Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Redskins: Furloughs, pay cuts ' to be determied '

While many NFL teams such as the Jets have announced that they are putting non-football staff members on furloughs to reduce costs during the NFL lockout and others like the Lions have said that they will not be trimming personnel costs. So far, the Redskins have said neither. When asked at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans  about the possibility of layoffs, furloughs, or having assistant coaches work for reduced pay, team spokesman Tony Wylie said, "That is all yet to be determined. We have not made any decision on any of that." So, right now the status quo prevails at Redskins Park. Clearly, however, the organization is leaving its options open and should the April 6 court hearing not result in an injunction that ends the lockout, cost-saving measures could be implemented. One would think that the Redskins will tread very lightly here. Dan Snyder has been the target of plenty of negative publicity after suing the City Paper over an article published about him and for a host of other perceived misdeeds over the years. The owner of one of the most profitable teams in all of sports does not need to add more fuel to the fire by saving a relatively small amount of money by throwing non-football staffers out in the street.

Will Shanahan rebuild ' the right way ' ?

There is plenty of concern out there among Redskins fans that Mike Shanahan believes that his team is very close to being a playoff contender. Since the team lost so many close games in 2010--six by a touchdown or less--the fear is that Shanahan will just try to make a tweak here and there and hope that the team can work a little magic and get into playoff contention. The concerns are there because that is the way that the Redskins have done business for much of the past decade. But the fears may well be unfounded. Last month at the combine, Shanahan was asked if he thought the team was close because they were in so many games. His answer seems to start off in the wrong direction but it finishes well.

We were close. The number of games we could have won, we easily could have won 10, 11, 12 games, but we didn’t. We need some more depth. We need to improve a lot of different areas. What you want to do is win consistently. You don’t want to win just one year. You’ve got to build a foundation. You’ve got to get some depth at a lot of different positions. If you want to stay at the top, you’ve got to do things the right way, and we’re going to do things the right way.

So, at least in terms of what he says, it doesn't appear that Shanahan is interested in trying to apply duct tape to the problems that the team has now. Talk of "a foundation," "depth," and "the right way" certainly should be music to the ears of Redskins fans. Of course, it will be more useful to judge Shanahan on the basis of what he does rather than on what he says. What do you think? Is Shanahan committed to rebuilding the Redskins "the right way"? Or was he just saying what he thinks Redskins fans want to hear?

Redskins release letter to fans

The Washington Redskins have released their first communication to fans since the NFL imposed a lockout last Friday at midnight. A letter addressed to Redskins fans from General Manager Bruce Allen was posted today on the team's website. Allen said that it was "difficult but necessary" to put the lockout into place and that it was "something we tried hard to avoid." He said that the final offer that the owners gave to the players was "fair" and that the the teams shared the fans' "disappointment with the lack of progress" towards getting a new CBA done. The latter finishes with Allen saying, "We care deeply about our passionate fans of the Burgundy & Gold and we are determined to bring you a winning football team. You should know that the current status of the Collective Bargaining Agreement will not disrupt our preparation for the 2011 season or swerve our focus from the Redskins’ objective -- WINNING." The entire text of the letter is after the jump: Dear Redskins Fans: Last Friday, negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association ended without a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Unfortunately, the union’s abandonment of bargaining and subsequent decertification led to the league’s difficult but necessary step to lock out, something we tried hard to avoid. We remain committed to getting a new deal done and believe that the fastest way to a fair agreement is through mediation and not litigation. We share your disappointment with the lack of progress. The offer that the union walked away from was fair and addressed many of the key issues, including a rookie compensation system, enhanced player healthy and safety measures, improved retired player benefits and compromises on the union’s financial demands. Of particular importance to the Washington Redskins were the additional benefits the proposal would have provided to retired players. Our organization is rich in history and we are proud of the men who have contributed to our glorious past and helped create our great fan base that we all benefit from today. The Redskins alumni continue to play an integral role within our community, and the union’s decision to walk away from a deal that would have benefited our retired players is especially disappointing. As the home team in the nation’s capital, we understand and respect the political process. However, we feel a deal will be reached at the negotiating table and not with the involvement of Congress. The NFL remains committed to collective bargaining and the federal mediation process, which is the most effective way to reach a new agreement -- one that is good for the long-term future of the game. We care deeply about our passionate fans of the Burgundy & Gold and we are determined to bring you a winning football team. You should know that the current status of the Collective Bargaining Agreement will not disrupt our preparation for the 2011 season or swerve our focus from the Redskins’ objective -- WINNING. We greatly appreciate your support of the Washington Redskins. Sincerely, Bruce Allen Executive Vice President/General Manager  

Poll: Do you care if rookies boycott the draft?

This is real simple here. It's not about if you are on the owners' side or the players' side or if you join me in the "pox on both of their houses" viewpoint. It's about whether or not you will watch any less of the draft if the players being drafted in the first half of the first round are present in Radio City Music Hall to give the commissioner a man hug and hold up the jersey of the team that just drafted him. You probably can tell by the tone of the paragraph above where I stand. But I want to know what you think. Hit a response on the poll and leave a few words in the comments if you want. [polldaddy poll=4723813]

Von Miller a plaintiff in NFLPA lawsuit

Quarterbacks Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning are the best-known names among the eight current NFL players named as plaintiffs on the NFLPA's antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League. Other players, including Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins, are well known by most fans of the game. Some, such as Ben Leber, aren't even household names in their own households. There is a ninth plaintiff, a "prospective professional football player" according to the filing. That player is known to most fans who keep up on the top players available in the upcoming NFL draft. That prospective professional football player is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller. Miller is expected to be picked very early in the draft, probably in the top 10 selections. He is an athletic linebacker who can bring a lot of heat on the opposing quarterbacks. In what has become a passing league, such players are highly valued. Miller is included in the lawsuit to challenge the validity of the 2011 NFL draft as well as any rookie salary cap that the league may try to impose on the players drafted absent a collective bargaining agreement. While it may be courageous of Miller to join in the legal action, one has to wonder if it is the smartest career move for him. Joining a class action suit against your future employer before you are even hired has to be considered a risky move. If even one team decides not to select Miller because they don't want to try to draft and negotiate with a plaintiff or aren't particularly interested in hiring a rookie who may well be distracted by by legal proceedings he will lose millions of dollars. A slide further back could cost him tens of millions. No question that Miller will earn the gratitude of his future teammates and respect from the players around the league. But you can't spend gratitude and respect. Miller has chosen to risk a lot for what may be very little gain. Of course, that has been the theme of the whole CBA negotiation to date. Both sides in the dispute are taking high risks with the possibility of seeing very little in the way of a reward. The difference is that the owners and players like Brady and Manning already have cashed in. Miller has yet to make a dime from the NFL. Is Miller being courageous or foolhardy? Time will tell.

Kemoeatu still on the Redskins roster

After Clinton Portis, Derrick Dockery, and Andre Carter were released by the Washington Redskins last week, it was reported by Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network that nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu would be released prior to rosters being frozen by the impasse in labor negotiations. That would have been last Thursday, but no word of any move involving Kemoeatu has been released by the team and he remains on the team's roster on its official website. Kemoeatu signed a two-year deal last year and he was expected to fill the nose tackle position, a critical area in the Redskins' new 3-4 defense. However, he came to the Redskins still on the mend from an Achilles injury he suffered in training camp in 2009 when he played for the Panthers. On top of that, a shoulder injury limited his effectiveness once his Achilles improved. Anthony Bryant showed some promise at nose tackle at the end of the year after Kemoeatu was benched and, finally, put on injured reserve. Although it would be surprising to see Kemoeatu on the Redskins' 2011 opening day roster, he remains there for the time being.

An upset in the making?

Forget about the Jets over the Colts in Super Bowl III and the Giants spoiling the Patriots' perfect season in the Super Bowl a few years ago. We could be on the verge of seeing one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. It appears that the NFL owners and players just might be headed to an agreement that would end a possible lockout before it ever really gets started. According to Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports and some other sources, a dramatic turnaround has taken place that may, just may, lead to a new collective bargaining agreement sooner than anyone thought. With both sides seemingly focused on winning rather than on coming to a reasonable compromise, thinks looked bleak going into yesterday's 11th-hour mediation session. The over/under line for getting a deal done is sometime in August or early September. Even the most optimistic observers thought that it would be great if something could get done before the the April 28 draft. And you didn't have to be too far on the doom and gloom side to see at least some of the season being lost to the labor strife. But things turned around yesterday. Until Thursday, the owners line has been that the players had to take the billion-dollar per year pay cut, play 18 regular-season games, and take their proposal for a rookie salary cap or go pound sand. But, for reasons unknown but that we will speculate on in a minute, the owners made some meaningful concessions. That sparked some hope, leading to the 24-hour extension. It seems that the owners were spooked by the prospect of bringing the case to the courts, especially the court of Judge David Doty, whose rulings generally have not gone in favor of the owners. With the union set to decertify, the owners faced the prospect of the whole process being thrown to the courts, where they would lose control of the process. And if there is one thing that a business person hates it is not being in control. So they will take a shot at actually negotiating instead of trying to pound the players into submission. We will know by the end of the day today whether or not there will be labor peace or if all hell will break loose. Silver said, "if such an announcement [of another extension of 1-2 weeks] is made, both sides would view that as an almost ironclad statement that a deal is forthcoming – and a work stoppage will have been averted." That would be good news for all involved.

Free agency deadline still Thursday at midnight

The extra 24 hours that the NFL owners and players agreed give themselves to try to decide on an new collective bargaining agreement (or, more accurately, more time to negotiate another extension) will not change the free agency rules. According to Adam Schefter, the extension is just a negotiating extension. The deadline to sign free agents, waive players, and conduct any other player moves that were permitted prior to the start of the new league year remains at midnight on Thursday. After that, no player moves will be permitted until the labor issue has been resolved. The signing of O. J. Atogwe apparently will have to satisfy the free agency hunger of the Redskins fans for a while, perhaps for a long while.

Snyder on ' second line ' of owners in labor talks

According to a Pro Football Weekly article by Eric Edholm, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is not in the forefront of the NFL's labor negotiations but he is still an active part in the negotiations as a part of what Edholm called "the second wave. Here is how Snyder's role was described.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder — As one of the NFL's richer and more well-known owners, running the NFL's second-most profitable franchise, Snyder automatically qualifies as a prominent voice. He might have his share of detractors at times, but Snyder's unquestioned business sense and ice-cold, unemotional instincts have a place in the negotiation process, as far as the other owners are concerned. (Translation: He doesn't mind being the bad guy at times.)

The article also said that Snyder has a degree of respect among the owners because he's a self-made millionaire who knows how to cut a deal. It also is noted that general manager Bruce Allen has been playing an active role in the talks lately. The article is worth a look.

A ray of sunshine in NFL labor talks?

There is talk that there might be an extension of deadline for the NFL and the players' association to cut a deal. According to multiple sources on Twitter and Adam Schefter speaking on SportsCenter just a few minutes ago, the two sides are discussing pushing back the start of the league year in order to give some more time to work out a new collective bargaining agreement. Don Banks of Sports Illustrated quoted a source who said that the extension talks are "legit but fragile". The fact that an extension is being discussed implies that there is some progress being made in the talks. If there wasn't some give and take going on, which has been notably lacking to date, there would be no reason to to extend the agreement. An offer by the owners to show some financial information may have been the impetus to getting the two sides to talk about extending the deadline. Apparently, the owners have offered the extension and the players are considering it. Multiple extensions were agreed to in 2006, the last time the CBA was being negotiated. The eventually did get an agreement.