To say being a Redskins Fan is frustrating would be an understatement. They have had minimal success in my lifetime. Literally. Last time they got to a championship game a year before I was born. From the Jim Zorn debacle, the awful signing of Albert Haynesworth, and the ugly exit of the Shannahans, it's been a wild ride. This is an organization that really knows how to break your heart.
Our parents are quick to tell us how good the Redskins were in the early 90’s. RFK used to shake, crowds at Skins games actually had something to cheer for. That is certainly a foreign feeling for my friends and I and the Redskins Fans of my generation. But every season there is this sort of blind optimism and hope going into a new year. It’s been tough on the fans over the last few years but the fan base deserves some credit. Through 5 different head coaches and a handful of QB’s since Snyder took over the fans always seem to have some sort of faith in their beloved Redskins.
The last two seasons the team has been riddled with injuries, and has seen a combined seven wins between 2013 and 2014. The feeling is that it really can’t get too much worse than it has been lately. Local media has become something of a broken record, constantly questioning Robert Griffin and the decisions of owner Dan Snyder.
Recently in a poll done by the players, Snyder was voted the “most hated owner in the NFL.” Most of the Redskin fan base won’t fight that notion. With that being said, this summer Snyder has relinquished a lot of his personnel duties and handed them over to new GM Scott McCloughan. This was a good sign in the eyes of the fans as Snyder has taken the brunt of the blame for the team’s recent failures. McCloughan had some red flags of his own with some history of alcohol abuse (this job may enable him), but he had key roles in constructing the 49ers in the Harbaugh Era, and helped the Seahawks become the dominant force we see today.
Being a fan my whole life if there is one thing I’ve learned about this team, it is that I need to keep my expectations realistic and not get my hopes up. But so far McCloughan has made some very nice moves this offseason. For once it seems the front office was very smart about who they paid, and didn’t drop millions on one flashy player. McCloughan addressed a lot of the team’s issues in a quiet manner (finally). His careful spending allowed him to bring on some key pieces, especially for the struggling defense.
During former Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett’s tenure the defense gave up 52 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards of offense. It was clear changes needed to be made. Starting with their front seven, McCloughan added Terrance Knighton, who was regarded as one of the top interior defensive lineman of this year’s free agency class. The Redskins got an absolute steal in Knighton, whose only drawback has been his weight over the last two seasons. McCloughan gave the nose tackle a one year 4 million dollar “prove it” deal. It’s a deal with minimal risk and serious upside for the Washington defense. This deal alone was refreshing to see, I’m not sure Snyder has ever given any player a “prove it” deal like that. Along with Knighton the Skins added Bears linebacker Stephen Paea. Paea comes off his best season as a pro, totaling 33 tackles, six sacks and a pair of forced fumbles to go along with two passes defensed. McCloughan also added much needed help in the secondary. He went local, signing former UVA corner Chris Culliver who was a big part of a winning defense in San Francisco. He also traded for Bucs safety Dashon Goldson. Enter Goldson, a standout in his days with the San Francisco 49ers who struggled in two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, McCloughan sees a change of scenery as a great opportunity for Goldson.
The Redskins front office also addressed some defensive holes in the draft, most notably Ole Miss Linebacker Preston Smith who is turning a lot of heads at training camp. McCloughan also added some weapons to the offense as well. Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder should serve as the Skins new return man with his 4.3 speed. Florida running back Matt Jones has a tough task in replacing Roy Helu, nonetheless reducing the workload for pro bowl running back Alfred Morris.
To top the offseason off the Skins resigned star Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. The deal solidifies Kerrigan as a Redskin for five more seasons. It’s been a long time since the team has put a long term investment in a first round draft pick.
Overall it has been a pleasantly surprising offseason for the Redskins. It’s nice to see the team spending in a more careful way than usual. Like every season in Landover, there are many questions that remain, but McCloughan has certainly made his presence felt and things seem to be moving in the right direction.
