Guess you gotta go to Six Flags to get a thrill out of owner Dan Snyder nowadays. The Washington Redskins aren’t major players in free agency anymore.
The annual grand opening of free agency on Friday resulted in a 31-year-old middle linebacker and a potential starting cornerback off an injury. The Redskins couldn’t keep guard Derrick Dockery from leaving and were outbid by Dallas for Arizona offensive lineman Leonard Davis.
Talk about disappointing. It’s like expecting Randy Travis and getting Travis Tritt.
The Redskins say they’ve finally found religion. The drunken-sailor-on-leave mentality is in the past.
“This season seemed to be a little different,” coach Joe Gibbs said. “We were trying to be smart on what we did.”
The real skinny? Washington didn’t have the money to be a player in free agency. The Redskins entered only $7 million under the salary cap after reworking several deals. San Francisco had $40 million to burn. The 49ers outbid the Redskins for Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements with a silly money $80 million deal. Plenty of other teams were also flush with cash to snare top players.
Why are the Redskins suddenly back in salary cap prison? There’s no one looking ahead to balance Snyder’s now-now-now approach.
The 2005 loss of middle linebacker Antonio Pierce shows how one misstep can ripple through a team. By not negotiating a long-term deal beforehand, the Redskins let Pierce sign with the New York Giants. Lemar Marshall was moved from outside to middle linebacker, creating a gap the Redskins thought they plugged last season by drafting Rocky McIntosh — though it cost this year’s second-rounder to move up for McIntosh. However, McIntosh didn’t start so there’s still a void. Marshall wore down last season and the Redskins signed London Fletcher on Saturday to a five-year, $25 million contract with a $10 million bonus.
Combined, losing Pierce cost the Redskins first- and second-rounders plus an expensive free agent.
Reason No. 26,843 to hire a general manager.
Reason No. 108,821 why this team won’t return to its former glory until it does.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
