Post Draft...

[ehb5]

@ehb5 Maybe I have misread you. But seriously when your first and strongest comparison of Cousins is Foles... what exactly would a rational person think except that you expect him to fail. When I point out that Cousins more than likely will be a slightly above average QB, much like the last three Super Bowl winning QBs we have had in DC, you basically called me crazy. And I dont doubt your fandom of the team. But I have made no secret that i do think there are fans who want and expect Cousins to fail.... and most of those fans feel that way because they were emotionally invested in the other guy.

Well foles is not my first or strongest comparison for kirk. There's really no debating that they were both struggling as nfl qbs before ripping off great stretches early in their careers. The ONLY point of bringing up foles is to say that it's possible kirk implodes. Not probable but unfortunately not impossible. As I said to cali I think he most likely ends up being average too. If you want my real comp/most likely scenario I'd probably say Stafford. But hey its possible he could be Tom Brady too what the hell do I know.

 

[skinsdad62]

Phillip Rivers would be my guess

 

[Stymietee]

@ehb5 Maybe I have misread you. But seriously when your first and strongest comparison of Cousins is Foles... what exactly would a rational person think except that you expect him to fail. When I point out that Cousins more than likely will be a slightly above average QB, much like the last three Super Bowl winning QBs we have had in DC, you basically called me crazy. And I dont doubt your fandom of the team. But I have made no secret that i do think there are fans who want and expect Cousins to fail.... and most of those fans feel that way because they were emotionally invested in the other guy.

Therein lies the rub....."Rational person" Would you agree that a rational person considers all possibilities? Too many here are locked into the, "if you don't see it my way" you're on the wrong side of the issue. therefore you're hoping that the result is something bad for the team or player. Best recent example: Kirk's contract extension. Breaking news for all who obsessed over "getting it done" IT DIDN"T HAPPEN!! So what are the possible reasons, well here's a few:

1. This is a "prove it" season for Kirk. (This is where many draw a line concerning possibilities)

2. After evaluating the film on the guy, the team realizes his limitations and won't pay him a dime over what they believe those limitations are worth, market be damned!!

3. The organization while hoping for a great year that solidifies his status here, are preparing "just in case" he settles into that "average to slightly above average" QB, has a very good year, then asks for way more than they believe an average to slightly above QB is worth, especially since they know that there are far more average to slightly above average QB's already in the league than there are exceptional ones.

4. He proves to be an exceptional QB....they pay him, everyone's happy!

Or Sharks favorite......

5. He has a very good year, wants X millions, refuses to sign the tender and bolts, leaving the team to be in QB limbo for the next few years or so. That too, is but one way to see it. If you are still of the mind that this is a QB centered league, you'll never see the beauty in building a team that doesn't require an exceptional QB. Yes, it would be great to have one, no doubt, but how many spots on the overall roster would you be willing to understaff in order to pay your QB? If, as I believe, SM's goal has always been to load this team with real talent. That takes money to not only build it but keep in intact for years.

It is small minded to believe that followers of a certain team wants a player or that team to fail for whatever reason. Who amongst us would not love it if our team went undefeated through the Superbowl with an average margin of victory being no less than 13 points? Realistic? Too many variables to hurdle in order to get there, and that's the point. If you are not willing to consider and accept other possibilities, whatever the subject, you steal the joy from sites like this. I would much rather exchange thoughts and ideas about the team with you guys than to be the subject.......

 

[Sportster 72]

What we really don't know is how SM feels about paying a QB. In SF they had many. In Seattle they had RW before he cashed in. It is a wait and see game.

My thought and these are just my thoughts were, if you are going to tag him for two years (most indications from Scot where that they would) then why not sign him to a long term deal with a guarantee of $44 million with an out after two years. That is the cost of playing under the tag for two years. That makes sense unless Cousins tanks in which case you are out $25 million minus what ever his tank salary would be. The next scenario is you don't believe he can play as well as last year and you let him walk. The last is you attempt to sign him at the lower figure no matter how he plays and if he doesn't agree you tag him for one more year or let him walk.

Time will tell, we need to see how Cousins performs this year and what SMs philosophy is.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Gives him the best shot at being picked up by another team. Best wishes Adam.

 

[skinsdad62]

could open up a spot for daniels

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Always an interesting read...



By Jerry Brewer Columnist July 25 at 10:02 AM


The 2015 campaign was one of dramatic improvement: a 9-7 record, a four-win increase from the previous year; just the third playoff appearance in the past 10 seasons; the emergence of quarterback Kirk Cousins and tight end Jordan Reed as team-carrying stars; the gradual improvement of rookies and other young talent; several veterans playing their best and showing leadership. You saw General Manager Scot McCloughan make an immediate impact, and you saw Jay Gruden evolve into a credible head coach after the front office stabilized. The progress was substantial.

Now, it’s back to the process.

One nice season doesn’t vault Washington into championship contention. Neither does the good fortune of signing Josh Norman after he unexpectedly became available. When the team begins training camp on Thursday in Richmond, the expectations will be greater because it’s only natural to think in terms of linear growth. But don’t be surprised if the next step in this process isn’t as inspiring as the first one. And don’t automatically anticipate being upset if that happens, either.

[Josh Norman at home, giving back to Greenwood, S.C.]

This is typically the most awkward season of an NFL rebuilding process. Washington has experienced a breakthrough, albeit in a league legislated to help franchises grow from terrible to competitive quickly. The team still must prove it can be a consistent winner from season to season, and then comes the hardest step of all – becoming an elite title contender. It’s difficult to finish the climb without something occurring to test the discipline of what you’re building.

From now until Washington ultimately succeeds or fails, you have to evaluate two versions of the team. The first, always, is the on-field product. Results are the most trustworthy indicators of progress, but it’s important to interpret those results in context. How good is the division? How good is the rest of the league? Is the team capable of playing well against the best competition? Or does it merely feast on the feeble? Do the statistics reflect how good or bad individual players are? Does the team improve as the season progresses?

The complete Redskins training camp guide.]

McCloughan knows it’s roughly a four-year process to make the roster great. That has been the average timeline in just about every place he has been. Washington might be able to cut it to three years because the roster wasn’t barren when McCloughan arrived, not with Cousins, Reed, left tackle Trent Williams, linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon already on the team. The general manager also inherited a coach in Gruden who had done the heavy lifting on a culture change the previous season. So there’s a chance Washington will have an ideal roster a year early, by the start of next season, if it has made all the right moves.

But what about now? There’s a division title to “defend,” and presumably, the NFC East won’t be the disaster it was a year ago. It will be troubling if Washington isn’t, at least, in the division race in December. But at the same time, the roster is still average. This looks like a team that is halfway to where it wants to be, which basically means it is right on schedule.

The defense remains a year away, even with Norman expediting its improvement. The running game is a question mark. The depth will be much better – the team will be more athletic on special teams and have better backup options – but the last third of the projected 53-man roster doesn’t compare to current NFC heavyweights Arizona, Carolina and Seattle.

playing under the franchise tag, makes good use of a deep receiving corps. The hope is that the passing game anchors the entire team, that the running game improves, and that better athletes and ball hawks on defense mean more big plays. It’s plausible to see Washington become a sturdy 10-6 team under this scenario, especially if Junior Galette is healthy, explosive and adds to the pass rush.

But it’s a prove-it year, no doubt. Reed, who signed a contract extension worth nearly $10 million a year in May, must have another monster year. The impressive rookies of 2015 must show that last season wasn’t a case of beginner’s luck. The new draft class needs to produce at least four instantly useful players, with versatile linebacker Su’a Cravens being the most important. And, of course, Cousins must approach his incredible 2015 numbers: 4,166 yards, 29 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 101.6 passer rating.

Cousins’s contract situation represents the state of the franchise. Just like the team, he did enough to inspire optimism, as his franchise-tag $19.95 million salary this season shows. But the team couldn’t agree with Cousins on a long-term contract because it’s still important to proceed with caution. It’s the proper move for both sides. Cousins was right not to sign a team-friendly deal if he believes he can prove he’s even better. And because Cousins is a player without a true comp – sketchy in limited starting opportunities early in his career, solid in his first six starts as a full-time starter and then otherworldly in his final 11 games (counting the playoffs) – the franchise needs more evidence to be sure about its investment.

You can’t just rely on McCloughan’s talent-evaluating ability to make a good guess on Cousins. You can’t just rely on what Gruden thinks, or what offensive coordinator Sean McVay thinks, or what quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh thinks. It’s a decision that the entire franchise must make, Bruce Allen and Daniel Snyder included. As much as that might scare you, the franchise is going to need to make several major, collective decisions in order to become elite.

The entire front office showed good synergy in pouncing on Norman for the right reasons. It wasn’t some foolish talent grab. It was a well-structured contract to acquire a player that Washington can’t duplicate easily using its draft-first building philosophy. The defense needed this boost. The franchise made a great decision with Norman, just as it did making the difficult choice to bench Robert Griffin III in favor of Cousins last August. It’s possible, with honest and open communication again, to keep Cousins long term at a fair number. It will be extremely expensive if Cousins improves upon what he did at the end of last season, but the front office is willing to take that risk for certainty.

Just the same, this is a season to be certain. It’s hard right now to see this team collapsing and winning, say, five games. The floor seems pretty solid. This should be a 7-10 win team. The players will need to overachieve a little to reach 10 wins. If they win nine again, you’ll probably think of it as a flat year. If they fall to seven or eight wins, you’ll probably think of it as a regression.

But look at how the current premier teams in the league progressed. Linear growth rarely occurs. You have to go through something. That’s not meant to give Washington an excuse for having a poor season before the year even begins. Maybe the Skins jump to 11-5, and the ride stays smooth. The point is that, whatever the record, they’re still in the middle of a methodical process.

There is no Instant Pot in the NFL (sophomoric marijuana joke deleted to prove that one process — maturation — works). Regardless of the 2016 results, Washington must remain focused and disciplined to finish what it has started.

Process after progress stinks, but it’s the only way to be certain of your destination

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Nicely done Danny Boy

 

[Sharkinva]

Nicely done Danny Boy

Any one wanna bet there will be a moment of silence for Chief Zee at the begining of the season opener. It might not make air time, but I wouldnt be shocked if they do it some where in the pregame. Also it would be cool if Chief was the first fan ever inducted into the ring of honor.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Can't imagine there won't be some kind of tribute for him.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Wow, great piece written by Ziggy Hood on his special needs son.

My Boy | by Ziggy Hood