Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Need to Know: Why did the Redskins bring back Rex?

Here is what you need to know on this Friday, April 5, 20 days before the NFL draft.

Why did the Redskins bring back Grossman?

When the news broke on Wednesday that the Redskins had re-signed quarterback Rex Grossman, a lot of fans were wondering why. Here are a few reasons:

—They need a solid third QB. With the status of the knee of RG3 uncertain, the Redskins need a solid backup to Kirk Cousins. Grossman may not be the quarterback that many wanted to see but he was available at the right price and he has won NFL games.

—He knows the offense. The last thing the Redskins need this offseason is to have to teach the “old” offense, the one run pre-RG3, to a new quarterback. They will need to give the reps to Cousins, who may have to start the season, and some to Pat White, who will emulate Griffin. Rex knows how to stay sharp without needing a lot of Reps with the first team.

—Griffin and Cousins leaned on him for advice. This is more of an added bonus than a reason to go out and sign Grossman but it is a very real factor. The three QB’s were a tight group last year and with all of turmoil surrounding Griffin’s injury and Cousins needing to handle more of the load it’s better not to break up the group.

—Arms for training camp. Even if the Redskins didn’t plan to keep Grossman into the regular season (they do) they need somebody to throw passes to the two dozen or so tight ends, wide receivers, and running backs who will be in camp. Teams typically have four QB’s in camp and the Redskins are likely to have five given Griffin’s condition. Since he knows the offense, Grossman could be valuable as one of those arms.

—He was one of the best available. Per our friends a Rotoworld, the only current free agent QB’s they had ranked higher than Grossman were Byron Leftwich, Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, and Vince Young. It would be hard to argue that any of them is clearly superior to Grossman, especially given the other factors at work here.

Cousins talks about Pat White

In case you missed it

• Redskins will open preseason against Titans
• Will the Redskins draft a wide receiver?
• Cousins says signing White “a no-brainer”
• A big move brewing?

 Days until: Offseason program starts 10; NFL draft 20; Minicamp 67

Tandler on Twitter

So no punishment for teams' questioning of prospects' sexuality at the combine because no rules existed. Why not just make some up?

— Rich Tandler (@Rich_TandlerCSN) April 4, 2013

I mean, since when did the lack of a written rule ever stop the NFL from punishing teams?

— Rich Tandler (@Rich_TandlerCSN) April 4, 2013

Rex knows his role

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

This year, Rex Grossman has no illusions of claiming the starting quarterback job in Washington.

Only four days into training camp, in fact, he knows where he’s likely to spend the season: on the sideline, wearing a cap, clipboard in hand, backing up rookie Robert Griffin III.

“The writing was on the wall a long time ago that this was going to happen, before I even signed,” said Grossman, who inked a one-year extension in March. “I knew what I was getting into. I’m happy to be here and ready to play if they need me.”

“Obviously, if you have a chance to compete for the starting job, there are a few less words of advice,” he added. “In this situation, I’m all for it. I’m all for Robert playing great and taking this team to the next level. And I’m going to help him out as much as possible.” 

Asked if having clearly defined roles might help Griffin, who was named the starter by Coach Mike Shanahan 10 days after he was drafted, Grossman said it does.

“I think for him, it’s probably a lot easier knowing that you’re the guy,” Grossman said. “That’s what I would want.” 

Grossman said he understands the importance of being a mentor. But he also said he’ll be careful not to “overdo” it.

“I’m going to let the coaches do their thing,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of our plays, a lot of drop back stuff. I’ve seen just about every coverage and have had a ton of reps on it.”

Grossman, 31, has started 16 games under Shanahan the past two seasons, so, presumably, he knows the offense better than anyone other than, well, Shanahan. 

“I’m there for him to ask questions,” Grossman added, “and in certain situations [give him] reminders of hot routes, reminders of situational plays. I’m going to be there as much as possible for him to bounce things off of, if he doesn’t want to go to a coach.”

So far, Grossman said he’s been impressed with Griffin’s knowledge of the playbook. But he’s wondering the same thing everyone else is: how will the rookie apply that knowledge on the football field when it matters.

Because as Grossman said, “there’s a big difference between knowing it on paper and actually performing it. He’s doing a great job with it.”

 

 

Camp preview: Who will RG3's targets be?

The Redskins start training camp on Thursday. We’re going around the team to let you know what we’re looking for when practice gets underway. Earlier today we looked at the offensive line, now the offensive backs and receivers are up.

Anticipated starters:

QB Robert Griffin III
RB Tim Hightower
FB Darrel Young
WR Pierre Garçon, Josh Morgan, Leonard Hankerson
TE Fred Davis

In the span of a few hours, one of the Redskins’ soft spots – wide receiver – became one of their strengths. The team acted swiftly on the opening day of free agency, nabbing Garçon and Morgan, who received a combined $28 million in guaranteed money. Although critics will point out that the team still lacks a true No. 1, the Redskins seem to be hoping that a pair of No. 2’s will suffice. Griffin’s third option figures to be Hankerson, a promising second-year receiver who says he’s fully recovered from offseason hip surgery, while Santana Moss should add depth and veteran leadership.

Key reserves:

RB Roy Helu Jr.
WR Santana Moss
TE Chris Cooley

While Garçon, Morgan and Hankerson may appear set to start, it would be premature to count out Moss, who is coming off his worst season (46 receptions and 584 yards in 12 games) since 2002. During the offseason, the 33 year old showed the coaching staff he still is hungry for more by shedding 15 pounds and standing out in OTA’s and minicamp as Morgan and Hankerson nursed injuries.

On the bubble:

WR Brandon Banks
WR Anthony Armstrong

No position figures to be as competitive in camp as wide receiver, where 12 players are battling for six spots. Banks has been told by Coach Mike Shanahan that he must contribute at wide receiver and kick and punt returner, while Armstrong must rebound from a lost year. A deep threat with speed to spare, Armstrong’s inability to beat bump-and-run coverage led to a dramatic reduction in his role last season (7 catches for 103 yards), down from 44 receptions for 871 yards in 2010.

Three things to watch:

All RG3, all the time

Griffin has navigated the first few months of his newfound fame and fortune flawlessly. But how will RG3 cope when each pass is dissected on sports talk radio, each comment parsed in the newspapers? With all apologies to the President, playing quarterback for the Redskins might be the toughest job in Washington.

‘Captain Chaos’ set for a comeback?

Chris Cooley says the problematic left knee that cut short his season a year ago is completely healthy. But the 30-year-old fan favorite costs $6.23 million against the salary cap and will face stiff competition from converted wide receiver Niles Paul for playing time behind starter Fred Davis. To beat out Paul, Cooley must prove that he’s regained his (modest) speed and is the better blocker.

Who will emerge from the trio of running backs?

Tim Hightower, a Shanahan favorite, enters training camp atop the depth chart. But the versatile 26-year-old is coming off major knee surgery, raising questions about his ability to elude defenders. If Hightower falters, look Shanahan to give Helu (three consecutive 100-plus yard performances last season) and/or Royster (two 100-yard  efforts) the opportunity to step forward.

Rookie preview: Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins

Quarterback
Michigan State
Picked by Redskins in 4th round (102 overall)
6-3, 214

The need: When the Redskins drafted Cousins with in the fourth round, the immediate reaction was that they should have used the pick to address an area of need. Last time we checked, NFL teams need backup quarterbacks. Rex Grossman can fill the role but he is 31, on a one-year contract, and his propensity for turning the ball over does not make him an ideal guy to come off of the bench. Cousins was the third-best quarterback on the Redskins’ board and they simply thought they could not pass him up.

The fit: The scouts liked his decision making in the pocket and his coaches and teammates praised his leadership. That combination of talents make him an ideal backup quarterback. He is not as athletic a Robert Griffin III but few anywhere are and he should be able to step into Mike Shanahan’s offense fairly easily.

The depth chart: Griffin, as Shanahan said, “is the starter, period”. Grossman’s experience will probably keep him ahead of Cousins for the No. 2 job at the beginning of the season but Cousins has a shot to leapfrog Rex as the season goes on. 

Cousins’ upside: There is no question that Cousins can develop into a starting NFL quarterback but where that might be is up in the air. Griffin is the Redskins’ future, although Cousins could serve as insurance if the unthinkable happens and RG3 is injured or doesn’t pan out. Or if he shows promise the Redskins could trade him in two or three years. And Cousins might have to wait for his contract to be up four years from now before he gets his opportunity.

Shanahan on Cousins: “So if you see a guy, a quality player that you can get in the fourth round like we did, that is one or two plays away from being the starter, hopefully it doesn’t happen, but you ought to be prepared if it does. Getting a chance to know [Cousins], to know what type of guy he is, to know what he brings to the table, I thought it was a steal for us at that position. With as many draft choices that we were able to get throughout the draft, I was pleased at the end result.”

Cousins on Cousins: “Well, I think I’m going to take one step at a time and right now my job will be to go into rookie minicamp and pick up on the playbook and work as hard as I can going forward to make the team, and then have an impact on that team.  But certainly with Robert Griffin, there’s a lot of hope in him being the future.  I’m just excited to be a part of the organization and do whatever I need to do to help that team win football games.”

Previously:

•  G Adam Gettis
•  T Tom Compton
• S Jordan Bernstine
• G Josh LeRibeus

 

Shanahan's draft history: Quarterback

On Thursday, the Redskins will make the draft pick that will shape the course of their franchise for the next several years, probably longer, when they take quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick in the draft. Is there good reason to think that Shanahan can pick quarterbacks? Can Redskins fans be confident that the two first-round picks and the second expended to move up to take RG3 will be well spent? A look at his past might reveal a glimpse of how this decision might turn out.

 Shanahan has been the primary talent selector in 15 drafts with the Denver Broncos (1995-2008) and for two with the Redskins (2010-11). How well has he performed?

Over the past few days, we have been breaking down Shanahan’s drafts position by position. If the past is prelude, maybe we can learn something about where he might go in the draft that starts on Thursday and how much success the players drafted might have going forward.

Previously: Linebackers, wide receivers, defensive backs

Best pick

The relatively brief career of Jay Cutler has seen some ups and downs since Shanahan moved up to draft him with the 11^th overall pick in 2006. After being put into the starting lineup for the last five games of his rookie season, Cutler made his way to the Pro Bowl in 2008 by throwing for over 4500 yards. Then came the coaching change, the trade to Chicago and Cutler becoming a turnover machine in 2009, throwing 26 interceptions. After a rocky start in 2010, the Bears won the NFC North and made the conference title game. That up ended on a down note as Cutler sat out most of the second half and had his toughness questioned. At age 28, there are more chapters to be written in his career. Cutler clearly has talent and we will see how he handles the mental side of it. 

Good picks

Shanahan got some decent production out of Brian Griese. He was put in the unenviable spot of being the guy who replaced the legend when he took over as the starter after John Elway retired following Denver’s second straight Super Bowl win in 1998. The Broncos went 27-24 in Griese’s 51 starts over four seasons. He made the Pro Bowl following the 2000 season.

Worst pick

Besides Griese and Cutler, the only other quarterback Shanahan has drafted with a top 100 pick was Jeff Lewis, taken with pick 100 in the fourth round in 1996. Playing behind Elway and Gary Kubiak, Lewis saw very limited action and was released after the 1997 season. That is hardly a disaster but you’d like to get a bit more out of a top-100 pick.

Bad picks

The other three quarterbacks Shanahan has drafted all were taken in the seventh round and they only are listed as bad picks because none of them turned out to be a diamond in the rough. Jarious Jackson (2000), Bradlee Van Pelt (2004) and Matt Mauck (2004) combined to play in 11 NFL games, mostly in mop up duty.

The nitty-gritty 

Total quarterbacks drafted drafted: 6
NFL games played: 184
Seasons as a starter: 9
Pro Bowls: 2—Jay Cutler 2008, Brian Griese 2000
Games played, seasons as starter and Pro Bowls are for player’s career with all teams.

Rounds/Players

1. 1—Jay Cutler (11 overall) 2006
2. None
3. 1—Brian Griese (91) 1998
4. 1—Jeff Lewis (100) 1996
5. None
6. None
7. 3—Jarious Jackson (214) 2000; Bradlee Van Pelt (250) 2004; Matt Mauck (225) 2004

Rich Tandler blogs about the Redskins at www.RealRedskins.com. You can reach him by email at RTandlerCSN@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Rich_Tandler.

 

Today, QB's are on the fast track to starting

I subscribe to get on the other side of the ESPN Insider paywall because the information contained there is often very interesting and informative. So when I clicked on an article entitled “Will Luck, RG3 succeed early?” I expected some insight.

I didn’t get any and I knew I wouldn’t from the first sentence. One Bill Horton of Scouts Inc. wrote, “In the modern era, becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL has been a multiyear project, which usually entails playing behind a veteran, holding a clipboard and taking at least two or three years to learn the craft of playing at this level.”

To which I said, “Huh? Someone might want to tell Horton that it’s 2011.”

Now, back when I started watching football in the mid-60’s holding a clipboard for a number of years was the norm. That was due in part to the fact that quarterbacks called the plays then so the QB also had to be the offensive coordinator in many respects. But, whatever the reason, it was just the way things were done. 

Not any more. Of the quarterbacks who are likely to start the season openers for their teams this September, nine of them either held a clipboard or saw only brief, spot duty during their first two years in the league–Matt Moore, Dolphins; Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills; Matt Schaub, Texans; Phillip Rivers, Chargers; Matt Cassel, Chiefs; Tony Romo, Cowboys; Aaron Rodgers, Packers; Kevin Kolb, Cardinals; Matt Flynn, Seahawks.

You might add Matt Hasselbeck of the Titans to the list if he starts ahead of Jake Locker. But that’s it. 

If Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III start their teams’ season openers there will be 10 QB’s who started from the very first game of their rookie seasons–Luck, Griffin, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, and Sam Bradford.

It doesn’t look like “rushing” those QB’s along necessarily hurt them. Of the eight veterans who started from day one, six of them have taken their teams to the playoffs. 

You can debate if it would be better if quarterbacks sat for a while before playing. Rodgers and Rivers are the poster boys for learning by watching. But to say that the “multiyear project” is the norm is just crazy.

 

RG3 to Colts? It just doesn't fly

Robert Griffin III visited the Washington area yesterday as he appeared at a card show in Chantilly. It seems nearly certain that he will be back again to stay at the end of the month.

Although the Colts still have not declared that they will take Andrew Luck with the top pick in the April 26 draft, there are more and more indications that they will go in that direction. 

Dan Pompei summed it up in the National Football Post. He said that the notion that RG3 will be picked first “doesn’t fly with a lot of astute NFL front office men.”

It’s common for a player who has been No. 1 for a long time to start getting knocked close to the draft, however, why do a good portion of talent evaluators like Luck more? He has performed at a high level for four years compared to one for RGIII and is further along. He played a pro style offense whereas RGIII played in an unconventional offense. He shows better ball placement.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports conducted a mini survey of eight NFL coaches and executives to see if Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III should be the first pick in the draft.

It was unanimous. All eight of those surveyed said that they believed that Luck should be the Colts’ pick when the draft starts on April 26.

The theme when ask why Luck should be the guy was that he is the safer bet of the two. “Get a guy who you know can play right away,” one AFC executive recommended to the Colts. “At worst, Luck is going to be a good player who can come in and run the offense from Day 1.”

Griffin ran a spread offense at Baylor that did not require much in the way of reading defenses or changing plays at the line. At Stanford, Luck ran a pro style offense that called for a lot of audibles. That makes Luck the more NFL ready player in the eyes of those who talked to Cole.

“Just think about it this way: Griffin just graduated with honors; Luck is in his first year of medical school,” said an AFC coach. “That’s what we’re talking about.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay has said that his teams choice for the top pick in the draft is “up in the air.” Although Cole’s survey and many other factors point to the Colts going with Luck, Irsay has the only vote that counts. 

 

Why the Colts will draft Luck

The possibility that the Colts could draft Robert Griffin III has been all the rage after the Baylor quarterback aced his pro day. And while the possibility that the Redskins could be “stuck with Luck” exists, the chances are slim.

That is the opinion here and the opinion of Colts writer Nate Dunleavy.  The longtime observer of the franchise explains that the Colts have just gone through the ordeal of releasing Peyton Manning and other veterans. They did this knowing exactly what they were going to do next, which is draft Andrew Luck. 

Dunleavy lists four reasons why the Colts will do that, here is the first:

1. There is zero question Luck already knows how to run a pro offense.

Forget the whole athlete/intellect debate. The intellectual and athletic gaps between Griffin and Luck are negligible. Each one is hyper-intelligent and athletic. The only difference is in experience level. What Luck did in college translates immediately to the pros. What Griffin did in the spread requires some work to decipher. The numbers were amazing, but spread numbers can lie (check out Colt McCoy on that link).

Take a look at the rest of the article here. 

Update: Might as well include the thoughts of Don Banks of SI.com, one of the most well-wired of insiders especially when it comes to the Colts (remember his story on the unknown fourth "procedure" that Peyton Manning had done on his neck). He put Luck first in his mock draft posted on Friday and he wasn't just taking a shot in the dark:

As head-turning as Baylor's Robert Griffin III has been at the combine and on his pro day, I haven't heard anything from the Colts to make me believe they're wavering on their intent to take Luck. With Peyton Manning a Bronco, and Indy's purge of veterans complete, all that remains is the formality of handing in the card on draft night, and making official the very fitting marriage between The Horseshoe and a QB named Luck.

How much do pro days mean?

So Andrew Luck proved to be every bit as impressive in his pro day performance on Thursday as Robert Griffin III was in his on Wednesday. What does it mean?

Not much. About 95 percent of player evaluation, perhaps more, comes from film. You know, what the players did in actual, competitive football games. It’s great to show off your arm strength and accuracy when throwing against air. But just like a 40-yard dash rarely gets run on an actual football field (and when it is it’s done in full pads), throwing to a receiver with no defenders in shouting distance is a rare opportunity for a quarterback.

How tenuous is the connection between a great pro day and a great pro career? Here is what Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted yesterday:

 

Why Luck won't sign with the Colts early

Sometime soon we’ll talk about why, despite the stellar pro day performance of Robert Griffin III, the Colts are very likely to pick Andrew Luck with the first pick in the draft. But for right now, let’s talk about why that matter will not be finally settled until draft day or sometime very close to it.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is from fans who want to know if Luck is going to sign with the Colts anytime soon. They would like to see Luck get locked in to Indy so the path is completely clear for RG3 to hold up the No. 1 Redskins jersey in Radio City Music Hall on April 26.

And unfortunately for those folks the answer is that negotiating a contract with the first pick prior to the draft is a thing of the past. It used to be that teams would want to talk contract with a player who was the potential first overall selection to gauge his “signability”.   A possible lengthy holdout during training camp could be avoided by getting the guy you wanted to sign on the line. 

The new CBA ratified last summer ended the signability factor. Salaries and most terms are pretty well set. Last year, top overall pick Cam Newton signed a four-year $22 million contract that was mostly dictated by the CBA. A few items, such as the amount paid up front as a signing bonus. But those are minor matters and chances are the player will be in camp on time.

So now there actually is a disincentive to sign a player prior to the draft. Teams can take every available minute to evaluate the decision that will shape the future of the franchise for years to come. And, although nobody likes to think about it, waiting avoids a situation where your just-signed prospect could suffer some sort of fluke injury. 

Since there are no advantages to signing your guy early and some potential downside to doing so, don’t look for Luck to be putting a pen to a contract with the Colts anytime soon.

Rich Tandler blogs about the Redskins at www.RealRedskins.com. You can reach him by email at RTandlerCSN@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Rich_Tandler.