LaDainian Tomlinson may show whether the Washington Redskins are led by seasoned talent evaluators or still driven by a star-chasing owner.
L.T. would have been a perfect free agent signing for owner Dan Snyder a few years ago. Snyder spent more time watching falling stars than NASA scientists. Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith and Mark Carrier started the big-money decade. Albert Haynesworth finally reached the $100 million level last season.
San Diego released its franchise player on Monday after 12,490 rushing yards and 138 rushing touchdowns over nine seasons. Running backs tend to lose it quickly and Tomlinson’s 3.3-yard average was nearly two yards less than in 2006.
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan saw Tomlinson’s rise and fall while leading division rival Denver. He’ll know whether the runner still has some juice. After two bad years, though, it seems unlikely.
That wouldn’t have stopped Snyder in the past (See Archulta, Adam). However, the owner now has roadblocks in GM Bruce Allen and Shanahan. Allen’s approach seems more conservative than a Tea Party candidate. Shanahan is thinking younger at running back, not yesterday.
Tomlinson won’t have many options — not many teams seek aging divas. The Redskins already have Clinton Portis. You want both in the backfield? What kind of one-two punch is that — a throwdown by Tila Tequila?
In the past, vice president Vinny Cerrato would have claimed Tomlinson was a victim of bad luck and ready for a new start. That was the Brandon Lloyd logic. Lloyd delivered the worst season by a starting NFL receiver in history.
Nowadays, everyone expects more from this front office as it heads to the NFL combine starting Wednesday. Allen says the team spent the past six weeks methodically reviewing its own roster before even looking at the next wave of talent. Given the Redskins may flip half their players by fall, they’re just seeing who’s worth keeping, much less who’s next.
But Tomlinson would have lit up Snyder’s eyes in the past. Big enough name for the owner to know. Might sell some jerseys.
Fans would balk over a Tomlinson signing. After forcing out Cerrato in December, the Burgundy Revolution no longer wants Snyder doing business as usual. Those 20,000 no-shows late last season provided some clout. Otherwise, that supposed 150,000-person waiting list will be run through again without enough takers.
Sorry L.T., the Ashburn Retirement Home for Has-Beens is now closed.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or
e-mail [email protected].
