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

Washington drew First Blood.

With safety Brandon Meriweather back from his suspension, they needed to clear a roster spot.

According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, that spot was created by releasing safety Baccari Rambo.

The Redskins chose Rambo in the sixth round last year out of Georgia, and immediately installed him as a starter.

But he mostly gave up big plays, and was benched quickly, starting just one more game (when Meriweather was suspended last year) the rest of the way.

FLWSkin wrote:Why didn't you see it coming? They signed that guy from Denver and brought back Davis just so they could cut Rambo when Meriweather came back. This is no surprise, oh and did you see Rambo play?

FLWSkin wrote:Why didn't you see it coming? They signed that guy from Denver and brought back Davis just so they could cut Rambo when Meriweather came back. This is no surprise, oh and did you see Rambo play?

riggofan wrote:

FLWSkin wrote:Why didn't you see it coming? They signed that guy from Denver and brought back Davis just so they could cut Rambo when Meriweather came back. This is no surprise, oh and did you see Rambo play?

Yeah I'm sure you're right. Rambo had a good preseason though and is a young guy that we drafted. Clearly not ready to be a starter, but I figured he would just go back to being a backup.

PulpExposure wrote:Can't say I'm surprised by this. I do think that the Redskins did him no favors. They didn't let him develop, instead throwing him right into the fire. Fine for a 1st or 2nd round pick, but there are reasons Baccari was a 6th round pick. Guys in the 6th round aren't supposed to be starters at the beginning of their careers. That all being said, he could have played better...

SouthLondonRedskin wrote:

PulpExposure wrote:Can't say I'm surprised by this. I do think that the Redskins did him no favors. They didn't let him develop, instead throwing him right into the fire. Fine for a 1st or 2nd round pick, but there are reasons Baccari was a 6th round pick. Guys in the 6th round aren't supposed to be starters at the beginning of their careers. That all being said, he could have played better...

All of that is so true. Only a select number of 1st round picks and a couple of 2nds are ever expected to start straight away after being drafted. You should never be throwing 6th round picks in to start from the get-go (Morris is the exception to the rule) particularly at the safety position. There's just too much to learn.

The Skins had little choice but to start Rambo after the salary cap penalty limiting them in free agency and the suspension to Tanard Jackson and injury to Philip Thomas. We as fans paid a price for him being targeted and exposed by the opposition as he surrendered TDs (of course opponents saw him as a potential weak link and went after him), But who pays the ultimate penalty for that..? Rambo. He should have spent all of last season shadowing senior pros, studying film and doing reps in practice and taking no part on the field for games (look how that's helped Keenan Robinson to be mentally ready for the NFL now that he is fit).

His confidence was shot to pieces, he was left out to dry by the Skins. If a team gives him a chance to develop properly he could in time be a serviceable backup in the NFL and have a career in pro football. I saw enough of an improvement in his game this season to believe that, aside from the two big TDs he actually played OK in the opening two games, his coverage and tackling was better than last year (that's not hard I hear you cry!)

Having said all that: I do like the message Gruden is sending to the squad. Just like he did with Brandon Jenkins who he cut after a bad day at practice, if you don't bring your 'A' game then you aint hanging around. For a first year Head Coach with a reputation for being a nice guy, Gruden is showing everyone who's boss.

chiefhog44 wrote:

riggofan wrote:

FLWSkin wrote:Why didn't you see it coming? They signed that guy from Denver and brought back Davis just so they could cut Rambo when Meriweather came back. This is no surprise, oh and did you see Rambo play?

Yeah I'm sure you're right. Rambo had a good preseason though and is a young guy that we drafted. Clearly not ready to be a starter, but I figured he would just go back to being a backup.

Says who he had a good preseason? ey mentioned that he did not think he did. The guy was a liability

Through two preseason games, he’s fared well. Rambo had five tackles, including one on special teams, and forced a fumble Monday in the Redskins’ 24-23 preseason victory over Cleveland. That came after he had another four tackles in the first preseason game, a 23-16 home victory against New England.

All told, Rambo has played approximately 61 percent of the Redskins’ defensive snaps over the first two games, including filling in for Clark as the starter against the Patriots and assuming his usual second-team repetitions as well.

They had encouraging performances against the Browns on Monday. Rambo forced a fumble, had a solo tackle and assisted on three, while Thomas had a pass breakup and a solo tackle. With starting safeties Ryan Clark, 34, and Brandon Meriweather, 30, both in the second half of their careers, the development of Rambo and Thomas is important to the Redskins as both take on key rotational roles in the secondary.

“He’s gotten a hell of a lot better all around,” Redskins corner DeAngelo Hall said. “He’s been probably the best player on our team over the first two preseason games. He graded out great. He made plays we’ve asked him to make. He’s come up and tackled. He’s night and day from last year.”

FLWSkin wrote:I think for Rambo the differences between practice and preseason as opposed to the reals season were his downfall. He just can't make the jump to prime time.

SouthLondonRedskin wrote:Yeah, no favours.

They threw him into a situation he wasn't equipped for yet out of sheer desperation. The team moves on but will Rambo get an opportunity anywehere else after those f**k ups..??? Probably not.

His career may be over in the NFL before it even should have started. You can say the Skins gave him an opportunity but be realisitic - he couldn't say no to it whether he believed he was ready or not, he had to go for it. He got exposed, as he was always going to be, and then he got dumped.

It should have been different. No NFL team should have to rely on a 6th round rookie to start at Safety. Despite the financial penalities and injuries they should have found a way to bring in someone with starting experience. Easy to say with hindsight as Jackson's suspension came 11th hour, but it is what it is - poor preparation.

PAPDOG67 wrote:The fact is, we've been beatin for two LONG TDs in the first two games, and that falls on the safties. I guess they felt both were Rambo's fault.

FLWSkin wrote:

SouthLondonRedskin wrote:Yeah, no favours.

They threw him into a situation he wasn't equipped for yet out of sheer desperation. The team moves on but will Rambo get an opportunity anywehere else after those f**k ups..??? Probably not.

His career may be over in the NFL before it even should have started. You can say the Skins gave him an opportunity but be realisitic - he couldn't say no to it whether he believed he was ready or not, he had to go for it. He got exposed, as he was always going to be, and then he got dumped.

It should have been different. No NFL team should have to rely on a 6th round rookie to start at Safety. Despite the financial penalities and injuries they should have found a way to bring in someone with starting experience. Easy to say with hindsight as Jackson's suspension came 11th hour, but it is what it is - poor preparation.

I think that's a little exaggeration. He was a 6th round pick, and honestly, it looked like if we hadn't taken him, no one else was going to. So there were some bad circumstances that forced him in to the lineup. It's the NFL, when your number is called, play well or go home, that's the nature of the business. It's called getting your chance, Tom Brady stepped up and Rambo stepped in sh!t.