NFL/Draft and Washington's Big RG3 Deal

[-bdbd]

Probably about time to get a thread going about the April NFL draft coming up.

And what a way to kick it off but with the big Redskins-Rams news out tonight that the two teams have struck a deal over the second pick in this year's NFL draft. The 'skins, long in need of a franchise-level QB (for at least a decade or so), are sending this year's #1 (6th overall), their #2 this year (about 36th overall), plus their #1's in 2013 and 2014, in return for the Rams' #1 pick (#2 overall) in this year's draft.

The expectation is that the Redskins will use the pick to select whichever top QB the (#1 overall) Colts don't pick. In other words, after the Colts likely take Stanford's Luck, the Redskins expect to pick Robert Griffin III out of Baylor. Of course RG3 won the Heisman this year, and set some impressive records at the recent NFL combine for his physical abilities, such as the top QB speed ever in the 40-yard dash (WR type speeds).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...1Q2R_blog.html

What do you think? Did they give the Rams too much? If I'm a Rams fan, with holes everywhere, I'd have to be very happy, as they already have a young franchise QB... Supposedly the Clev. Browns were ready to offer something very similar to move up from 4th to 2nd themselves.

As a 'skins season ticket holder I am excited about this. It makes next year suddenly much more interesting, and the fact that the Browns were offering something very similar argues for this not being an unreasonable price. BUT, they do still have some real holes to fill in the O-line and at WR. Of course, they are well under the cap, and can therefore pick up some quality hole-fillers too... Time will tell.

[BD80]

Probably about time to get a thread going about the April NFL draft coming up.

And what a way to kick it off but with the big Redskins-Rams news out tonight that the two teams have struck a deal over the second pick in this year's NFL draft. The 'skins, long in need of a franchise-level QB (for at least a decade or so), are sending this year's #1 (6th overall), their #2 this year (about 36th overall), plus their #1's in 2013 and 2014, in return for the Rams' #1 pick (#2 overall) in this year's draft.

The expectation is that the Redskins will use the pick to select whichever top QB the (#1 overall) Colts don't pick. In other words, after the Colts likely take Stanford's Luck, the Redskins expect to pick Robert Griffin III out of Baylor. Of course RG3 won the Heisman this year, and set some impressive records at the recent NFL combine for his physical abilities, such as the top QB speed ever in the 40-yard dash (WR type speeds).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...1Q2R_blog.html

What do you think? Did they give the Rams too much? If I'm a Rams fan, with holes everywhere, I'd have to be very happy, as they already have a young franchise QB... Supposedly the Clev. Browns were ready to offer something very similar to move up from 4th to 2nd themselves.

As a 'skins season ticket holder I am excited about this. It makes next year suddenly much more interesting, and the fact that the Browns were offering something very similar argues for this not being an unreasonable price. BUT, they do still have some real holes to fill in the O-line and at WR. Of course, they are well under the cap, and can therefore pick up some quality hole-fillers too... Time will tell.

Big risk for Skins. I can't see a big improvement with a rookie QB, so those picks in 2013 & 2014 will be high picks. Even under the cap, tough to rebuild without those picks.

Great deal for the Rams. #6 and 2 high 2nd rounders will help now, high #1s plus their own in next 2 years, wow.

[weezie]

Big risk for RG3, too. Hope the skins can protect him and help him avoid injuries. Those big fellas up front should be made very aware of their roles.

Would be sad to see him languish in FedEx and then go somewhere else and have the success he seems destined to.

[JNort]

Poor Skins got ripped off in this trade.... They did this to get RGIII and I swear he is gonna be a bust

[PumpkinFunk]

As a Redskins fan, I'm really torn about this trade. On the one hand, we had a huge hole at QB, and we needed to stop taking short-term solutions. On the other hand, I'm worried about trading two future 1st rounders and this year's 2nd rounder. Unless we can bring in some big free agent help at all of our other holes (CB, OL, WR, etc) we're a bad-to-middling team in a good division in the no-man's land of the NFL for the next few years to come. But, this will get the fans in the seats, that's for sure. And that matters a lot to Daniel Snyder.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I don't disagree with the Skins making a big move to acquire a player who many consider to be a franchise QB. However, I feel like they could have give up a bit less - perhaps have the 2nd round pick be a 3 or a 4, or have one of the 1s be a 2 or a 3. That would allow them to have more options to surround RG3 with talent. However, keep in mind that top draft picks have slotted salaries that are much, much lower than in the past, so RG3 will be less of a drag on the salary cap, giving the Skins more opportunity to pick up some decent free agents. St. Louis played this really well, and should be an up-and-coming team if they use the picks wisely and have some patience.

[sagegrouse]

Big risk for RG3, too. Hope the skins can protect him and help him avoid injuries. Those big fellas up front should be made very aware of their roles.

Would be sad to see him languish in FedEx and then go somewhere else and have the success he seems destined to.

Poor Skins got ripped off in this trade.... They did this to get RGIII and I swear he is gonna be a bust

As a Redskins fan, I'm really torn about this trade. On the one hand, we had a huge hole at QB, and we needed to stop taking short-term solutions. On the other hand, I'm worried about trading two future 1st rounders and this year's 2nd rounder. Unless we can bring in some big free agent help at all of our other holes (CB, OL, WR, etc) we're a bad-to-middling team in a good division in the no-man's land of the NFL for the next few years to come. But, this will get the fans in the seats, that's for sure. And that matters a lot to Daniel Snyder.

I assume that the St. Louis Rams ran an auction -- may have even used an investment banker -- to get the best deal. The Skins' winning offer may have only been by a nose.

sagegrouse

[snowdenscold]

I assume that the St. Louis Rams ran an auction -- may have even used an investment banker -- to get the best deal. The Skins' winning offer may have only been by a nose.

sagegrouse

I had heard reports that Cleveland was offering something similar, so Washington may not have had much room to negotiate. Which is too bad for me, a Redskins fan.

[throatybeard]

As a resident of the actual City of Saint Louis, not some lily White suburb, Saint Louis, y'all...

...I find it hilarious that the worst-run NFL franchise of the last eight or so years managed to fleece another franchise this badly. Griffin better be a HOF-caliber quarterback.

Of course, they do have a new GM...

[bjornolf]

I think this was a good trade. According to reports this morning, the Rams GM said "the deal will be done Thursday, so give me your best offer and I will take the best one.". Cleveland offered three 1s, Washington offered three 1s, plus the 2. There was no bidding or playing off. The GM took the better offer.

Whether or not this was a good trade, I think it was a NECESSARY trade. The Skins haven't had a franchise QB since Joey T, and haven't had a truly great QB since Sonny. Everything I've seen of this kid says he's fast and agile (to avoid that rush), but unlike Vick in the old days, he avoids to open up receivers, not just to run. He's also very smart (3.76 in PolySci at Baylor and one year into a Masters), blowing away coaches in his chalkboard work and defensive analysis. He may be a bust, but he's the surest thing you can hope for in the draft. And everyone I've heard says he's head and shoulders above anyone in this draft not named Luck.

The Skins had to take a chance on a QB this year or next. If they'd improved everywhere else this year and pulled off a 7 or 8 win season next year, how much would it have cost them to move up to number 1 or 2 next year to get Barkeley? This way, the team can continue to improve, and RG3 will have a year under his belt. Another benefit to this move is that there's a very good free agent receiver class out there this year, and with $50M of cap space and RG3 coming and the new indoor practice facility, suddenly Washington is a MUCH more attractive destination for them. Remember, this team actually has a solid set of receivers. What they lack is a true number one. If they get a true number one target, they'll have a VERY strong receiving core.

We'll see if this was a good trade or not in the next three years. If RG3 is a bust, then it was a bad trade if we'd given a 7th round pick and wasted a first rounder on him. If he's the franchise QB they need and is around for the next 15 years and makes the Skins competitive in the NFC, then this trade was cheap. Somewhere in between, we'll see.

So, was it a good trade? I don't know yet. Was it a necessary trade? Absolutely.

[rasputin]

As a resident of the actual City of Saint Louis, not some lily White suburb, Saint Louis, y'all...

...I find it hilarious that the worst-run NFL franchise of the last eight or so years managed to fleece another franchise this badly. Griffin better be a HOF-caliber quarterback.

Of course, they do have a new GM...

Absent the new GM, my reaction would have been, all this means is that the Rams will have more draft picks to squander. I hope they can reverse that trend. Other than Sam the Ram and MLB Laurinitis, the performance hasn't been worthy of the lofty draft spots, and even Laurinitis was a second-rounder.

[Duvall]

As a resident of the actual City of Saint Louis, not some lily White suburb, Saint Louis, y'all...

...I find it hilarious that the worst-run NFL franchise of the last eight or so years managed to fleece another franchise this badly. Griffin better be a HOF-caliber quarterback.

Of course, they do have a new GM...

Will the Rams use one of those picks to take a good quarterback?

[bjornolf]

Will the Rams use one of those picks to take a good quarterback?

The Rams are sticking with Bradford and trying to build around him. They're convinced that he IS a good quarterback. Otherwise, this trade doesn't happen.

[Blue in the Face]

However, keep in mind that top draft picks have slotted salaries that are much, much lower than in the past, so RG3 will be less of a drag on the salary cap, giving the Skins more opportunity to pick up some decent free agents.

Not to worry, the Skins found a way to drag down the salary cap.

The NFL is taking away millions of dollars of salary-cap space belonging to the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins for front-loading contracts during the uncapped 2010 season, according to league sources. The salary cap is projected to be $120.6 million in 2012, but the Cowboys will lose $10 million, while the Redskins will be docked $36 million in cap space, sources said.

They can split up the cap reductions over this year and next, however they want, and the rest of the leage (except for the Saints and Raiders for some reason) get the extra cap space, about $1.6MM per team.

[bjornolf]

Not to worry, the Skins found a way to drag down the salary cap.



They can split up the cap reductions over this year and next, however they want, and the rest of the leage (except for the Saints and Raiders for some reason) get the extra cap space, about $1.6MM per team.

I'm sorry, but that's just stupid, especially since they've admitted it's not a violation. The second I heard the season would be uncapped, I said "any smart team will front load contracts." So they're being penalized for being smart? If you're willing to take the gamble that a player won't hold out or get injured, then you should be able to reap the reward if it works out. You're taking a risk by doing, so why shouldn't you be able to do it? It only seems smart to me. Heck, the Redskins have been doing that in CAPPED years since the salary cap started. It's not like they did anything they hadn't done before.

[mkirsh]

I'm sorry, but that's just stupid, especially since they've admitted it's not a violation. The second I heard the season would be uncapped, I said "any smart team will front load contracts." So they're being penalized for being smart? If you're willing to take the gamble that a player won't hold out or get injured, then you should be able to reap the reward if it works out. You're taking a risk by doing, so why shouldn't you be able to do it? It only seems smart to me. Heck, the Redskins have been doing that in CAPPED years since the salary cap started. It's not like they did anything they hadn't done before.

According to this, the teams had been warned not to do this:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/ey...-loading-deals

Best part is that this results from the Haynesworth deal - the gift that keeps on giving. Skins were in a very good position headed into Free Agency, and will not have to scramble just to fill out the roster.

[Duvall]

The Rams are sticking with Bradford and trying to build around him. They're convinced that he IS a good quarterback.

Oh, sure. But should they be?

[JNort]

Oh, sure. But should they be?

He is a better option than RGIII at least.

[Duvall]

He is a better option than RGIII at least.

Why?

[BD80]

Why?

Accuracy. RGIII might be able to run really fast downfield and hand it to a receiver, but Bradford can throw it even faster than RGIII can run. Bradford is far more accurate of a passer, and IMO, the better QB to build a franchise around. Give Bradford protection and some weapons, he'll produce. RGIII may not need the same level of protection or support, but he won't be great because his relative lack of accuracy will limit possessions and big plays.