Washington Redskins: Offseason Champs Again

If Dan Snyder is good at one thing, its hype. Nothing creates loftier expectations than going out and buying up all the high profile free agents on the market. Usually, this type of move completely backfires and the team ends up watching the playoffs from the comfort of their own recliners. But without getting into that too much, the moves made by the Skins in the last few days have tipped me off to a few different things. I'll explain.

1) Letting Arrington leave: I believe Arrington is a great talent. He is as athletically gifted as they come and I will always hold a special place in my heart for the guy who ended Troy Aikman's career. I think the reason why the Skins let him go is two fold.
First, he doesn't know how to play his position. He's probably the type of guy who because of his athletic superiority at every level, could rely on his speed and instincts to compensate for being out of position a lot of the time. Due to this, he probably never bothered to learn where he needs to be on every play. And linebacker is a position where you need to know your on-field positioning so well, it should almost be second nature. After five different defensive coordinators in five years, Lavar probably stopped trying to learn.
Secondly, I think that his injury two years ago significantly effected his speed and/or lateral movement. He is no longer able to compensate for being out of position. Once the Redskins saw this, they decided that they would rather have someone else on the field. While they might not be as talented as Lavar, at least they would be in the right position. Arrington became a liability in the defense most of the time and that is the reason for the lack of playing time last season. When it became clear that he was either unwilling or unable to learn the system this year, he punched his own ticket out of town. That being said, I have no doubt that he could be a Pro Bowler again in the right system.

2) Randle el and Lloyd: The addition of two more small WRs tips the Skins hand in that they will not be taking a WR with their first (second round) pick in the draft. This is fine with me because I doubt they would be able to get a quality immediate starter at that position in the second round.
I also believe this means that the Skins will continue to use the TEs and H-backs more often in the passing game. Cooley should continue his path to becoming one of the most productive TEs in the league and Fauria will finally give the Skins another viable receiver from that position.
Admittedly, the Skins probably spent too much on Randle el, but in addition to being a decent #2 WR, he gives them the kick and punt return threat they have been missing since Brian Mitchell left and he allows them to run those gadget plays that Pittsburgh was so fond of.

3) Archuleta: I like Archuleta, but this could be a move that means Sean Taylor could be spending more time tossing salads than catching interceptions next season. That kind of scares me. On the other hand, if the Skins' safties are Archuleta and Taylor, they will be nasty against the run and no WR is going to want to go over the middle with those two tanks lurking there.

4) Carter: The Skins getting Andre Carter is like asking a starving man if he wants a McDonalds Filet-o-Fish. When compared with the rest of the menu, it might not be the best choice, but when you're starving, it probably tastes like the best thing you've ever eaten.
Anyone who knows me knows that my biggest problem with the Skins is their stubborn refusal to upgrade the defensive end position for the better part of a decade. Athough Carter didn't play all that well for SF over the past couple of years, he was also on the league's worst defense over those years.
I'm hoping the Skins got Andre Carter: the former first rounder with a new lease on life and a burning desire to prove to everyone why he was chosen in the first round of the draft. Whatever he brings to the table, it will be better than anything the Skins have had in the recent past.
This move probably also signifies that the Skins will not be taking a DE with their first pick in the draft, which pisses me off to no end. But, they also need a cornerback pretty badly, and some depth at offensive line (they had Ray Brown, a freaking senior citizen, playing last year). So there are some more pressing needs at the moment. Regardless, I'm just thankful that the Skins finally addressed their worst position of the last 15 years (even if he is a little light in the ass).

5) The Sum Total of the moves: Despite what some people may think, as well as plenty of evidence to the contrary, I believe that Dan Snyder does actually learn from his mistakes. The off season spending sprees of 2003 and 2000 netted absolutey nothing. So why would he do it again? I believe that this is Joe Gibbs' last season. Although he signed for longer, I don't think anyone expects the old man to stay on much longer. That is why the Skins were able to keep Greg Williams for another season when he could have been a head coach in any number of other places. It is also the reason the Skins now have an Assistant Head Coach -- Offense. Snyder is pulling out all the stops in one last-ditch attempt to win one for the Gibber.