When is the last time we drafted a very good WR?

[TCB]

I know we drafted Gary Clark in 85. That can't be it? Sure we can say similar things at QB, but there are so many more on rosters that the odds have to be so much better to hit one?

 

[TCB]

Just curious. Not wanting us to focus on one this year as we need oline, defense, yada.
I just can't think of anyone at wide out since Clark.

 

[Sleepy T]

Should've been Jordan Mathews from last year....

Yeah...my man crush for him is still strong. It is painful watching him turn into an above average receiver with the 'Iggles as a rookie. This after watching all of these other scrubs that we have drafted over the last 4 or 5 years still "not getting it". We missed the boat on getting a stud WR in last years draft... most of those taken in the first 2 rounds are ALREADY playing very very well.

But we picked up D-Jax and Roberts in FA...so I get it.

 

[TCB]

Should've been Jordan Mathews from last year....

Yeah...my man crush for him is still strong. It is painful watching him turn into an above average receiver with the 'Iggles as a rookie. This after watching all of these other scrubs that we have drafted over the last 4 or 5 years still "not getting it". We missed the boat on getting a stud WR in last years draft... most of those taken in the first 2 rounds are ALREADY playing very very well.

But we picked up D-Jax and Roberts in FA...so I get it.

Oh, I'm sure the list of "passed ons" is full of hall of famers. It just struck me as weird that I could not think of one since 85.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

I know we drafted Gary Clark in 85. That can't be it? Sure we can say similar things at QB, but there are so many more on rosters that the odds have to be so much better to hit one?

Even at that - Clark was not really drafted by the Redskins. This was a supplemental draft of ex-USFL players so it was almost as if Clark was kind of a free agent.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Perhaps the fact that several of their former # 1 WR picks - Westbrook, Howard, Gardner, etc - did very little for the Skins might explain some of this. They also kind of drafted Lavernious Coles in 2003 when they traded that pick to the Jets. Thank God the Jets were stupid enough to trade Moss to the Skins to get him back.

Forget just WR - the Redskins overall history with # 1 picks is awful! Take a look:

List of Washington Redskins first-round draft picks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some of the picks were bad, some of it was bad luck & some of it simply not being able to keep the player long term (e.g. Bailey). Also - they basically had no 1st round picks during the 70s & 80s (Allen & Beathard eras).

It is very depressing looking at this list & seeing how few of these players have thrived for the Redskins long term. For every Green & Monk there are tons of guys who contributed very little to the Redskins.

 

[TCB]

Good points Socal. If we discount the supp draft we go back to Monk in 80. That is 35 years for drafting a very successful receiver that played for the Skins!
I am willing to give them credit for Clark since the whole usfl thing was unusual and they did invest a pick in him.

The first round picks are comical. Take me away in a straight jacket after I read those picks.

 

[skinsdad62]

water under the bridge fellas

 

[SoCalWizFan]

water under the bridge fellas

On its own yes. However - like anything else they can learn from their previous mistakes. See the draft link that I provided. For the 80s & 90s the Redskins used first round picks on three great players - Monk, Green & May. Beyond that they did not even have a first round pick! 22 years & only three first round picks. However - this time frame includes their greatest period of success as an organization & it isn't even close.

Just shows that it is not all about getting the flashy high draft picks. It is about quantity - getting lots of draft picks, scouting all picks to ensure top talent, keeping & developing those picks & finally providing the best coaching possible for those picks. The successful organizations in the NFL do this on a regular basis.

If fans can figure this out then why can't the Redskins do this & adjust accordingly. Stop trying to find the latest shiny toy & stop hoping that all of your problems will be solved by simply getting the latest toy (Deion, Fat Al, McNabb, RG3, Jackson, etc). This is all about planning long term & following the script of other successful organizations. Get a freaking clue Snyder/Allen/etc.

 

[j_y19]

On its own yes. However - like anything else they can learn from their previous mistakes. See the draft link that I provided. For the 80s & 90s the Redskins used first round picks on three great players - Monk, Green & May. Beyond that they did not even have a first round pick! 22 years & only three first round picks. However - this time frame includes their greatest period of success as an organization & it isn't even close.

Just shows that it is not all about getting the flashy high draft picks. It is about quantity - getting lots of draft picks, scouting all picks to ensure top talent, keeping & developing those picks & finally providing the best coaching possible for those picks. The successful organizations in the NFL do this on a regular basis.

If fans can figure this out then why can't the Redskins do this & adjust accordingly. Stop trying to find the latest shiny toy & stop hoping that all of your problems will be solved by simply getting the latest toy (Deion, Fat Al, McNabb, RG3, Jackson, etc). This is all about planning long term & following the script of other successful organizations. Get a freaking clue Snyder/Allen/etc.

Socal, your points are all valid and our FO should learn from this. I will say this, however, its a different time than in the 80s. With unrestricted FA, you can no longer draft a guy, spend 3-4 years developing him into a starter and then still have rights to him when his rookie contract expires. If they turn into anything productive, the chances are they are leaving for the big money after their 4th year. Now, that hasn't been a problem here because we haven't really drafted and developed too many players in the last 10-15 years that other teams covet. THAT is the problem that the FO needs to address. Why can't we find and develop talent in later rounds like the good teams. As you pointed out, its not about the 1st round pics. Its about the 3-7 rounds pics becoming productive contributors to our team. You can probably count on one hand the number of lower round picks that turned into good players for us.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Socal, your points are all valid and our FO should learn from this. I will say this, however, its a different time than in the 80s. With unrestricted FA, you can no longer draft a guy, spend 3-4 years developing him into a starter and then still have rights to him when his rookie contract expires. If they turn into anything productive, the chances are they are leaving for the big money after their 4th year. Now, that hasn't been a problem here because we haven't really drafted and developed too many players in the last 10-15 years that other teams covet. THAT is the problem that the FO needs to address. Why can't we find and develop talent in later rounds like the good teams. As you pointed out, its not about the 1st round pics. Its about the 3-7 rounds pics becoming productive contributors to our team. You can probably count on one hand the number of lower round picks that turned into good players for us.

Very good pts & yes things were much different in the past due to limited FA, no salary cap, etc. Just means that the script for developing a good team has been updated to reflect the current time. Shouldn't be that hard to know what teams like Seattle, New England, Green Bay, etc do to obtain success & try to emulate them to a degree. Basically agree with Skinsdad about moving on, but at least take a good hard look at previous mistakes & say "what exactly can we do to not repeat these mistakes & do things similar to other successful teams?". I just hope that the ego of a certain person does not get in the way.

 

[Sportster 72]

What about Desmond Howard, Michael Westbrook and Rod Gardner? They weren't good?

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

It's not so much that the picks were bad, I'm guessing the miss rate is not that far below the league average, it was the amazing lack of picks. 24 of the last 49 drafts had no first round pick. But again most were dealt by George Allen and Bobby Beathard and we can't really argue with their success.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

What about Desmond Howard, Michael Westbrook and Rod Gardner? They weren't good?

All of them were probably the correct picks at the time but didn't work out for the Redskins for various reasons.

Howard basically only turned out to be a good kick returner & not for the Redskins. Gardner really only had one good season but who knows may have done better with different coaches, QBs, etc. He did not arrive at a good time. One other thing for him - it is not so much that he was picked - it was who the Skins passed up to get him. If they had picked Moss they could have spared themselves wasting a later # 1 pick that was used to get Coles who was then traded for Moss. Other players drafted later in the Gardner draft include Reggie Wayne, Chad Johnson & Brees.

Westbrook is a tricky one. Again - the correct pick. A total athlete who again really only had one good season. He was also partially the victim of not necessarily being in a good system & his attitude certainly didn't help things. Oh well - maybe he simply liked being an MMA fighter more than a football player.

I think all of this just underlines the need to not get too caught up in hoping that some # 1 pick saves your franchise. You have to build the team all around & not simply through one or two guys. Live and learn.

 

[sublime4eva]

If he's available in the later rounds a WR like Jalen Strong would be a steal

 

[KickSaveDave]

I know we drafted Gary Clark in 85. That can't be it? Sure we can say similar things at QB, but there are so many more on rosters that the odds have to be so much better to hit one?

Hall of Famer, Art Monk, 1980.


Just about squa-diddley-doosh since then.

 

[Stymietee]

2014........Ryan Grant, who I predict will be the reason that this team trades P. Garcon.

 

[TCB]

2014........Ryan Grant, who I predict will be the reason that this team trades P. Garcon.

Sty, let's hope somehow he finds a way on to the field and proves you are right.
The fact that he hasn't to this point has me seriously doubting.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Sty, let's hope somehow he finds a way on to the field and proves you are right.
The fact that he hasn't to this point has me seriously doubting.

The WRs don't really matter if you don't have a decent O-line & a QB who can locate open receivers. Heck - if the line & QB were doing their job most of the time you could have Jackson, Reed & a bunch of scrubs as the remaining receivers & I am pretty sure that the team would do very well.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Sty, let's hope somehow he finds a way on to the field and proves you are right.
The fact that he hasn't to this point has me seriously doubting.

A rookie WR on a bad offense with 2 Pro Bowlers and Roberts ahead of him won't get many opportunities. Tana is now seeing time ahead of him because the coach is grasping at straws and this is no time to break in a rookie

With that said I highly doubt he ever becomes as good as Pierre has been. He has a huge cap number and I get the concern but he's a stud and one of the few play makers on this team.

Thinks he regrets leaving Indy? It's my understanding the offers were not that much different.