#1

Way to kill my enthusiasm for the upcoming season. I almost want to buy Orioles season tickets now.

Let's see you kids try to spin that one!

Mr. La Canfora,

I agree with your statements wholeheartedly except for one point.

From a purely on-the-field football standpoint, would keeping Arch really be a good thing? He proved that he could not succeed at all in our defensive system and is a liability pretty much everywhere on the field.

So, would keeping him on the team to be a backup and a special teamer be worth it on the field, when they could go out and use his roster spot on someone that can help this defense?(whoever it may be)

However, this is quite clearly a gaffe by our personnel men, Gibbs and Snyder for not keeping around certain players (AP, Clark) and going for the big splash.

JLa- There was a sideline shot in one game towards the end of last season. Reaper goes and sits on the bench. Arch comes over and sits down next to him. Reaper immediately gets up and walks away. Saw that said to myself Arch is gone for sure. If the players and coaches think he was the source for the espn article, then despite all the stupidity you accurately cite above, he does need to be gone.

JLC, you seem a little more passionate about this than you usually are about our favorite dysfunctional franchise!

Anyway, I don't think many of us are saying this was a "good" move (we're saying it stopped the bleeding in a horrible self-made situation). I also think we're almost all in agreement the problem lies primarily with Joe and the Danny, even if Gregg is too stubborn to adapt to talented players.

In short, I think we all agree with you.

JLC - all valid points but the 1st post was do you think trading Archuleta was a good move? Seemed to be to me and most others since he did not fit into the defense. Keeping him is compounding a mistake already made. If you are only going to use him as an extra linebacker with no coverage responsibilities, we might as well trot out Washington, LFB, RockyMac and Lemar all at the same time.

Now this post is taking into account everything. Yo'll get no arguments here about the mulitple stupid moves we have made over the last few years. Hindsight is 20/20. Let's move on.

It makes sense from a purely football standpoint by opening up a roster spot for a safety who might actually play on defense. I've repeatedly criticized the Skins and how they conduct business, but I have no problem with this move. Sure, it would have been nice to get more than a 6, but I figured they would cut him, either this year or next, so maybe they can strike a bit of gold for once in the later rounds. One can always hope.

JLC - What do you expect from Redskin fans? haha. The last 8 years have been miserable for us...grousing about an owner and ripping a player who clearly didn't want to play here makes us feel better. Money/cap aside, getting rid of AD brings us a sense of optimism. For what it's worth...

Point(s) well taken though Jason.

Jason- Great points. In fact, much of what you said about the front office is why I'm not renewing my season tickets. I just can't give little danny any more of my money ( the extra $1,750 will be much better spent on the baby anyway).

We've hollered ad nauseum up here for a real GM. Without one, we're stuck with this dysfunction. Now, it's never been answered publicly, but we all seem to assume Arch was "Deep Cover". If Gibbs and danny think he was, then of course they were going to get rid of him. That's how they roll.

the insane money issues aside.. this team has a serious talent evaluation problem.. that what needs correcting.. because if the player actually was as good as the vinny and gang evaluated him to be (pro bowler level), to justify that kind of money and he was actually that good, we wouldn't be here at 5-11 pulling our hair out !! Fix that problem and we'll be fine..

Im with JLaC on this one. They should have tried to work with Arch for one more year to AT LEAST try to raise his trade value. The only way the redskins come out on top in this deal is if Arch is a total bust in the windy city.

The bottom line is the majority of Skins fans simply did not like the Archuleta signing in the FIRST PLACE and are glad to see him - and his contract - gone.

Watch Archuleta end up in the Pro-Bowl next year.

After reading your entire post it's amazing they managed to win even 5 games last season. The organization has been nothing short of awful, that's not even a debate. And to think Gibbs has been a part of it the last 3 years makes it that much more painful. Unfortunately, we can't fire Snyder. Maybe, just maybe, they're finally learning from past mistakes and doing things a little differently, as this year's free agency has showed - not going out and spending gobs of money on other teams washed up trash. I'd love to see them trade the 6th pick for additional picks. Now that would be the start of something new.

"The team should be making moves to actually get better and not just try to find the least painful ways to flick off the scabs of repeated self-inflicted wounds."

I love that quote! The image it conjures up is so vivid, and so absolutely true of the Skins over the past decade or so.

Makes you wonder what the he!!the "braintrust" are going to do with the sixth pick? Maybe the Danny will trade it back to Chicago for Arch Deluxe and give Courtney Brown a $10 million signing bonus to sit on injured reserve. This just out on the web from the AP,"Redskins sign Stevie Wonder and Helen Keller as Director's of College and Professional Scouting, respectively." I don't know about you, but this is a marked improvement over Vinny "You Want Fries With That" Cerrato!!!!!!!

OK,OK

JLaC - very well said sweetie

*hugs*

JLC,

Does this type of writing get you in any trouble at Redskins Park? Because surely the Mighty Midget doesn't like when people talk bad about him. Your reporting is great, and I'd hate to see what happens if the Post has to put a Yes man at the Park. (Just like they did with Frank Herzog)

Love the Job you do, and agree with you

You are exactly-100% correct, Jason. Until they hired a strong GM-like wilbon has been saying- the Redskins are going nowhere.

You are exactly-100% correct, Jason. Until they hired a strong GM-like wilbon has been saying- the Redskins are going nowhere.

Posted by: the ONE | March 21, 2007 03:09 PM

I don't think anyone on this blog would disagree.

Nice post JLC. Monday morning quarterbacking is sure easy isn't it? It's east to say now if they did such and such back then down the road they wouldn't have had to do that, but you can't predict the future. I think Gibbs is really just trying to do what's best for the team, hopefully they get it right this time!

I have this strange feeling that the Arch is going to explode into some massive stud at Chicago....Don't know why but just a feeling.

JLC,

Why don't you tell us what you really think!!!

From a solely football perspective, this move is positive. Arch was a disaster in William's scheme, which has proven over the years that it works. Why tweak the scheme for a player that may not even be a useful reserve? His systems have never had safeties playing as extra linebackers, and never will. It is more advantageous to bring in a cheaper safety that fits the scheme and get rid of him. Don't forget that chemistry is a HUGE part of football, and Arch just did not seem to fit in, for whatever reason. You cannot force him to fit, no matter how hard the coaches want to try.

Your post is basically a summary of all of the personnel moves gone awry since Danny took over, and does not make much of an argument for why the move was bad football-wise. Your personal dislike and bias against Dan Snyder shows and although many of us share your sentiments, we are actually Redskins fans and thus feel the need to look at things optimistically, because, alas, that is the only way for us. You wouldn't really understand. I had to make sure I was reading you and not Peter King or Len Pasquarelli or the various assortments of Skins haters in the media.

The front office is clearly a disaster but keeping Arch doesn't bring back Ryan Clark either. The key here is they're clearing out bad locker room presences and maybe openng up time for younger players. The acquisition of expensive players made a *little* sense when the team thought it was close to a superbowl. It's positive to me that the team is coming to terms with reality. The skins remind me of another dismal team with front office problems, the New York Knicks, which have only started to realize that they need to buy out/trade players who don't fit in to the team 2 years from now, whether or not the actual $ really matters to them (see Mo Taylor, Penny Hardaway, Steve Francis would have been next if not for injuries). Giving more PT to younger players there has increased wins and given fans a reason to be hopeful about the future. I would love to see the Skins clean house, stockpile draft picks, keep developing younger, less expensive players and get enough cap room to add a few key vets when they truly are close to the SB.

Jason, I agree with you that the Redskins' cap went up short term, but after 2007 Arch would count $0 against their cap. Had the contract stayed in place, he would have counted 3.8, 5.8, 7.8, 7.8 and 5.3 mil against the cap in 2008-2012. It is a significant cap reliefand Redskins could potentially use this cap space to sign one or more starters.

Jason, agree with your points about the stupid mistakes JG and DS have made. We NEED a GM plain and simple.

JLC,

That was a piece of art. Well done, sir. I hope Napolean and his bug-eyed friend, as well as our Space Cowboy Coach, all read that and crap themselves. Oh wait, they actually think that what they're doing is "the right way to go about things UP HERE". "We've got a plan.. don't worry", right Vinny. WRONG. This team is, and has been, in a state of chaos for years. It's disgusting and embarrassing.

Jason,

After having read and enjoyed your blogs for sometime, it seems like now something may have happened that is causing you to take the Redskins moves personally. I don't think you will find anyone that doesn't think the Skins have made a ton of bad moves over the past few years as you point out repeatedly and forcefully. However, this blog entry seems much more bitter than your normally fairly objective yet contstructively critical writings.

If you are having a bad day, I, as the proud pops of a 2 year old daughter with another on the way shortly, suggest you go have some fun with your daughter, remember that you have a very faithful audience and try not to worry too much about a (near) billionaire's bonehead moves with his favorite toy.

This is your worst effort yet. Why do you continue to put yourself and this fan base through all the aggravation with your bitter ranting? Go find another team to cover, you whiny jerk. Newsflash - a beat writer's job is not to constantly trash the team he is supposed to be covering. There is legitimate criticism and there is smug arrogance. You've crossed the line yet again. Not even the local press in towns like Arizona or Cleveland is as negative as this, and those franchises are simply abysmal.

Obviously the team has made mistakes. But there is no need to attack with such venomous glee. You need to remember that the paper who buy your papare and read this garbage are FANS. Sorry you don't share our love for the Redskins. I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

Yikes, JLC... bringing the venom! I like the passion and agree with a lot of what you say. I think you have voiced the frustrations that Skins fans should have, but can't seem to hold onto.

I truly think the answer is a GM, as do a lot of people on this board (and as do you). But what, as a fan, can I do in the meantime? I will not quit the Redskins, and I can't quit the coach and owner without doing just that. So where does that leave me? I try to look for silver linings and sunny horizons wherever I can find them.

I have hopes that the Skins have turned a corner (a "I don't need directions. I know where I am" foreshadowing statement for sure) when I see only one big FA signing, some house cleaning and a group of FA minimum signings. I like that we are potentially looking to trade down, and gathering some more draft picks in the process.

I am fanatical... I will readily admit that. I love the Skins and cannot quit them. No matter how many times they throw me down the stairs, punch me in the eye or pull out my hair. I will always remain faithful... I think I need counseling.

"...whiny jerk....smug arrogance....."

Posted by: SubG | March 21, 2007 03:28 PM

Double smack to the back of your damn head with the hammer.

I think Jason is spot on. It's a summary of every bad personnel move the Skins have made, and will continue to make until Snyder declares Vinnie surplus to requirements (I like the Brits too) and brings in a strong GM. And, probably most importantly, Snyder needs to act like a fan, and leave football decisions to the football people. I think it's admirable that he wants to give the coaches anything they want; but the moves they've made over the years shows they're only thinking "right now" instead of building for the future at the same time as the present.

Joe Gibbs is a great coach. But he did his best work with teams that he and a strong GM -- Beatherd and Casserly -- built together.

Wow. Everyone agrees with you?

First of all, as much as Gibbs is ready to stand and take the blame for things, he must be hearing the brain trust around him. Don't blame the other coaches or Vinny? Who are you protecting? If their voices aren't heard then why are they there? Someone needs to do a testes check in that building. Forget the theories and look at the facts you're dancing around. They wanted the guy out and Chicago gave them an out. Bravo for removing a square peg that Greg couldn't coach. A smart deal got them off easy.

They will eventually get it right when the chemistry is there: on the roster and in the front office.

Jason:

If I gather your point is that it was a mistake but they should suck it up and live with the mistake and try to make the best of it as opposed to getting rid of the mistake in the least painful way possible. I get the point. I disagree. I agree that our FO has made a mess of things but for them to suck it up and live with their mistakes as opposed to cut them loose -- would seem like a weird exercise in self punishment by the team. If I remember correctly Arculetta was the highest paid safety in the league, he's pushing 30, had a down year, he and his agent admit he's a one dimensional safety who can just play the run. And the Bears were willing to take him off our hands and the big contract to boot. We did well to get rid of him. I don't recall reading on your blog about a bidding war for him I think there is an obvious reason for that.

Damn, J-La! Those foot massages for the wife getting to be too much? Just sayin' cause I've got a 6 and 2 year old....

We all know the Skins suck and have for a long time, we just like to live in a fantasy world where cutting dead weight at an exorbinant price is a great move. Oh well, we shall see what the future brings. I have always said that I think we are cursed until somehow we get a new owner.....

Anyhoo, hope things are going smoothly at home, and we are wishing for a healthy and happy new member to the Toucanfora family. Those are the things in life that really matter anyway.

wow

Jason you and I agreed awhile back that they Danny/Joe have dug in their heels to prove "what we do here works" to all media and assorted doubters from here to afganistan.no doubt there is a compounding effect vs the cap for each misstep that has occured that hinders their ability to get the next move correct.that starts with first evaluating their own and paying them early before they get a chance to test the market, that's the point you get the "hometown Discount" and the player feels wanted, builds loyalty and chemistry.Betts is a move in that direction, dockery/wade good value decision.never thought we would bring back guys after they left town (thought they would be blacklisted) smoot good move , I liked Omar s the year he was here, good role player.I guess completely asking the owner to become say Bob Kraft is pissing in the wind, But i do see somethings that indicate to me that there are subtle changes and more what I call team building moves.

Just talking big picture, my faith was restored when the Danny got Joe to comeback, because I knew we would have at least 5yrs of coaching continuity. Even though Joe loves FA/veterans he is learning the value of selection and fit (Joe is slow but not stupid)

The league is razor thin (difference between Bad to pretty good teams)QB play is goes a long long way in saying where you end up. Jason Campell is the main charactor in this play. How well he does or poorly he does over next couple of seasons largely will determine our fate.

We have the elements in place to be a team than can compete and get on the right track. again big picture makes boring blog and the minute details of deals done, not done, moves made, could and shoulda make is the life of this great debate. but here is how i see it

we are well coached
we run the ball
we have and will stop the run
we don't turn it over much
we play solid special teams and our coach makes that an emphasis.

That my friends is a forumla for winning more games than you lose. I realize I am running on here, but Jason Campell and Joe gibbs give us the stabilty that we lacked since snyder took over Good young QB/ great coach.

Don't call me a homer it's not a guareente, Joe and Jason can still fail and if they do I will be the first one here to say our situation is hopeless and we are doomed to be the punchline in all football related jokes.

I feel the same way as Bucktown in that as a true fan, you just have to look for silver lining in every decision made by the team you love. I also agree with some other posters that this is very different from blogs you have posted in the past. It seems very personal and targeted directly at Dan Snyder for the first time. I have never posted before but had to say something after such an anomoly from you.

As for a GM, there is no way that will happen with Snyder here. What self-respecting GM would want to work for him? As fans, we have to realize that it will be Snyder calling the shots until he sells or expires, and with that comes the faint hope that he is learning and beginning to see the light.

J-La,

That, my friend, was awesome. Very accurate. Very True. Very Sad.

Mighty Mite has always pictured himself holding the Lombardi Trophy with Gibbs at one side and Vinny I guess at the other, just like the Squire did when he was a kid growing up. You can't duplicate success in that manner (with a check book). I too am a die hard fan who has been dying hard the past 10 years, and just wish the skins would look like they are moving forward instead of finding a way to spend fans money to no end.

As for those who think JLC is making it personal, I think he's acting like a frustrated fan, just like the rest of us.

At least until the regular season kicks off, right?????

Jason, my question is one that's been coming up:

How can you show your face at Redskin's Park? How would Joe ever answer your questions, ever again? I'm not sure people are so used to having reporters be so outspoken in their personal critique about them as you are (well, unless you work for the White House, but Redskins' Park is a little different)

You pretty well nailed it JLC. The trade may have made sense based upon the situation they got themselves in but the overall methods at Redskin Park are so dysfunctional that as long as they're jumping through hoops to undo their mistakes they'll keep missing out on other areas of need. One step forward two steps back - Redskin creed.

You act as though any playing time Arch got over the next two seasons would be a plus. I don't remember any big positive plays out of the guy from last season, but I sure remember the negative plays that got the guy benched. Those plays sure didn't help the Redskins become a better football team. As for equating him with Patrick and Rod, you act as if we were the team that drafted him in the first round. We signed him in FA so while that may have been a mistake we didn't spend a draft pick on him like we did with Patrick and Rod. I agree the Redskins made a mistake picking him up, but I don't think trading him was a mistake.

sounds like someone lost a source.

Jason,

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with you on most fronts, and I can see your point on Arch. You probably know a good answer to this, which is the only rationale I can come up with for the pure dump. Was he a chemistry issue in the locker room? Is there any truth to him being the leak of that story? I just assumed once the coaching staff assumed it was him, that he was done here. If you have to worry that a player is airing dirty laundry in the media, why would you want to say anything around him again?

I hate to make the comparison, but the only other player I can think of to trash coaches to the media is a certain WR out west.

But why is JLC so mad?

I'll tell you why.

It's because he wrote all offseason about SPRINGS being gone, not Archuleta.

It was only when the 'Skins and Arch delayed the deadline that he started "monitoring" the potential of an Archuleta deal.

And then it goes down without him even knowing it.

He was clearly blindsided by this.

So we're seeing reporter's anger here.

could not of said better myself, well done.
Just a question real quick ru going to be on the wp live show?

The trade doesn't make football sense because signing him in the first place didn't make sense for the team based on the product on the field this last season, but hindsight is 20/20, they didn't go in expecting this. The trade is basically a salvage of what's left of a bad experiment or a failed project. They pay him around four or five million to hit the road for good and they get another o-line project pick in this years draft, which is more than they were going to get out of Arch Deluxe based on how the season ended last year. Should they given him a chance, maybe, but they didn't want to for whatever reason and this was the best they could do for themselves given what they decided to do regarding Arch.

Geez dude, that was just a little over the top, don't you think?

The fanbase is glad that a bad football player is off our roster, his contract is gone, and we got a semi-worthless draft pick. Do you really need to rip us?

Am I pissed at all the stupid moves we've made over the years? Pretty much.

Am I dumbfounded by our lack of talent evaluation? Yes.

But sometimes you have to cut your losses. You can't constantly fight old battles.

Arch can't cover people, does not mesh with the other guys in our secondary, and (as far as I know) talked a mess of smack on us to tom friend.

So I'm glad he's gone. Period.

And don't give me "he could have been Matt Bowen!"

Matt Bowen was no good either.

And how can you say it's fine to pay your 3rd string safety 3 million dollars??? Especially when we're not sure we can keep Wynn and Daniels at that number.

Whatever.

Go write another fawning Ozzie Newsome piece.

Sometimes you have to admit your mistake and move on. That is what the Skins are doing. Yes we will remember the AD signing as a total debacle, up there with the Desmond Howard pick, but that does not mean we have to wallow in our mistake for another season, especially since AD went to the media like a crybaby.

I hate the offseason.

Well then, now that we have that settled, can someone PLEASE tell me why Jarvis Hayes gets 1 second of playing time. He is absolutley the most gawd awful player i have seen in recent memory, just horrible.

...whew....some reasonable minds showing up...

Thanks for calling this garbage out.

FFS ... I don't see it as Jason being angry because he's giving his wife too many foot massages these days. Or being personally angry at someone at Redskins Park. He's objective. He's also not a Redskins fan (and shouldn't be, in this capacity). I think he's right on.

Hindsight sure is fun, isn't it? Look, certain points you make are valid. But you make a big assumption in keeping him: we actually can raise his trade value, implying we can put him in situations to succeed. Wait, I'm sorry, there are personal grudges all around and we're not going to play someone if we don't like him (can't believe you brought up Lavar - getting him to pay us BACK money and then see his lack of production lead to likely the end of his career in NY was a BAD move by us? Seriously?). If he could have been put in situations to succeed in our system, I'm certain he wuold have been. He couldn't - Williams asks too much of his safeties in terms of coverage, and thus failed. It was bad scouting. Guess what? It happens with 31 other teams in the league too. It happens more often than we'd like to admit around here, but it isn't organization specific, either. Getting rid of his salary over the next few years COULD (not will, but could) free up space to extend Cooley. Would that be so bad? Essentially, we're trading a special teamer for a 6th rouder. The "Buy high, sell low" model you quote isn't great, but it's better than nothing...which is likely what we would have gotten for him, plus a big dead cap hit, when he would have been cut, next year, after not playing and not showing signs of improvement. Hell, you even mentioned he didn't want to be here in the first place....why keep someone like that when you can get a 6th and long-term cap relief for him?

BTW - not big on your point with Coles either. Snyder did act a bit petulant with the TV threat there, but Coles wanted out because he felt like he wasn't utilized enough. We got Moss. I really, REALLY don't think that trade worked out too poorly for us.

So Jason wants the team to keep Archuleta at that price just so the guy can "be Matt Bowen" for them?????

Top notch Jason, Top Notch!

I think you successfully and aptly captured the collective spirit of so many of us.

As it has been asked, how do you sidle around the Park, and not constantly look over your shoulder for the beat down.

Word has it (unsubstantiated b.s.), Vinny can now bench 225 25X, in case he is asked to do some real henchman work.

Not worried about you though, something tells me after reading this thread, your adrenal glands are working just fine.

Nice work, and f all the critics.

I nominate JLaC the Redskin Insider REAPER. Damn, J you don't need any exhibits to go w/ that indictment! I say the Skins are GUILTY!
I think the Squire would agree...

...Nice work, and f all the critics.

Posted by: k Squared | March 21, 2007 03:59 PM

I imagine that is what the FO is saying about Jason. Not productive at either end.

I think the "critic" sentiment is really an observation that this was out of character for Jason and we wanted to know if there was a particular reason for it.

It sounds like "Arch Deluxe" did not want to have to work for or even interact with the defensive coaching staff. In that regard he joins such higher profile notables like Champ Bailey and LaVar Arrington,. Heck it would be nice to still have the Denver Broncos
starting defensive end Kenard Lang. Yet another 1st round draft pick lost. This never used to happen.

It does look to me like Gibbs has finally convinced Snyder to try things his way. Instead of going hog wild over free agents. Have to wonder how long Gibbs will stay under these conditions? If not for the fans ... not long I'm afraid? I believe in Joe, and even his so-called antiquated offensive mind-set. I think he could get this team to more than one superbowl.

Snyder makes a good .com marketing and sales type. But a really lousy general manager. Vinny seems average. Casserly was better with the 'Skins, not so with Houston. Beathard's best days were also with the 'Skins. Guess there is such a thing as chemistry, synergy with the coaching and management ranks? Perhaps that is what is missing now?

Even if Jason has nothing personal against Snyder or someone else at the top, he should be aware that posting something like this is likely to personally offend diehard Skins fans. Read between the lines and it is basically a long-winded criticism of us diehards that are trying to see the positive in something that most would look at as a negative. It seems like angering or taking shots at the fan base that reads the blog is not in the best interests of keeping this thing running.

Was this really JLaC who wrote this article???? It sounds way too angry and one-sided to be him??? But anyways, JLaC, why are you still the beat reporter for the skins; you should definitely be in the opinion section, like wilbon or somebody. your opinions are very interesting and well-thought out. I just don't appreciate the Tony Snow-esque way you talk to the layman fans who were just happy to see Adam "ESPN snitcher" Archuleta go. I mean, even the Bolsheviks used the Czar as a scapegoat...and look how the USSR turned out!! Oh wait, damn, never mind...carry on.

"Vinny can now bench 225 25X"

Uncle Junior for Personal Punt Protector

JLC-

Amen!! Well said. Any change that maybe, just maybe we can get a "REAL GM", you know... A GM who understands how to wheel and deal and understands how to build a team in today's NFL? All these draft picks thrown away and wasted money on free agents for what? This highest priced ticket in the NFL and records of 6-10, 11-7, and 5-11. Wow, something isn't working....

Overall, good article and good blog today, I think.

One question from JLC in particular jumps out at me:

****************************************
"Does this trade - a move, like all with the Redskins is purely the domain of Coach Joe and The Snyder - have more to do with non-football issues than what would purely make the most sense from a depth and roster standpoint? Smells that way to me."
****************************************

In today's NFL, the line between football and non-football issues is thin and shrinking. Example: the Bengals entire team getting arrested (only a slight exaggeration, unfortunately). New commish Roger Goodell definitely sees this as a football related issue; so do the Bengals coaching staff, I guarantee. Those sorts of things can affect the how teams gell over a season in terms of overall chemistry. The point?

AD himself represented a whole range of "non-football issues" that affected the relationships between the coaching staff and the players. He clearly did not fit here, and for most (not all) of the year took it like a professional. However, even if he did not leak information for the Tom Friend ESPN story (which many in the org think he did), he DID publicly call out the defensive coaching staff at the end of the 2006 season by saying they had not been speaking with him. Right or wrong, that seemed to solidify the preception that he liked to talk to the media about team related matters that should stay behind closed doors. Maybe the team feared that this sort of thing would continue if he stayed around, and end up affecting the whole team. Chemistry, baby.

Sometimes, non-football issues can easily translate to poor performance on the football field in the NFL. I think that's the reason the 'skins org made this move, with an eye towards starting next season with a cleaner slate, and maybe repairing relationships between coaches and players (at least on the defensive side of the ball).

Intangibles and coach-player chemistry led to this move.

This is a football move that happens to actually help us in the long run on the cap. (I agree that many of our previous moves have been horrible.)

Arch was horrible, couldn't cover, couldn't stop the run (his "specialty"), couldn't play special teams, couldn't keep his mouth shut to ESPN.

It was Arch that nearly cost us the Dallas game by giving up that huge completion to Jason Witten (thank you Troy Vincent, Arch's temporary replacement, for the blocked FG). Arch was a benchwarmer from day one when double G realized that he was a horrible fit for this team. Unfortunately for us, Pierson Prileau was blindsided by Casper the ghost on the opening day kickoff and Arch had to come in.

I'm just glad we don't have to read anymore Post articles exhaulting Arch for his excellent workouts, because apparently he forgot to train how to back up.

So, as I said at the top of this post, this is a good football move that just so happens to save us cap money in the long run.

Even if Jason has nothing personal against Snyder or someone else at the top, he should be aware that posting something like this is likely to personally offend diehard Skins fans. Read between the lines and it is basically a long-winded criticism of us diehards that are trying to see the positive in something that most would look at as a negative. It seems like angering or taking shots at the fan base that reads the blog is not in the best interests of keeping this thing running.

Posted by: Big Red 6 | March 21, 2007 04:03 PM

I've been a diehard Redskins fan since 1973. I'm not so blinkered in my views, however, to see the team as I'd like them to be. There have been some major, major screwups since Snyder took over. Let's be honest about them; hopefully then the root cause can be fixed and we can move on. But even that's probably a pipe dream.

Jason, PLEASE! We simply cannot keep rehashing the Antonio Pierce and Ryan Clark thing! I hated it as much as anyone that they left but there comes a time when we have to MOVE ON. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

Probably they could have strung Arch out for another year or two but cutting the strings was probably best for both parties. He will be happy playing in Chicago. He was most likely the player in the Friend article and that is why he was benched. I don't think the fans will be crying over this one.

And Snyder is not going anywhere so we need to stop talking about that as well.

All this goes to show how poorly this franchise has been run since the Danny took over the team. The Fo & coaching staff are VERY petty hold grudges & are quick to make knee jerk reactions. as long as Snyder contiues to own this team I see the same bad FA acquisitions, trades, Drafting we've grown accustom to.

One thing I must admit now, after reading the commentary...the admission of failure is a great start. Now do the other things you need to do:

1.) Bring in a solid talent evaluator to COORDINATE the effort.
2.) Reward your own and start building through the draft.
3.) Build some protection for that QB up front.
4.) Win.

I'm don't completely wear the Skins blinders either, but it is perfectly okay to be excited when the team gets rid of a mistake that would only hurt the team by staying with them. Look at Moss in Oakland - they will not admit their mistake and trade the guy for less than what he is worth, and watch how he disrespects this new kid coach they brought in. Don't confuse positivity about a single move with overall blindness as to personnel mistakes of the past. Like so many have posted before me, hindsight is 20/20, why worry so much about it.

who cares archy gone to a team he should have been with from the start.we still should trade springs and our 6th pick to denver for bly and denvers 1,2,and 3 round picks.

Um, Jason.. uh, we kinda already know our FO is the worst in the league and our owner knows nothing about how to field a football team. Your rant is well articulated as well as accurate, but can you tell us something we don't know... your post is like going to some right wing blog and explaining that the Bush Administration is a failure/corrupt/etc. (simply stating the obvious)

But, Danny is at least taking a small step in the right direction.
Bottom line for the Arch deal:
Yes, it was wrong to sign him in the 1st place

It was right to get rid of him now because he would have been a distraction all year long

It was right to trade him because instead of simply cutting him, we end up getting a late pick and save cap room in the future

This was another good move in an already wise off season for the Skins.

Big Red, the truth hurts. Don't be a simp.

What should offend you, as a die hard fan (we all are), is the ineptitude at the top. What positives can you draw from the Snyder reign of terror?

The perpetual Cap room quandry, throwing draft picks away, lack of organizational stability, you name it, Snyder has f'd it up.

There is no plan. A plan requires knowledge, experience, and vision. What operational background does Gibbs or Snyder have? Gibbs has never done this, until now....and it shows.

Pointing these things out is not negative, only true.

Wow, another angry baltimoron. The skins got rid of a player that didn't want to be here - just look at your own rant, we over paid and that is why he came. He never wanted to be a redskin and never bought into the system. Sure played several woulda, coulda, shoulda scenarios as well. Hind site is alwasy 20/20 or better.

ZACH PILLER OG , IN FOR A VISIT WITH THE SKINS , I JUST BROKE NEWS

I don't think there was any resolution to the AD problem that JLC would not have criticized. Suppose AD stays with the team? JLC would write how poor a fit AD is in the system and how it doesn't make sense to keep him. Now that he is traded, JLC writes about how wasteful the move is (which it is on paper, I agree).

Its JLC hatin' on the 'skins, offseason style. I guess its too much to ask JLC to carry over a sense of objectivity from his beat reporting to the blog? I mean, I know he loves the Ravens, and I know he does not like the 'skins organization, but does this have to bleed through so many of his blog posts?

Talk amongst yourselves.

JLa:

Again, I feel you and agree with a lot of your stuff, but the issue is cutting loose from the major error of signing Archuleta a good or bad decision? The answer is: yes. Objectivity is fine, but because people happen to be 'Skins fans doesn't make them suckers either. I don't think many on this blog are in disagreement about the futility of many of our offseason moves, our handling of the cap, our scouting department, or our lack of a personnel manager (GM, or whatever we classify that person as). We get it. We get that bad cap moves hinder our ability to have quality depth - something that has killed us forever. But...all that being said Archuleta was a safety with no speed or coverage abilities, and a guy too small to play linebacker.
And L.Coles was a whiny, selfish cancer and a sub-par receiver. Good riddance!!!

As a reg blogger, I must agree with LincolnParker/SkinaVille/and Sub G.

Where is all of this anger coming from? I must say reading it turned me off of you sentence by sentence. I want my reporters to be Fair and Balanced, and not have an axe to grind (as you just demostrated by getting mad at us saying it was good deal Cap Wise of the trade)

You know how Family members can always talk about how lousy and boneheaded a Family member of their's is? BUT, if someone whose not family talks about that person, you are ready to beat them down? Jason, you are not Skins Fam - Youse a reporter who blogs. But when you insert personal feelings with a sent of resentment, that's where you cross the line.

If I was JM220, I would Double Smack you to the back of the head all the way back to Bmore.

I don't understand why everyone is agreeing with you when your formula was flawed. THE CAP DOES MATTER DUMMY. WTF HAVE YOU BEEN COVERING, THE OTHER FOOTBALL? HAve you seen our future Cap Years #s? We are at $120 Mil for next year (2008) ALREADY.

Laveronous Coles didn't like the system, but Santana Moss Flourished as a top 5 receiver in the SAME F'ING SYSTEM. LAVar's Agent's F'd up his $$, not Danny.

Everybody in the Freakin World acknowledges that we shouldn't have signed Arch, no one disagrees about that. Gibbs is from the OLD SCHOOL, you keep sh*t internally. Once it gets out, you are looked upon as a person trying to disrupt the chemistry. So, we cut yo a**. WTF is the Problem??

Remember Tenesse a few years ago? They had to cut all of those MoFos cuz of Salary Cap Issues? THE F'ING CAP MATTERS.

Why the F**K the Steelers are trying to get rid of Clark after one year? Tell me that? We f'd up on AP, So the F**K What? That was F'ing 3 years ago. We went to the F'ing playoffs after we got rid of AP.

You are trying to lump a everything that has happened over a F**King 8 year span. You can't do that because all that sh*t ain't in the same classifacation. There has been NO F'ING CONSISTENCY. That's our F'ing problem.

Daniel Snyder is NOT GOING ANYWHERE ANYTIME SOON. We are stuck with him, get use to it or find another F'ing team to root for.

Also, blame Gibbs, not Snyder for the signings and non-signings. Snyder just offers the $$. He called Clark's Agent. So The F**K what?!? We wasn't gonna sign his but any F'ing way.

Look, maybe its the offseason, but WE ARE WHO WE F**KING THOUT WE ARE. INCONSISTENT.

I agree with Skinsville. Jason is taking this too personally. The mistake was signing Archuletta to the big contract in the first place. This is just a stop-the-bleeding-and-move-on type of trade. No more. No less.

Signing AA was a terrible mistake. Keeping him on the team as a disgruntled bench warmer would only make things worse. The fact that they were able to get chicago to pay the 5 mil makes this trade a no brainer. The mistake was made a year ago...all this trade did was cut our losses.

I know hiring a GM makes sense, but a Gm working under Snyder would be a disaster. A Gm is only effective if the Owner actually lets him do his job. Snyder will never do that because he thinks because of his marketing sucess that nobody can tell him how to run this team. He basically tries to emulate Al Davis and Jerry Jones.

Mr. La Canfora:

How dare you question what I do with the Redskins. Look at the success we've had since I took over the team. Profits are up....er, yeah, profits are up and will go up as long as the suckers, I mean the fans, keep their loyalty to my 'Skins. Just read their comments. I'm a genius! Next time I see you, I'm going to wear my platform shoes, stand on a box and have a word in your face! BTW: You're banned from Johnny Rockets...as is any fan or reporter or player or coach who disagrees with me. All is good! I own everything! BTW: Who are Arch Deluxe and Ryan Clark? Did they go to TomKat's wedding?

Daniel M. "Dan" Snyder

I want to note that this blog almost directly contradicts those article at the end of the year about whether Williams had say in personnel. I have excerpted the Post article and then this blog side-by-side. Can't have it both ways:

Les Carpenter: Jan 3, 2007
Worse were the players Williams wanted in free agency: Archuleta and defensive end Andre Carter. Both were big-name players whose shortcomings had become more pronounced in recent seasons.

Archuleta was so bad a fit he was yanked from the starting squad in the middle of drills one day in November. Troy Vincent trotted out to replace him and Archuleta barely saw the field in ensuing weeks. And nobody has ever told him why, he said.

Williams said he had as much say as the rest of the people in the organization over which players the Redskins signed, meaning when a transaction happened it was because everybody agreed it was the right thing to do, not just him. But the perception among many personnel people in the NFL is that Williams was allowed to pick his defensive players and then implored Gibbs to force Vinny Cerrato, the team's vice president of football operations, to get those players.

Jason LaCanfora January 21, 2007
Ain't no way Gregg Williams, Al Saunders or anyone not named Joe, Dan, or, gasp, Vinny, is saying a word. They take part in personnel meetings along with the scouts, make their case for players when asked to and then sit on the other side of the building while Dan and Joe wheel and deal in from the owner's office.

Don't want to be a foolish simpleton again, but I can't choose what offends me and what does not as a fan. Jason has every right to post such a blog (obviously), but tell us something we don't know. I felt the need to comment because it was so much different from his usually objective (although taking humorous shots at times) reporting on this very blog. I would hate to see this blog, which I enjoy reading, turn into a haters forum where we rehash the reasons we suck and why we will never be good again.

It is not being foolish to promote optimisim every once in awhile. I try not to keep myself miserable at all times by remembering our past failures. It seems some other readers agree.

So, you are telling me from strictly a football standpoint, that Vernon Fox and broken Troy Vincent are better football players than Archuleta? Do you think Joe G would really put inferior players in the lineup just to knock Arch's confidence down another notch or two?! I gotta believe the coach is out there doing his best to win a football game, not to play Dr Phil with player psyches. If Arch couldn't beat out these marginal players last year, what makes you think he would smell the field this year. It would be just another year of watching him pout on the sideline. Personally, I would have accepted a roll of toilet paper for the worthless commodity.

While bringing him here was obviously a monumental disaster of a decision, getting him out of here was a necessity, irregardless of ANY cap ramifications.

1) JLC, I think it's awesome that you have this kind of passion. Seriously. Blogers, we are uber lucky.

2) I still have to disagree. Your argument glosses over the fact that it was always a mistake for him to be here. 7 starts or 70 starts. Those of us who are both glad he's gone and HORRIEFIED when he signed originally, are jumping for joy. By your argument, if the front office makes a mistake, they should just let it run it's course.

3) I'm the last person, maybe ever to champion the actions of the skins FO. It is a shabingus in constant motion. It flows and becomes new shabingi. All those mistakes you pointed out were just that, mistakes. The point is, here we are now. We can correct a mistake (Gardner, Rod, sourpatch Coles), are they supposed to let this one go because they screwed up before? I would argue no. That guy needed to be somewhere else.

4) The elements of your argument that I love are all about how the FO is structured. No one here, from Arch apologists to the street dancers (what I did when I found out he was leaving) would tell you that they are the least bit satisfied with The Danny and the personell acquisition strategies of the Redskins during his tenure. Error after error. Swings and misses everywhere. Very few times, have we been able to correct a mistake. The path that led us here may not be a good one (aka the decision making) but I think the conclusion of archuletta's dismissal is irrefutably the right one.

I agree with Jason's rant about the FO and its structure stinking and they are not accountable for all their dumb moves -- and as for the post that said that Gibbs wasn't part of these mistakes and that Synder and Cerrato have been making them without his input -- seems hard to believe based on what I read from this paper. Gibbs seems culpable too.

Having said that -- this isn't the move IMO to start a rant about the FO. Dumping Arculetta's salary and getting a pick for him too boot -- is a rare GOOD move by the FO.

Yeah teams across the league am sure where clamoring to take a safety who is pushing 30, who is on the downside of his career, had a bad year, can't cover by his own admission, and is the highest paid safety in the league or if not close to it -- I bet team after team where calling the Skins and saying look we really really want this guy, we will take his salary off your hands and give you a draft pick to boot. But, we got overanxious and dealt him to the Bears before the parade of offers came in.

IMO we just got lucky that Lovie Smith has a relationship with Archuleta and thinks he can turn him around. Jason correct me if I am wrong, but I'd be stunned if we had more suitors than the Bears.

Speak it, J. Let the Redskin-annas and Snyder apologists scramble and fall over themselves to blast you. No single move this team makes happens in a vacuum. This is an unfortunate byproduct of a more unfortunate signing in the first place. They deserve to be buried again for this. Pile it on.

JLaC, most of the time, I got your back, but on this current pick-and-flick of the scab, I see it as having been a much closer call, esp. with the read on dead cap space.

If the choice is: (a) $4 dead cap hit in 2007 against a $109 million cap versus (b) the possibility for a few sacks and big plays over two years, then taking a $6 million hit in 2010 against what will probably be a $130 million cap, then my choice is to take what I know over what I don't know.

The comparison assumes that other players salaries don't continue the absurb ballooning that we've already seen so far this off-season. Those next two seasons (as key reserve) are seasons where the guy is 31 and 32 years old, with an injury history that includes hospitalization with a concussion (and a need for him to be a safety that makes tackles) and back injuries (disk issues). So the fix you offer is to cut him in June 2009, spread the $7 million hit over two years and face like a $1 million hit in 2009 and like a $6 million hit in 2010.

Its that cap hit in the out years that says to me this borrowing against the future has to stop. Yes, Chicago made out like banshees and the Skins got NOTHING for the $5M sunk this past season. Sometimes, you have to pay the piper. I think it is a business decision (football, non-football, whatever) to settle up accounts in the present.

So far this offseason, the Skins seem like they have been trying to take some of the hard medicine (at least, hard by Skins' terms b/c there are FAs who would have been signed in past seasons, but not this season). This Archuleta medicine happens to be the hardest medicine yet. [Lisa, we're all behind you, but the hardest medicine may be yet to come in your Dark Chocolate.]

I return to my original idea for why they made THIS decision now ... so that the next round of FO staff doesn't have to deal with as much dead space dead wood. Plus, it gave them the chance to meet the FO staff in Chicago...

Say it again, Old School ... Bobby DePaul.

Jason,

I don't think anyone has tried to claim that the Redskins front office is a winning organization, have they? You're beating a dead horse.

However, even a bad organization can make a good move, just as a blind squirrel can find acorns. Getting rid of Arch the way they did was a good move. Keeping him would have cost another $5 million in cap over one or two more years. They got out of it by trading him. They made a mistake and they're paying a price, but the price is less than it would be in a year or two. It's a sign of foresight, not "win now."

What is encouraging to some of us is that this off-season, including Arch's departure, seems more reasonable than the last off-season. The blind squirrel is finding more than a few nuts. Maybe it's not really blind but is taking a while to get used to its glasses.

You, like many others, don't want to acknowledge that people -- even the Redskins -- can learn from their mistakes. Personally, I'm willing to see how things turn out.

Personally I don't care about Archuleta, or any of these personnel decisions one by one. It's when you start looking at them as a whole, as a pattern, that a clear picture emerges.

The Redskins are in shambles. There's no long-term vision. There's only a win now mentality, and even that isn't working. Snyder needs to fire himself, right after firing Vinnie and bringing in a Ron Wolf type. Learn something from other owners (and I don't mean of the Jerry Jones mold). Sit back, sign checks (smart ones, no throwing good money after bad) and watch the team improve and maybe win a game or two.

Until we are better consistently I don't care who questions the Redskins leadership.

The Redskins are LUCKY to have gotten any pick for Archuletta.

And yes he will be better in Chicago because he won't have to cover anyone...besides the fact that I can maybe name 2 defensive players I'd rather have on our team then theirs, and that would really be digging.

Just got this email reminder from the team. Damn, now I won't be eligible for seat relocation:

Dear Season Ticket Holder,

The deadline for your season ticket invoice is now less than 10 days away!

In order to retain your tickets and parking (if applicable) for the 2007 season, please ensure your invoice is paid in full by Friday, March 30, 2007. If payment is not received by March 30th, your seats and parking are subject to cancellation.

Don't miss out on any of the action as your Washington Redskins take on the defending NFC Champion Chicago Bears, as well as NFC East rivals: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants! Recently signed London Fletcher-Baker and Fred Smoot, as well as Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis, and the rest of the team need your support and want to see you at FedExField in the fall!

Simply return your payment in the envelope enclosed with your invoice. You may also make payment over the phone with the Redskins Ticket Office by calling 301-276-6050 or you may fax your invoice to the Ticket Office at 301-276-6001.

*** Remember - only Season Ticket Accounts which are paid in full by the due date are eligible for seat relocation ***

If you have recently remitted payment, please kindly disregard this email.

Hail to the Redskins!!

Joe Gibbs always talks about how much he looks at character and how much they want a player to fit into the Skins system. It seems they go above and beyond the duty to find out if a player fits. The truth is they do a terrible job and will not admit that they have short comings in the personnel area. Vinny sucks and always has. He is just a yes boy to Danny and destroyed the 49ers. Joe cannot make good player decisions. His theories and coaching work but a free hand inplayer selection is not his strong suit. We need someone who tells the Skin's management when they make mistakes. If we do not get a GM we will be a mediorce team for years.

Now I'm really mad, Jason.

Why don't you face the facts on the Redskins and sixth round picks? Does Cedric Golston ring a bell? Maybe not yours, but a lot of other people got their bells rung by him:

2006: Golston played in 16 games, with 12 starts, and recorded 59 tackles (35 solo), a half-sack and one fumble recovery. He finished third among Redskins' defensive linemen in tackles.

Golston was a sixth round pick of the Redskins -- #196 in the draft. Who would you rather have on the Redskins next year -- Arch or the next Cedric Golston?

I generally agree that in the last three years, the FO's choices have been more misses than hits.

But...

Clinton Portis, Shawn Springs, Sean Taylor, Chris Cooley, Marcus Washington...Santana Moss...Kedric Golston (Draft: 2006 - 6th round)...acquiring these players were not bad moves in Gibbs' second tenure, I think most would agree. Even JLC.

So its not all bad, hmmm? Is the FO structure to be praised when they get things right? Or only when things go wrong?

Mr. Raven - I mean, JLC - any thoughts?

has anyone seen my vibrator?

Football Speak couldn't have said it any better.

Gibbs is out to win Football games. If I guy performs, he plays.

JLaC - Why the heck was Arch not playing? Tell us that, huh? It def wasn't about a personal issue. The guy got BURNT TOAST. Sound familiar??

Jason,
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you are saying from a business standpoint and a fan standpoint. I do feel however that getting rid of AD was necessary in terms of team unity and moral. I do think that Mr. Snyder and Coach Gibbs are making concessions that there were some bad decisions made. Dumping AD for nothing and swallowing $4M this year can't possibly make them feel good. One thing I know about Dan Snyder is that he wants very badly to win for the Redskins and more importantly the fans. Being a long time fan himself before owning the Redskins allowed him to have a great understanding for what the fans want. We want to see the Redskins Win, we want to feel like we are a part of a great winning tradition. That means being loyal to your fans, players, coaches, and anyone who calls themselves a REDSKIN. Hopefully we will now learn again to be responsible with "Our Salary Cap", not just "Dan Snyders Salary Cap". We the fans and past players, coaches, owners deserve to have a very excellently run football team. We build what today is known as the Washington Redskins. I hope they continue to try to honor who "THE REDKINS" really are by thinking in terms of what we really want to see our franchise look like. We want a franchise that first appreciates the fans who support it by being good managers and stewards of the personnel and players who run it. What our franchise known as the Washington Redkins needs is to know that there is some sort of accountability at the highest level. That is no disrespect meant to Mr. Snyder. Great leaders are even better followers. Mr. Snyder should open himself up perhaps to something of an eldership so to speak. About five guys or so that he handpicks(True Redskins)that would have the authority to truthfully help him run the franchise. The guys would also have the job of being a fan base liason. I just hope our Redskins Leadership truely knows our core value's of being a "True Reskin". We need to learn to honor but not overpay guys like AP and Ryan Clark who were core players. I know this much about Dan Snyder and Coach Gibbs, nobody wants to win for us more than them. I love your articles Jason, keep them coming. Especially at a down time like this when all we can do is wait and hope for better days to come.

Greatest blog ever. Rationalize all you want some of you people. Jason hit the nail on the head.

There a lot of people -- and most them work for Snyder via extremeskins.com -- who are still living in the glorious past. Over the past ten years, the Redskins have been no better than the Cardinals and Lions. The organization is quite simply a joke in the eyes of other fans and even worse, in the eyes of players and coaches around the league -- all who will only come to DC if Snyder backs up the brinks truck. We all need to realize this and stop defending the Danny. The man simply has no plan -- one that he sticks to at least -- and seems unable to extricate himself from the football decision making process. All this "Snyder isn't involved" crap is just that, crap. He is the defacto GM via Cerrato. Schottenheimer realized this and kicked his sorry butt to the curb. Too bad Coach Gibbs is apparently too much of a Christian to do the same. Or hell, mabye Joe has just lost it completely. Sure seems like that on the sidelines on gameday.

The Skins will have a decent year every now and then. It's almost impossible not to in today's NFL. But until real changes in the front office and front office philosophy are made, they will lose far more games than they win. And, sadly, they will continue to be an organization the rest of the league laughs at.

It's time to wake up, people. Snyder can buy extremeskins.com and some overrated players, but he can't buy wins.

KK, nice, but Anthony Montgomery was picked in the round before Golston. I love Golston too, but he's one sixth rounder out of lots the Skins have picked well. I'm guessing when you said you were "really mad", you mean't not really that mad. [Don't get me wrong, I'm still hoping for big things from Golston, Montgomery, and Kili Lefotu.]

I cover as good as Britney Spears panties during a night on the town. You are all haters.

It pains me but stupid decisions like this will taint Gibss legacy forever. Coach...stick with NASCAR...you're actually winning in that sport.

Did somebody light a match? This blog is on fire!

Lots of lurkers posting for the first time. Lots of regular season posters posting for the first time in the post-season.

Nothing brings 'em out like Dannytalk!

Anybody got a Newport cigarette? I am ALIVE with pleasure.

"I cover as good as Britney Spears panties during a night on the town. You are all haters."

Hey Adam Archuleta, it don't count if all those panties are covering are her bedroom floor.

sween- F the Newport...let's start doing shots of GM! lol
Who are these people?

PS, I also wanted to say that if the first recommendation for leadership accountability is not agreeable then just hire a GM who has the ultimate authority to make all football decisions. End of Story! Thanks again Jason!!
Kris M.

I still can't come to grips with the fact that Jason so easily writes off the potential of a 6th round pick. Yes, the trade looks awful on paper. The highest paid safety in the league for a 6th round pick? The Skins clearly admit their mistake by executing the trade. However, look more closely. Arch absolutely sucked last year, and as hard as it is to believe, he is not going to all of the sudden learn how to cover and fit in as a major player in this defense. The guy was terrible. Did we forget that. Do not write off sixth round picks like they are nothing, just because the Skins' recent 6th rounders have not been Pro Bowlers. Golston for one is a good example of a Skins 6th round pick who has serious potential. And who knows when you might unearth the next Tom Brady (I think he was a 6th rounder) or late round gem. It's pretty much a crapshoot when you get to the later rounds. Think about it - would you rather have a close to 30 safety who can't cover or a potential decent to good player (or maybe even another pick to package for a more pressing need). This was a good move by a FO not used to them.

News Flash: There are 31 teams that make more than a half dozen horrible moves each offseason.......if you honestly think the 'Skins would have been better off keeping Arch than I'm sorry your an idiot......this is a good deal if for any reason it clears up a roster spot that was being filled by a guy too small to play linebacker and not quick enough to play safety and who bites on every juke....his covers skill are horrendous and he was a constant liability.......they fact we got out of the extra $5mil and got a sixth round pick is amazing.........nice to see your hindsight is 20/20 JLc.....save the hater articles for Cowboy blogs....try not to hurt yourself hopping on the Bandwagon later this year.

Y'all, just checking in quickly so I apologize if this has been said in a thousand different ways -- including this one -- already:

JLaC, I may not always agree with you, but damnit, I respect the hell out of that post. Bold, smooth taste.

(Apologies to Wes Mantooth as well.)

I love the Redskins so much but I can't deal with their offseason "strategies" anymore. This Archuletta trade just removes a mistake. He was never going to play, so what is the point of having him on the roster?

My larger issue is that we have no plan. Every year we pick at the obvious issue - it was WR going into last year, now it's defensive line. We don't take a draft into perspective that we need to take the player who will be best in the long run that we have some need for...not the guy that fits into our glaring need right this second.

I am a huge Sean Taylor fan, but do people realize that we could have taken Ed Reed instead of Patrick Ramsey, then taken Ben Roethlisberger the next year instead of Taylor? I know people can play the "what if game" in the NFL forever, but those were two people I definitely wanted at the time.

Our constant disregard for draft picks is alarming. You cannot get any surprises from the draft(the Antonio Gates, Marques Colston, Tom Brady, on a smaller level Kedric Golston, and numerous other guys) if you never have draft picks...the first round isn't the only important round. Without "shots in a barrel" you can't make any hits.

I like how so far we've taken a somewhat lower keyed approach this year and not overpaid guys like Dockery or Leonard Davis. We can't move into a smart direction that consistently successful teams are in without holding onto our current and future draft picks, and it seems to me we are on our way so far(fingers crossed in late April).

As far as the first pick is concerned we obviously need to wait til we are on the clock before making a move baring an overwhelming offer. We have no idea who will be there (Quinn/Peterson/Others) and could make our pick very desired. I don't know if these DE/DT are THAT good, and by THAT good I mean on the Seymour, T. Harris, Freeney, Peppers level. If they are not capable of being that good, then they are not worth the 6th pick plain and simple. We will simply overpay a young guy and depend on him too much to fix to big of a problem.

Let's not forget Rock Cartwright. Seventh Round pick out of Kansas State in 2002 (257 overall).

I'd frankly be more comfortable with Rock covering tight ends than Archuletta.

dcsween--

Always respect your perspective on anything.

I think that when Jason writes "looking at the past history of sixth-round picks in these parts, we'll see if this young man ends up making a mark of any sort in the NFL" he should acknowledge that the Skins probably do about as well as anyone with sixth rounders. The "history in these parts" includes losers and winners.

There's a lot of luck involved that late in the draft, but getting one more roll of the dice off of Arch at least improves our odds of finding another Kedric Golston. We may not find him, but the roll is worth something.

Is there anybody else we can trade?

In exchange for Schaub (the #2 QB who never really ever had a shot at starting there), the Falcons got to move up two picks in the first round, plus they got two second round picks.

How about Todd Collins? He's never going to have a shot at starting. Do the Skins have ANY tradeable depth? I'm getting a little punch drunk from reading this REALLY LONG posts ... now this hamster wants more instant gratification ... more draft picks, more draft picks. [IPO! IPO!]

Somehow I missed the whole blog when I looked at it at first.

Yeah the whole part about Danny screwing up and Gibbs being complict I agree with 100%. I love Gibbs the coach but not the GM. Snyder I love his willingness to spend money but he doesn't seem to realize that he should get out of the football personnel business -- its clearly not his niche and is ruining the franchise as he experiments with it by trial and error.

I just think Jason is using the wrong example to back his rant. I'd agree if the rant was about why they signed this guy in the first place but to rant about why they are dumping him? Seems out of place. But I appreciate and agree with his attitude about the FO, they are a joke!

Jason, I love the work you do here on the blog and in the Post. You're one of the top beat writers in the league, but this is way over the top.

Your frustration with the way the front office is structured is starting to show in everything you write. Will you give AP and Ryan Clark a rest already. Clark was benched by the Steelers at the end of the year, even after Palamalu went down. And Pierce had once pretty good year in NY and last year he wasn't playing great before being hurt for most of the year. Sure they were cheaper, but in the AP's first year with NY, Marshall had just a good a year here. Last year both struggled and you see we improved by getting Fletcher. That said, who is a better MLB, Fletcher or Pierce. So with you point of getting better on the field, right now we're better on the field with Fletcher instead of Pierce. Also, if by getting rid of AA we are able to keep Springs WE ARE better on the FIELD then were Springs to leave. Also, by keeping Springs we have the opportunity to move him to Safety, which I believe will make us better, especially in coverage with the cover 2. So yes, we are better on the FIELD with this move.

I'm not in love with everything we've done in the front office and I think we need a real football guy as a GM, but let's not make everything that happens with this team a reflection of your personal opinion that they are imcompetent.

haha last blog for awhile...have fun suckers

Jason,
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you are saying from a business standpoint and a fan standpoint. I do feel however that getting rid of AD was necessary in terms of team unity and moral. I do think that Mr. Snyder and Coach Gibbs are making concessions that there were some bad decisions made. Dumping AD for nothing and swallowing $4M this year can't possibly make them feel good. One thing I know about Dan Snyder is that he wants very badly to win for the Redskins and more importantly the fans. Being a long time fan himself before owning the Redskins allowed him to have a great understanding for what the fans want. We want to see the Redskins Win, we want to feel like we are a part of a great winning tradition. That means being loyal to your fans, players, coaches, and anyone who calls themselves a REDSKIN. Hopefully we will now learn again to be responsible with "Our Salary Cap", not just "Dan Snyders Salary Cap". We the fans and past players, coaches, owners deserve to have a very excellently run football team. We build what today is known as the Washington Redskins. I hope they continue to try to honor who "THE REDKINS" really are by thinking in terms of what we really want to see our franchise look like. We want a franchise that first appreciates the fans who support it by being good managers and stewards of the personnel and players who run it. What our franchise known as the Washington Redkins needs is to know that there is some sort of accountability at the highest level. That is no disrespect meant to Mr. Snyder. Great leaders are even better followers. Mr. Snyder should open himself up perhaps to something of an eldership so to speak. About five guys or so that he handpicks(True Redskins)that would have the authority to truthfully help him run the franchise. The guys would also have the job of being a fan base liason. I just hope our Redskins Leadership truely knows our core value's of being a "True Reskin". We need to learn to honor but not overpay guys like AP and Ryan Clark who were core players. I know this much about Dan Snyder and Coach Gibbs, nobody wants to win for us more than them. I love your articles Jason, keep them coming. Especially at a down time like this when all we can do is wait and hope for better days to come.

I think Snyder is a clear example of what the 'Old Guard' owners feared. An extremely successful businessman taking over a football team. No one can deny that the Redskins are extremely successful when it comes to finances but a look at thier record over the past decade show just how well business success translates to football success. Jason hit it right on the head, we should't be celebrating good business moves, we should be examining the moves in regards to the product on the field.

if not then just hire a GM who gets all the control

JLC, you are the Jack Kerouac of bloggers. Amazing stream-of-consciousness rant. Great points all around!

i still think a third of the blame needs to be placed on vinny c. the man was here before gibbs, and we were still making bad personnel moves (deion, bruce, and carrier in one offseason alone)...he did the same crap back in san francisco, the only difference there was they already had a nfc championship-caliber team, and just needed one or two spare parts, so overpaying for a veteran on the decline worked, though it ended up putting them in cap hell for a few years (during which vinny ran away).

danny-boy likes splashy signings. vinny c can only scout players who've already had big years. joe loves veterans like sons. put the three together and you got a scary combination.

not only should we have kept smoot, pierce, and clark, but let's not forget we also paid a large sum of money to get a middle linebacker from the giants who never played a down for us. why did we waste money on him when we already had pierce? because no one on the staff thought he could fit the role. but it could be clearly seen from his previous season that year that he was quick and could make plays, and we didn't lose much when he filled in for injured players. give the young no-names a chance before throwing money away...

archy is gone.so good riddance to bad rubbish.who cares anyway.its what happens when you have an owner who doesnt know football.on another note i say trade springs and our 6th pick to denver for bly and their 1,2,and 3rd round picks.

KK, point well taken (esp. about respecting my perspective! I never get that at work) about doing OK in the draft. Of the six picks last year, all but Kevin Simon are still on the roster. From the previous year, not so good (3 on, 3 off). Same with 2004 (two on, two off).

I was just getting a little defensive about J-LaC, who was obviously coming down from a bender ... or a nerve wrecked afternoon of child care responsibilities.

JC, until fans can fire an owner, Vinny gets not simply 1/3 of the blame, he gets ALL of the blame. [St. Joe, b/c he has Super Bowl rings, only gets "so what have you done for me lately?"]

dcsween--

Obviously the FO at your work is no better than the Redskins, and maybe worse. Maybe you should ask to be traded? How much do you count against their cap? What can they get for you? A third rounder?

JLC - Your rant was right on, loved it. But I think keeping AD around as a backup would have been a distraction. How would the starters react to a player sitting on the bench making 2X dollars while the starter is making X dollars. Businesses don't publish employee salaries for that reason. There is no quicker way to kill employee moral than knowing that a coworker is making more that you do. Especially, if you think they don't deserve it.

i blame snyder more than anyone.wasting our draft picks and money for players whos gone the next year.pathetic.

Wow JLC, you seem positively pissed. I don't blame you if you are a Redskins fan.

I will be 60 on my next birthday and have been a skins fan ever since I can remember. For most of that time, the skins were not very good. We had one good owner, Jack Kent Cooke, who was there for both George Allen and Joe Gibbs I. Edward Bennet Williams ran the team for the Squire during the Allen years. You need a good owner to have a good team. It is all about leadership.

I have spent time in the military and in a large corporation, and I have seen it over and over again. If you have good leadership, your chance for success is great. If you don't have good leadership, then your chance for success is problematic. Even Jack Kent Cooke did not always make the best decisions. He hired Norv Turner and Jack Pardee.

My point is that the skins will only be good consistently if Dan Snyder learns how to be a good leader for his football team. If he doesn't, then we are stuck. The Orioles have two GMs, but there decisions are nullified by an owner who thinks he knows better. My hope is that Dan Snyder will learn how to lead his football team. If he doesn't, the future is bleak.

I have posted similar sentiments before.

I think Jason does a fine job with this blog and with his reporting articles, which are two very different animals.

I have posted in the past with just "Mark", but I have seen another "Mark" submit posts. I am not as clever as Nate in the PDX, so I just added my zip code to distinguish my posts from his.

They may be good or bad, but I am stuck with the skins.

That was a bit of a slippery slope.

I have no idea how you can say Dan Snyder is to blame for the personnell decisions. He clearly only deals with the $$ side of the deals.

Joe Gibbs, Gregg Williams and the other coaches are the ones who pick the players. Bash them if you want, but blaming Snyder for Archuleta is ridiculous.

Mark in the Pyle?

we need another owner like kent cook.a least he didnt screw up the skins like snyde has.

snyde has the final say.he could have said no.

can we stop talkin about archy,hes and who cares.he sucks anyway and didnt want to be here to begin with.

Am I the only one who believes people, including Daniel Snyder and contributors to this blog, can make mistakes and learn from them? Or does a series of mistakes, like Snyder's (or even my own which are not as evident to everyone), means you're doomed to mistakes forever?

i think we are deating a dead horse here ... lets just move on from the AA deal ... i never like the way he played

snyde doesnt seem to learn fro