Redskins' biggest weakness: QB

[BLUE 1,026]

By Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc.

 

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson examines the biggest weakness of each NFC East team and offers some potential solutions.

 

The Redskins' quarterback situation is a nightmare. I am assuming that Donovan McNabb will be elsewhere in 2011. Rex Grossman has a place in this league, but his erratic nature makes him too difficult to count on as a week-to-week starter at such an important position. Grossman is also a pending free agent, although returning to Washington seems like a natural fit. It isn’t a re-signing that I would object to.

 

But the Redskins have to look elsewhere for their long-term quarterback. That takes us to the draft. Maybe the aggressive Redskins front office would put a package together to move up several spots from their 10th position to land Missouri's Blaine Gabbert or more likely, Auburn's Cam Newton. But with a wealth of needs (I could have picked many different positions for this post), I just can’t see putting the resources into moving up.

 

It isn’t Washington’s style, but moving backward on draft day would be the prudent move. The Redskins are supposedly very interested in Washington’s Jake Locker, who has a skill set very similar to what Mike Shanahan looks for in a quarterback.

 

I could certainly see Shanahan and company being smitten with Locker. In a way, he is a combination of Jake Plummer and Jay Cutler. Locker moves very well. He is the strong, athletic type of passer who is needed for Shanahan’s offense, both with designed quarterback movement and with his ability to get the ball deep downfield. If Washington could move down maybe ten spots in the draft, accumulate picks for other needs and land Locker if they so desire, I would be fine with that. But I wouldn’t condone using the 10th overall selection on Locker. It might be better to take a top prospect at No. 10 and then put a package together to move back into the late first round for Locker.

 

The Redskins could wait even longer and draft a physically impressive prospect like Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick while really working on other areas of the team. Then they would let Grossman steer the ship for a season while Kaepernick learns. Of the veteran quarterbacks available, there isn’t a guy I see as a good fit in terms of upside and what Shanahan wants from the position. The Redskins roster is such a mess that going young might be the right decision as part of a total rebuilding project.

 

Source: ESPN

Edited March 18, 2011 by BLUE

[Duck Fallas 209]

I disagree. We need an offensive line more than anything. Until that gets handled, it will not matter who is taking snaps. McNabb would do great in DC with a line. Jason Campbell would likely be a top-teir QB if we had addressed the OL in the past. But for some reason, the FO seem to think that the QB is the problem, when it clearly is not.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Washington pretty much needs everything, and when you need everything, a quarterback is usually the best place to start.

[Duck Fallas 209]

Washington pretty much needs everything, and when you need everything, a quarterback is usually the best place to start.

I do agree with you, but we already have a good QB with McNabb. He is still under contract and can easily be here next season. I don't know that he will be, but he has not been released as of yet. In fact, the only people who say it will happen are the ones who have no way of knowing anything: The media. We just have so many other major needs. Why not fill those postions and then figure out if we need to get a new QB or if we should stick with McNabb?

 

(Also, for the record, McNabb is NOT a long term option at the postition.)

[SteVo+ 3,702]

That is a fair point. Washington should just be looking to upgrade wherever possible, and they should be taking the highest player on their board come draft time.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Here's what the Skins SHOULD do

 

FIRE Mike Shannahan. He was easily the worst coach in the NFL last year

Go back to the 4-3. They had a very good defense two years ago. No reason to make the switch for them

Move Brown to LT and Williams to RT. Brown has been to the pro bowl at LT

Address the offensive line in a big way.

[Duck Fallas 209]

Here's what the Skins SHOULD do

 

FIRE Mike Shannahan. He was easily the worst coach in the NFL last year

Go back to the 4-3. They had a very good defense two years ago. No reason to make the switch for them

Move Brown to LT and Williams to RT. Brown has been to the pro bowl at LT

Address the offensive line in a big way.

Firing Mike Shanahan after one season would be a major step backward. No serious fan epected a huge turnaround in one season. Sure some the extra shit was ridiculous, but he was simply letting the team know who is in charge. I see nothing wrong with that.

 

I completely agree with the rest of your post. We have the personnel to be a dominant 4-3 (as we were in the very recent past), trying to force a 3-4 scheme is really stupid.

 

When the Redskins traded for Jamal Brown, I thought that they would be doing the smart thing and placing him at LT. Obviously they felt like that was not a good idea. I don't think that Trent Williams did a horrible job as a Rookie LT in one of the toughest divisions in the game, but it would make more sense to keep him at his natural position.

[BLUE 1,026]

Firing Skelator after one season would be a terrible move, IMO....you HAVE to give him more than one season....