Don't know which of the lesser college football bowl games to watch this year? Let's use a couple of Robert Griffin III's ongoing rookie season statistics to help. Most people would agree that Griffin has easily been one of the most exciting players of the 2012 NFL season so far. Here are some of his numbers: 18/4 TD:INT ratio, 66.4 completion percentage, 8.3 yards per pass attempt, and 6.7 yards per rush.
Those last two numbers both lead the NFL, which is remarkable. No one in NCAA football is in Griffin's class (that's not an insult), but several quarterbacks still put up great numbers.
Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt and 6.4 yards per rush, and Oregon's Marcus Mariota also had solid passing (8.0) and rushing (7.0) averages. Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois was also impressive, posting averages of 8.4 yards through the air and 6.5 yards on the ground. But unless you want to count the Heisman winner or two other quarterbacks who are playing in BCS bowls, you'll have to look elsewhere for a more obscure, but still exciting, name.
And that player is quarterback Terrance Broadway of Louisiana-Lafayette, who averaged 8.9 yards per pass attempt and 6.4 yards per rush. Broadway, a sophomore transfer from Houston, threw for 2,526 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also running for 661 yards and eight touchdowns. Obviously at least two quarterbacks above played against much better competition, but we're just looking at some numbers here. It's bowl season, after all.
Broadway's Ragin' Cajuns will be facing off against East Carolina in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on December 22. Don't be surprised if Broadway makes a few big plays.
Showing posts with label Robert Griffin III. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Griffin III. Show all posts
Monday, December 10, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
A quick look at Panthers-Redskins
Like the Redskins, the Panthers have mostly played close games. At 1-6, their only win of the season came in a 35-27 victory over the Saints, and they've been blown out just one time: in a Thursday night game in Week 3 against the Giants, when they lost by 29 points. The Redskins (3-5) just suffered their worst loss of the season, falling 27-12 to the Steelers. Besides that, though, they've been in every single game. So it's no surprise that the Redskins, at home, are favored by just three points.
Washington has the superior offense. They score more points per game (26.6 to 18.3) and gain more yards per game (387.4 to 347). The Panthers average slightly more passing yards per game (232.6 to 221.1), but they also throw the ball more often -- Cam Newton has just nine fewer pass attempts despite playing in one fewer game (bye week). And the Redskins, who are second to the 49ers in the league in rushing yards per game by just 0.3 yards, average 166.3 yards on the ground to the Panthers' 114.4.
Still, the Redskins' defense is one of the worst in the league, while the Panthers' unit is slightly better. The Redskins have allowed 28.4 points per game (28th) and are ranked last in pass defense; the Panthers have given up 23.9 points per game (21st) and are 15th in pass defense.
It's hard to examine this game without looking at the quarterbacks. And Robert Griffin III has also outplayed Cam Newton up to this point. Griffin has completed nearly 10 percent more of his passes (66.8 to 57.1) while throwing for slightly more yards (1,778 to 1,701). Griffin's quarterback rating of 97.3 is also seventh in the NFL; Newton's rating of 75.2 is 28th. But while Newton has accounted for eight total touchdowns (5 passing, 3 rushing), Griffin has 14 touchdowns (8 passing, 6 rushing), has rushed for 166 more yards, and has turned the ball over just five times (3 interceptions, 2 fumbles). Newton, meanwhile, already has eight interceptions and has lost four fumbles.
The Redskins didn't do a good job of it last week, but they need to shut down the Panthers' running game and force Newton into some tough throws. The front seven has not provided much pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but if they do so with Newton, he's demonstrated that he'll turn the ball over. Unless Redskins' receivers drop 10 more passes (or however many the official number was), they should be able to put up at least 20 points on a better, but still middle-of-the-road, Carolina defense.
Unfortunately for the Redskins, their horrid pass defense keeps opposing teams in every game. But fortunately, they also have Griffin, who gives the Redskins a chance to score every time he takes the field. It's not an ideal situation, but it could certainly be much worse.
Washington has the superior offense. They score more points per game (26.6 to 18.3) and gain more yards per game (387.4 to 347). The Panthers average slightly more passing yards per game (232.6 to 221.1), but they also throw the ball more often -- Cam Newton has just nine fewer pass attempts despite playing in one fewer game (bye week). And the Redskins, who are second to the 49ers in the league in rushing yards per game by just 0.3 yards, average 166.3 yards on the ground to the Panthers' 114.4.
Still, the Redskins' defense is one of the worst in the league, while the Panthers' unit is slightly better. The Redskins have allowed 28.4 points per game (28th) and are ranked last in pass defense; the Panthers have given up 23.9 points per game (21st) and are 15th in pass defense.
It's hard to examine this game without looking at the quarterbacks. And Robert Griffin III has also outplayed Cam Newton up to this point. Griffin has completed nearly 10 percent more of his passes (66.8 to 57.1) while throwing for slightly more yards (1,778 to 1,701). Griffin's quarterback rating of 97.3 is also seventh in the NFL; Newton's rating of 75.2 is 28th. But while Newton has accounted for eight total touchdowns (5 passing, 3 rushing), Griffin has 14 touchdowns (8 passing, 6 rushing), has rushed for 166 more yards, and has turned the ball over just five times (3 interceptions, 2 fumbles). Newton, meanwhile, already has eight interceptions and has lost four fumbles.
The Redskins didn't do a good job of it last week, but they need to shut down the Panthers' running game and force Newton into some tough throws. The front seven has not provided much pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but if they do so with Newton, he's demonstrated that he'll turn the ball over. Unless Redskins' receivers drop 10 more passes (or however many the official number was), they should be able to put up at least 20 points on a better, but still middle-of-the-road, Carolina defense.
Unfortunately for the Redskins, their horrid pass defense keeps opposing teams in every game. But fortunately, they also have Griffin, who gives the Redskins a chance to score every time he takes the field. It's not an ideal situation, but it could certainly be much worse.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Redskins' confidence in RGIII paved way for Cousins pick
I've gone back and forth on the Redskins' selection of quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth round (No. 102 overall) of the NFL Draft, and I'm still not sure which side I'm on. I can see both sides:
- Mike Shanahan wanted Cousins because he thinks he's one of the best quarterbacks in the draft and believes he was too talented to let him pass in the fourth round. It was all about value.
- The Redskins had (and still have) holes they needed to fill in the draft, and instead of picking Cousins, they should have taken another position of need.
Maybe the Redskins should have chosen a different position. They certainly could use more talent on the offensive line and in the secondary. But they made the bold move of gambling on Cousins instead.
Does it make sense? It seems ridiculous to have to say this, but Robert Griffin III will be given every opportunity to shine and start from day one. Unlike what some analysts like Ron Jaworski have speculated, there will be no quarterback controversy unless Griffin is absolutely atrocious and Cousins is phenomenal -- which is not realistic. And if that ends up being the case, the real concern will be why Griffin is playing so poorly -- not who the backup quarterback is. Because if Griffin fails, the Shanahan coaching experiment fails.
Redskins fans have been thrilled about the prospect of taking Griffin ever since the team made the deal for the No. 2 overall selection with the Rams, and having Cousins on board will not eliminate that excitement. Even after the Redskins drafted Cousins, no one is hurriedly crafting or looking to order a Kirk Cousins Redskins jersey. Griffin has already won fans over.
One thing that makes little sense to me, though, is how this all is somehow a slap in the face to Griffin. Honestly, this move suggests the exact opposite. The Redskins and Mike Shanahan must be so impressed with the talent level and maturity of Griffin that they'd even think about making this type of draft choice. If you've heard Griffin speak or read some of his quotes from various interviews, do you really think he's the type of person who's going to get rattled by a little competition (and I use that word loosely)? Griffin has handled everything beautifully and is clever enough to know to stay focused on the job at hand. In essence, he's been the starting quarterback of the Redskins for several weeks now: He's done everything in interviews but been introduced as the starter of this team only because that's not really how the process works. But just like the starting quarterback in Indianapolis is already Andrew Luck, Washington's quarterbacking job is Griffin's to lose. Still, on-field play is whatever matters, which Griffin is aware of.
And by the way, players get hurt, and there's no way to always adequately prepare for it. But having Cousins on the team will help. The Redskins already parted ways with John Beck, and Rex Grossman will really only be the backup because he's the only quarterback on the roster with NFL experience heading into this season. If the Shanahans learned anything from last season, it's that Grossman/Beck is not the answer. That's why they made the move to get Griffin. And getting Cousins may not have been on their to-do list, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. Maybe the Redskins hold on to Cousins and he backs up Griffin for several years. Maybe Griffin fails to live up to the hype and flames out in a couple seasons, with Cousins there to take the job. Or maybe the Redskins trade Cousins after a season or two, allowing them to restock some of the picks lost in the trade for Griffin. Or maybe something else happens entirely.
Here's the point: The Redskins believe taking Cousins was the right move. They think he's talented, and talent equals value. Regardless, I doubt the Redskins would have made a similar move with a quarterback who they weren't absolutely sure was the guy they wanted to play quarterback for the next decade. If anyone is going to be able to withstand the pressure of impatient fans calling for his job after a rough patch or know exactly the right things to say when asked difficult questions, it's Griffin. And the Redskins know that.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Robert Griffin III on the Redskins' offense and McNabb
Don Banks of Sports Illustrated recently spoke with Robert Griffin III, and like most people who do so, came away very impressed with the 22-year-old quarterback. You should certainly read the whole piece, but there were a couple of quotes from Griffin that I found particularly interesting.
First, on what he's learned about Kyle Shanahan's offense:
Also: You should read the outstanding article of Griffin's legacy by ESPN's Tom Friend. Fantastic insight.
First, on what he's learned about Kyle Shanahan's offense:
"It's pretty tough to gauge how much of it I know already," he said. "By no means did I know what they wanted to do with me specifically within that offense after our session. But I know the offense has a lot of formations, a lot of motion, and they're going to try to disguise things. You can get a base feeling on an offense, but you can't say within three hours I'm familiar with their offense.With Griffin's strong arm, accuracy, and athleticism, it's hard not to get excited every time he discusses the Redskins' offense. Griffin also commented on Donovan McNabb's recent critical comments of Mike Shanahan and the Redskins:
"It's an offense that asks the quarterback to specifically stay within the system. I think a lot of good systems do that. If you're going to one-hitch throw here, you do a one-hitch throw here. But once everything breaks down, and you go through all three or four of your reads, that's where you can be creative. I think whenever you can work within the system out, rather than outside the system in, it's better for you. That's what I tried to do at Baylor."
"All respect to Donovan McNabb, he had a great career," said Griffin, when I asked him if he understood McNabb's point. "He was one of my dad's [favorite] quarterbacks when he was a Philly fan. He's not a Philly fan any more, because I'm about to get drafted. But what [McNabb] said probably did come from a place of just bad taste. He had a bad taste in his mouth from his experience with Coach Shanahan, and I understand that. He never said anything bad about me, he was just trying to warn me, trying to say, 'Don't let egos get in the way.'It's hard to think of a more perfect response to McNabb than that. Well done, RGIII. (Or is it RG3? This really needs to be settled.)
"But that's part of the job at quarterback, to be able to manage different types of egos and different types of people. So I'm looking forward to going up there and managing whatever it is that needs to be managed. All respect to Donovan, but it just didn't work out for him in Washington, and that's why he thought it didn't work out."
Also: You should read the outstanding article of Griffin's legacy by ESPN's Tom Friend. Fantastic insight.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
After dealing for No. 2 pick, Redskins covet a top WR
The Redskins must wait until Thursday, April 26 (the first night of the NFL Draft), to officially select their quarterback of the future -- likely to be Robert Griffin III -- with the recently acquired No. 2 overall pick, but they're going to need (at least) another downfield option for Griffin to utilize. Cue the team's interest in Vincent Jackson.
If signed, Jackson, 29, would give the Redskins an unquestioned No. 1 receiver in an offense that sorely lacks one. Santana Moss is no longer that guy and hasn't been for a few seasons. And unlike Moss, Jackson brings another element to the table: Not only is he fast, but at 6'5, he can win jump balls against opposing defensive backs. That's a pretty valuable trait for someone who could be receiving lots of deep targets from the strong-armed Griffin.
Washington will have lots of cap space to work with, so signing Jackson wouldn't be too difficult if they completely set their sights on acquiring him. (Worth noting: The 2012 cap is expected to be $120.6 million.) But the Redskins, by using this year's first-rounder to select a quarterback and forfeiting their second-round pick, will now have to plug another hole or two that they may have been able to cover in the draft. That probably means signing an offensive lineman or two while at least looking at linebackers, defensive backs, and defensive linemen. And that's not including re-signing guys like London Fletcher, Tim Hightower, and Adam Carriker.
But signing Jackson to a huge contract would not be without its risks. Drafted in 2005 in the second round by the Chargers, Jackson has had some off-the-field issues. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge and received probation. Then in January 2009, he was again arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. He pleaded guilty to that DUI charge in February 2010 and received a four-day jail sentence and five years probation. Jackson has also had issues with driving with both a suspended license and expired tags. Because of his two DUIs, in July 2010 Jackson was suspended for three games for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy.
Jackson has been seeking a long-term, lucrative contract for a while, which the Chargers have understandably refused to give him. While serving his three-game suspension for the 2010-2011 season, Jackson also held because of a contract dispute. He ended up playing in only five games that season and catching just 14 passes. The Chargers franchised him the following season, and he played in all 16 games, catching 60 passes for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns.
Still, Jackson's talent is undisputed. In seven seasons, he's caught 272 passes for 4,754 yards and 37 touchdowns. And even though he seems to be either questionable or a game-time decision routinely because of nagging injuries, he's played in 15 or 16 games in five of those seven seasons. So signing Jackson makes sense, but like most potential moves, it's not without its risks.
If Jackson isn't the guy, other free agent receiving options include Pierre Garcon, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne, and Mario Manningham.
If signed, Jackson, 29, would give the Redskins an unquestioned No. 1 receiver in an offense that sorely lacks one. Santana Moss is no longer that guy and hasn't been for a few seasons. And unlike Moss, Jackson brings another element to the table: Not only is he fast, but at 6'5, he can win jump balls against opposing defensive backs. That's a pretty valuable trait for someone who could be receiving lots of deep targets from the strong-armed Griffin.
Washington will have lots of cap space to work with, so signing Jackson wouldn't be too difficult if they completely set their sights on acquiring him. (Worth noting: The 2012 cap is expected to be $120.6 million.) But the Redskins, by using this year's first-rounder to select a quarterback and forfeiting their second-round pick, will now have to plug another hole or two that they may have been able to cover in the draft. That probably means signing an offensive lineman or two while at least looking at linebackers, defensive backs, and defensive linemen. And that's not including re-signing guys like London Fletcher, Tim Hightower, and Adam Carriker.
But signing Jackson to a huge contract would not be without its risks. Drafted in 2005 in the second round by the Chargers, Jackson has had some off-the-field issues. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge and received probation. Then in January 2009, he was again arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. He pleaded guilty to that DUI charge in February 2010 and received a four-day jail sentence and five years probation. Jackson has also had issues with driving with both a suspended license and expired tags. Because of his two DUIs, in July 2010 Jackson was suspended for three games for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy.
Jackson has been seeking a long-term, lucrative contract for a while, which the Chargers have understandably refused to give him. While serving his three-game suspension for the 2010-2011 season, Jackson also held because of a contract dispute. He ended up playing in only five games that season and catching just 14 passes. The Chargers franchised him the following season, and he played in all 16 games, catching 60 passes for 1,106 yards and nine touchdowns.
Still, Jackson's talent is undisputed. In seven seasons, he's caught 272 passes for 4,754 yards and 37 touchdowns. And even though he seems to be either questionable or a game-time decision routinely because of nagging injuries, he's played in 15 or 16 games in five of those seven seasons. So signing Jackson makes sense, but like most potential moves, it's not without its risks.
If Jackson isn't the guy, other free agent receiving options include Pierre Garcon, Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne, and Mario Manningham.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Redskins acquire No. 2 pick, likely to be Robert Griffin III
When the Redskins traded with the Rams in order to get their hands on the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, they announced to the league and their fans that they're tired of looking for stopgap options at quarterback.
That's basically what this blockbuster trade boils down to. And, of course, this current regime believes they'll hit a home run by selecting Griffin, because if they don't, the Shanahans and Bruce Allen won't be around to deal with the aftermath.
The price for acquiring the second overall pick is enormous: it includes swapping first-round picks this season (No. 6 for No. 2), a 2012 second-rounder, and first-round picks in 2013 and 2014. Not only is that a ton, but it may be unprecedented. According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King: "It's believed that no team has ever traded three first-round picks for a draft choice in NFL history." Until now, that is. (Another offseason champions benchmark, fellas.)
Acquisitions and signings like Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, John Beck didn't work out and were rather embarrassing for both the team and for fans. So the Redskins decided to go in a different direction and pay that steep price in order to bring aboard the 22-year-old Griffin, who the team hopes to build a dynamic offense around. (Worth mentioning: There's a minute chance that the Colts could select Griffin instead of Andrew Luck. Regardless, the Redskins will be thrilled to have either one.)
This move feels a bit foreign because it involves the Redskins trading draft picks away for a young player instead of aging, past-their-prime veterans. Then again, the Redskins have again traded away valuable draft picks, which is something they can't stop themselves from doing for more than a season or two at a time. Right or wrong -- OK, mostly wrong -- the Redskins don't mind shipping away draft picks.
Luckily, no one knows if this is a smart or terrible choice. The overwhelming consensus seems to be: awesome trade if Griffin pans out; horrible trade if he stinks. I'm not quite sure it's that simple, but if it is, a 50/50 chance doesn't seem so bad after some of the indefensible, free-wheeling moves this team has made in the past. And at least this time they're gambling on a promising, young quarterback, who some scouts even seem to prefer over Luck.
I could probably write thousands of words on Griffin and the new direction of this franchise, but I'd rather just watch this NFL.com video of Griffin being interviewed by Steve Mariucci (which is hard not to be impressed by) and hope he's the star the Redskins have needed for decades.
That's basically what this blockbuster trade boils down to. And, of course, this current regime believes they'll hit a home run by selecting Griffin, because if they don't, the Shanahans and Bruce Allen won't be around to deal with the aftermath.
The price for acquiring the second overall pick is enormous: it includes swapping first-round picks this season (No. 6 for No. 2), a 2012 second-rounder, and first-round picks in 2013 and 2014. Not only is that a ton, but it may be unprecedented. According to Sports Illustrated's Peter King: "It's believed that no team has ever traded three first-round picks for a draft choice in NFL history." Until now, that is. (Another offseason champions benchmark, fellas.)
Acquisitions and signings like Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, John Beck didn't work out and were rather embarrassing for both the team and for fans. So the Redskins decided to go in a different direction and pay that steep price in order to bring aboard the 22-year-old Griffin, who the team hopes to build a dynamic offense around. (Worth mentioning: There's a minute chance that the Colts could select Griffin instead of Andrew Luck. Regardless, the Redskins will be thrilled to have either one.)
This move feels a bit foreign because it involves the Redskins trading draft picks away for a young player instead of aging, past-their-prime veterans. Then again, the Redskins have again traded away valuable draft picks, which is something they can't stop themselves from doing for more than a season or two at a time. Right or wrong -- OK, mostly wrong -- the Redskins don't mind shipping away draft picks.
Luckily, no one knows if this is a smart or terrible choice. The overwhelming consensus seems to be: awesome trade if Griffin pans out; horrible trade if he stinks. I'm not quite sure it's that simple, but if it is, a 50/50 chance doesn't seem so bad after some of the indefensible, free-wheeling moves this team has made in the past. And at least this time they're gambling on a promising, young quarterback, who some scouts even seem to prefer over Luck.
I could probably write thousands of words on Griffin and the new direction of this franchise, but I'd rather just watch this NFL.com video of Griffin being interviewed by Steve Mariucci (which is hard not to be impressed by) and hope he's the star the Redskins have needed for decades.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Revisiting the Redskins' draft choices the last few years
Every time fans or talking heads suggest the Redskins should trade draft picks away, it makes me laugh. Not only because the Redskins are deficient in overall team talent, but because they've been trading away draft selections for years, and it hasn't been an effective strategy. Dan Snyder and the team's front office has (until recently, hopefully) completely refused to hold onto their allotment of draft picks.
Is it really surprising that the team's most successful draft in years may end up being last year's draft, when the team traded down a few times and selected 12 players? Time will tell how good those 12 players are, but most of them contributed at least something this season, which is a lot more than can be said about most of the team's drafts in the last decade-plus.
Mike Shanahan may have the final word on personnel decisions, but the Redskins' scouting and personnel departments haven't changed that much. Besides the departure of Vinny Cerrato, the guy previously calling the shots, things aren't much different. And that should be reason enough to hold onto as many picks as possible: More picks mean more chances.
Let's take a look at the last three drafts (2009, 2010, and 2011). In those drafts, starting with 2009, the Redskins had six, seven (third-rounder used in 2009 supplemental draft), and 12 draft choices, respectively. Take a guess which one's better.
2009:
1st: Brian Orakpo
3rd: Kevin Barnes
5th: Cody Glenn
6th: Robert Henson
7th: Eddie Williams
7th: Marko Mitchell
2010:
1st: Trent Williams
3rd: Jeremy Jarmon (2009 supplemental pick)
4th: Perry Riley
6th: Dennis Morris
7th: Terrence Austin
7th: Erik Cook
7th: Selvish Capers
2011:
1st: Ryan Kerrigan
2nd: Jarvis Jenkins
3rd: Leonard Hankerson
4th: Roy Helu
5th: Dejon Gomes
5th: Niles Paul
6th: Evan Royster
6th: Aldrick Robinson
7th: Brandyn Thompson
7th: Maurice Hurt
7th: Markus White
7th: Chris Neild
Again, who knows how all of those 2011 picks will pan out. But it's probably a good idea to stick with the 2011 strategy over the other two years. Yes, I know that this analysis is only looking back at the last three drafts, and the Redskins have obviously picked some talented players in previous drafts. But they've done so without stockpiling picks, which has also prevented them from creating depth at key positions.
The only players from 2009 and 2010 who have really contributed are Orakpo, Williams, and Riley. Barnes has received playing time, but he hasn't been very good. He also may not be on the roster next season because of his overall ineffectiveness. Austin and Cook haven't done much either. Of those 13 picks, only those six are still with the team -- which is hilariously bad. The worst pick of the bunch is probably Jarmon, selected in the 2009 supplemental draft. The Redskins forfeited a third-round pick for Jarmon's services, and right now he's out of the league. Jarmon was originally selected as a defensive end when the Redskins utilized a 4-3 defense, so the selection was at least defensible at the time. But after being traded to and subsequently released by the Broncos earlier this season, Jarmon may not get another NFL opportunity. Either way, I guess, that pick was wasted.
-----
If you're on board with the Redskins trading away future draft picks in order to get Andrew Luck (unlikely) or Robert Griffin III (more possible), that's just fine. I'd be extremely happy if the Redskins finally acquired/drafted a franchise quarterback. That's the team's biggest need. But trading away multiple draft choices, particularly first- and second-round picks, is not something that I agree with, especially when examining the team's draft resume the last few years. Obviously it's a requirement to analyze each trade individually, but trading up in the first few rounds is rarely cheap.
Yes, the NFL is a quarterbacks' league; most great teams have outstanding quarterbacks. But I shudder at the thought of the Redskins giving up the farm for a quarterback who ends up with the skills of someone like Mark Sanchez. Give me 2011's strategy instead, even if that means missing out on Luck and Griffin.
Is it really surprising that the team's most successful draft in years may end up being last year's draft, when the team traded down a few times and selected 12 players? Time will tell how good those 12 players are, but most of them contributed at least something this season, which is a lot more than can be said about most of the team's drafts in the last decade-plus.
Mike Shanahan may have the final word on personnel decisions, but the Redskins' scouting and personnel departments haven't changed that much. Besides the departure of Vinny Cerrato, the guy previously calling the shots, things aren't much different. And that should be reason enough to hold onto as many picks as possible: More picks mean more chances.
Let's take a look at the last three drafts (2009, 2010, and 2011). In those drafts, starting with 2009, the Redskins had six, seven (third-rounder used in 2009 supplemental draft), and 12 draft choices, respectively. Take a guess which one's better.
2009:
1st: Brian Orakpo
3rd: Kevin Barnes
5th: Cody Glenn
6th: Robert Henson
7th: Eddie Williams
7th: Marko Mitchell
2010:
1st: Trent Williams
3rd: Jeremy Jarmon (2009 supplemental pick)
4th: Perry Riley
6th: Dennis Morris
7th: Terrence Austin
7th: Erik Cook
7th: Selvish Capers
2011:
1st: Ryan Kerrigan
2nd: Jarvis Jenkins
3rd: Leonard Hankerson
4th: Roy Helu
5th: Dejon Gomes
5th: Niles Paul
6th: Evan Royster
6th: Aldrick Robinson
7th: Brandyn Thompson
7th: Maurice Hurt
7th: Markus White
7th: Chris Neild
Again, who knows how all of those 2011 picks will pan out. But it's probably a good idea to stick with the 2011 strategy over the other two years. Yes, I know that this analysis is only looking back at the last three drafts, and the Redskins have obviously picked some talented players in previous drafts. But they've done so without stockpiling picks, which has also prevented them from creating depth at key positions.
The only players from 2009 and 2010 who have really contributed are Orakpo, Williams, and Riley. Barnes has received playing time, but he hasn't been very good. He also may not be on the roster next season because of his overall ineffectiveness. Austin and Cook haven't done much either. Of those 13 picks, only those six are still with the team -- which is hilariously bad. The worst pick of the bunch is probably Jarmon, selected in the 2009 supplemental draft. The Redskins forfeited a third-round pick for Jarmon's services, and right now he's out of the league. Jarmon was originally selected as a defensive end when the Redskins utilized a 4-3 defense, so the selection was at least defensible at the time. But after being traded to and subsequently released by the Broncos earlier this season, Jarmon may not get another NFL opportunity. Either way, I guess, that pick was wasted.
-----
If you're on board with the Redskins trading away future draft picks in order to get Andrew Luck (unlikely) or Robert Griffin III (more possible), that's just fine. I'd be extremely happy if the Redskins finally acquired/drafted a franchise quarterback. That's the team's biggest need. But trading away multiple draft choices, particularly first- and second-round picks, is not something that I agree with, especially when examining the team's draft resume the last few years. Obviously it's a requirement to analyze each trade individually, but trading up in the first few rounds is rarely cheap.
Yes, the NFL is a quarterbacks' league; most great teams have outstanding quarterbacks. But I shudder at the thought of the Redskins giving up the farm for a quarterback who ends up with the skills of someone like Mark Sanchez. Give me 2011's strategy instead, even if that means missing out on Luck and Griffin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)