Has anything changed at Redskins Park now that real football people are running the Washington Redskins instead of a puppet regime?
We’ll soon find out.
Will owner Dan Snyder turn the lack of a salary cap into an opportunity for a one-year turnaround and a bid for a Super Bowl championship? Or will coach Mike Shanahan and GM Bruce Allen take a more selective approach? Frankly, who knows given the front office shuffle, but bet on a spending spree.
A handful of teams, such as Washington, Dallas and now Chicago, aren’t afraid to spend $20 million on a major player. Snyder gets the first real chance of his 11-year tenure to buy a title. Unfortunately, the 4-12 team needs to upgrade at too many positions in a year when too few unrestricted free agents are available to make Washington a serious contender. A winning year is possible — but not a late January run.
Still, Snyder will try to buy a Lombardi Trophy. It might cost $200 million, so when stadium parking reaches $50 one day you’ll know why.
It doesn’t feel like a big weekend for the Redskins, though. Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers is the obvious prime target. As a pass rushing end, he would help the new 3-4 scheme and likely would cause Andre Carter to leave. However, NFL sources say Peppers is looking to get paid and win, and Washington isn’t first on his list. Not that Snyder can’t change Peppers’ mind — the owner is a great recruiter who rarely loses a targeted free agent — but Chicago seems to be the front-runner for Peppers.
One danger of signing Peppers is his reputation. He doesn’t always give 100 percent, which is especially worrisome once a player signs a blockbuster deal. Remember Albert Haynesworth and Dana Stubblefield? Do the Redskins really want another slacker D-lineman?
What about running back? Does Washington sign an aging diva in LaDainian Tomlinson or Brian Westbrook — the latter coming off a series of concussions — when it already has both scenarios in Clinton Portis? The Redskins probably will wait for the draft to take a mid-round runner.
If Shanahan doesn’t retain cornerback Carlos Rogers, Washington could opt for New England’s Leigh Bodden or Houston’s Dunta Robinson. The Redskins probably would be better off fiscally keeping Rogers another year. Then again, it’s an uncapped year, so money doesn’t matter.
Overall, this may be the most interesting start to free agency since Snyder’s 2000 debut — a window into the Snyder 2.0 era. Bring your Windex because it might get a little murky.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
