The Washington Redskins have become a little better and a little younger since the start of free agency. But they’re not much closer to the Super Bowl.
Receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan give the Redskins a little more juice in the passing game. The Redskins maintained the status quo by bringing back defensive end Adam Carriker.
None of this scares other NFC teams. They’re more concerned with Tampa Bay’s haul of receiver Vincent Jackson, guard Carl Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright.
Targeting top names like that is reminiscent of the Redskins of old. Indeed, Washington could have used all three players. But after the NFL penalized the Redskins $36 million over two years against the salary cap Monday, Washington couldn’t go crazy. It had to settle for respectable.
Maybe that’s for the best. The Redskins have little to show from past blockbuster deals for Dana Stubblefield, Deion Sanders, Albert Haynesworth and Adam Archuleta. Perhaps Plan B is a better route to the postseason. Free agency was always intended to be a supplement to building through the draft.
If there’s optimism for a Redskins revival after 11 victories in two years under coach Mike Shanahan, it’s the coming draft, in which they seem poised to pick Robert Griffin III. The gifted quarterback likely will be taken second overall by Washington on April 26.
That said, most rookies aren’t game-changers right away. It takes a few years for quarterbacks to become factors in the NFL. Then again, maybe Griffin is the exception. We’ll see in September.
Washington bolstered Griffin’s chance of success by signing two young, productive receivers. Garcon is a 70-catch wideout who has the breakaway speed Shanahan said the offense lacked last season. Give him a seam and it’s seven points. That’s a big difference over last year.
Morgan played only five games last season before fracturing his leg, but the former H.D. Woodson High standout is the type of downfield blocker who’s critical in Shanahan’s system. He should catch 50 balls.
Receiver Santana Moss might not make it to training camp. Tight end Chris Cooley might not, either. The Redskins are moving on from their aging playmakers as Shanahan desperately looks for new talent. Of course, not many Pro Bowl-caliber players become free agents.
The first free agency of the new labor agreement was milder than expected, perhaps because the salary cap was essentially flat over last season. Players were hoping for big riches again, but only the elite signed for top dollar. Washington wanted to make a couple of notable signings and fill some holes.
If Washington finally becomes a contender this season for the first time since 2007, it will be thanks to the 2010 draft picks emerging and Griffin playing well as a rookie. The chances of that are a little better thanks to Garcon and Morgan.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
