triple threat, too.

I would absolutely love to have Antwaan stay with the Steelers, but he would have demanded too much money and I wouldn't sacrifice extending Roethlisberger or Polamalu some time in the future just so we can keep a slot reciever.

The one thing we will now miss w/o Randle El is his versatility. If we needed a quick pass for a TD we could use his acceleration and agility on a short slant completion. If we need to throw the defense off, aside from trick plays, we can throw him an RB screen or a WR screen. We will miss his presense in our trick plays as well, both from his passing skills and using him as a decoy.


Many Steeler fans doubted Randle El after Plexico left last year and questioned his abilities as a second WR. Plexico, while he was a lazy WR, could really stretch the field and take double coverage away form Ward; before the season, it was yet to be seen if Randle El could do the same thing. It happened as a matter of fact that Ward had one of his most productive seasons last year but IMO it had nothing to do with what Randle El did. It was more of Heath Miller being a legitimate threat at the TE position and Ben throwing to Ward a lot more.

My point is that Steeler's fans judge Randle El's based on his ability to fill in the role that Plex left vacant. He did not catch many TD passes last season and did not prove to be a legitimate deep threat. He dropped balls and even made some boneheaded moves (lateral to Hines Ward in the Patriots game). Fans became frustrated during this time but towards the end of the season Randle El went back to what he does best, playing the slot. Randle El continued to play solid at that position and the Steelers started using him on plays designed specially for his skills.

He would have been great to sign if he would sign for slot reciever money but he signed with you guys for a little bit more than that. It is because of this that I'm assuming that he will be playing a bigger role in your offense, and this is the reason why I told you guys about his shortcomings when he is asked to do more than just play as the 3rd WR.

I'm making a lot of assumptions here and it is up to the Redskins and you guys to determine what and how much a player should produce. I'm just telling you from a Steeler fan's perspective what I thought Randle El should have done and what he actually ended up doing.

anjang86 wrote:I would absolutely love to have Antwaan stay with the Steelers, but he would have demanded too much money and I wouldn't sacrifice extending Roethlisberger or Polamalu some time in the future just so we can keep a slot reciever.

The one thing we will now miss w/o Randle El is his versatility. If we needed a quick pass for a TD we could use his acceleration and agility on a short slant completion. If we need to throw the defense off, aside from trick plays, we can throw him an RB screen or a WR screen. We will miss his presense in our trick plays as well, both from his passing skills and using him as a decoy.

You guys will probably get Brad Smith from Missouri in the Draft and convert him to a receiver or versatile utility guy. The guy can throw and run very well.