Still blown away by Jim Zorn becoming the Redskins coach? I’ll go one better. It seems Vinny Cerrato might have some real influence on the franchise’s direction after pushing for Zorn.
Yikes.
Hearing Cerrato talk about what makes a good Redskin makes me want to wretch buckets. His coming free agency and draft talks might cause me to lose more weight than a stomach bypass.
Cerrato has always been in owner Dan Snyder’s ear. However, the “executive vice president” has rarely dictated the team’s personnel decisions. Joe Gibbs was the end-all ruler over the last four years. The 12-man personnel panel voted 11-1 against signing a free agent, but the player was inked because Gibbs cast the one approval. Marty Schottenheimer ran everything in 2001 and Charley Casserly set up the 1999 team that won the NFC East.
That leaves 2000 and 2002-03 as Cerrato and Snyder’s years. As they ready for free agency on Feb. 29, let’s remember some past moves.
The 2000 roster was the first near $100 million payroll. Deion Sanders, Mark Carrier, Jeff George and Bruce Smith were major free agent signings. Sanders played one mediocre year. George lasted a couple games as the 2001 starter before getting cut. Carrier played one year before illegal helmet hits essentially ended his career. At least Smith lasted four seasons even if they were the downside of his career.
The 2000 draft? Casserly set up Cerrato for success with the No. 2 and 3 picks so Chris Samuels and LaVar Arrington were no-brainers. But, the other six players never busted a grape.
In 2002, while Steve Spurrier watched some of the draft in the press room with reporters, the Redskins took quarterback Patrick Ramsey over Spurrier’s objection. Ramsey never amounted to much. The Redskins did well with Ladell Betts in the second round and perhaps the best pick by Cerrato-Snyder was Rock Cartwright in the seventh. Jeremiah Trotter, Jessie Armstead and Renaldo Wynn were the prominent free agents, and only Wynn proved worthwhile.
The 2003 draft saw all but three selections traded away. The Redskins took Taylor Jacobs, Derrick Dockery and Gibran Hamdan. Dockery was passable, the other two did nothing. Matt Bowen, Chad Morton, Randy Thomas and Laverneus Coles were the main free agents. Only Thomas lasted past 2005.
You know Cerrato and Snyder are itching to spend freely in free agency despite salary cap problems. They’ll postdate money like they always do. The Redskins need a quarterback for this new system that doesn’t mesh well with Jason Campbell. A big receiver would be nice, too.
The next three months will be interesting with Cerrato and Snyder in charge once more — like rubbernecking past a roadside wreck.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
