Redskins owner Dan Snyder doesn’t mess around in a crisis. Hours after losing two defensive ends Sunday on the opening of training camp, Snyder tradedfor disgruntled Miami star Jason Taylor. He didn’t even greatly overpay.
The Redskins obtained one of the NFL’s top pass rushers hours after losing an aging end hoping for one last season. Not a bad upgrade. An offseason that lacked starpower suddenly gained the biggest defensive name on the roster. The Redskins now have their best pair of pass rushers since Dexter Manley and Charles Mann in 1989.
The owner who was once the target of flim-flam agents and GMs leaguewide is showing some deal-making smarts. Miami knew Washington was desperate after losing Phillip Daniels to a season-ending torn ACL plus backup Alex Buzbee with a torn Achilles tendon. Miami could repeated its demand for a first-rounder that was rejected earlier this spring by several teams. Instead, Snyder paid a second-rounder next year and sixth-rounder in 2010.
Adding the sixth rounder seemed pointless, but late-round picks seldom make the roster anyway. Maybe itwas enough to let Miami brag over getting the better of the deal. If that’s what it took to obtain Taylor then so be it.
Snyder seems better when cornered than whenever given time to plan. His reaction to Sean Taylor’s death last season was perhaps the owner’s finest moment since arriving in 1999. After Daniels became the fastest camp casualty since 1995 when Bobby Wilson lasted 30 minutes before a career-ending back injury, Snyder grabbed Taylor away from Redskins nemesis-now Dolphins boss Bill Parcells.
Whether Taylor is indeed worth a second won’t be known for a year. The “Dancing With The Stars” competitor sees himself as an entertainer instead of an athlete nowadays and only wants to play one more season. However, a good year will certainly prompt Snyder to convince Taylor to delay his Hollywood plans. Who knows — maybe Snyder will even toss in a role in Tom Cruise’s next movie or appearances in Six Flags commercials. If Taylor is looking for a drama to star in, Redskins Park always seems to be an ongoing soap opera.
If Taylor delivers two or three good seasons then the Redskins got a steal. At worst, they’re renting a good player at a positional crisis for a season and can consider the deal a tossup.
Daniels’ injury was eerily reminiscent of center Cory Raymer’s 2000 preseason injury on the practice field. That all-star team expected to contend for the Super Bowl instead finished 8-8. While the Redskins are a borderline playoff contender this season, chances for even 8-8 took a big hit on coach Jim Zorn’s first day before gaining Taylor.
Who knows — Taylor just might help the Redskins two-step their way back to the postseason.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
