Jim Zorn, Dan Snyder, and Vinny Cerrato

One Washington Post article I read when Jim Zorn was first hired questioned Dan Snyder's qualification at judging Jim Zorn. Specifically, he said to Joe Gibbs, "This guy (Zorn) would make a terrific head coach."

The questioning of his assessment ability is spot-on. Snyder has no idea what makes a "terrific head coach." His best coaching hire was one that was already voted into the Hall of Fame coach.

What's the most galling to Redskins fans is the lack of a credible organizational support structure. As long as Snyder owns the team, which may be for the rest of his life, Vinny Cerrato will have a job as de facto GM. Gibbs was the only one to which they were going to defer There won't be another football man like that (unless Bill Belichick goes crazy and decides he wants to work under crazy-man Snyder).

The Skins may have enough talent and schemes to compete. But if they ever do make it in the playoffs, they won't go very far. And they won't be able to compete consistently (see previous post about 2-year grace period for coaches). A quality long-term core just isn't there and won't be until Cerrato retires.

Jarvis

Darrell Jackson

The release of DJack by the 49ers gives the Redskins a good option in case Hackett doesn't sign. In fact, the team should have him visit Redskins Park immediately as he is a proven commodity with three 1,000 yard seasons under his belt. While he is likely on the downside of his career, he doesn't turn 30 until the end of the year so he's a veteran who knows the offense and could be reinvigorated by the change of scenery.

DJ Hackett

Bringing on board a veteran WR familiar with the West Coast offense like DJ Hackett would be a much better move than drafting one. Very few rookie WR's would be able to contribute immediately. This is even more the case for a team like the Skins learning an entirely new offense.

Signing Hackett (assuming a reasonable price) allows focus on the first round to be on the defensive line.

Draft Outlook

According to the Washington Post, Jim Zorn appears to be targeting a bigger wide receiver for his West Coast offense. Question is, can a rookie WR making the jump to the pros contribute? Probably not unless he's a high first rounder. Zorn also will be drafting a young QB to develop behind Campbell.

Blache needs an active lineman to help Andre Carter. At DT, Cornelius Griffin's best days are behind him. The Skins would best be served drafting a DE with their 1st round pick.

Blache also wants CB depth for the injury-prone trio of Rogers, Springs, and Smoot.

After the experience of last year's makeshift OL, the Skins need to add depth and youth there.

The only positions the team is set at are RB, TE, LB, and special teams.

In my mind, priorities ought to be:
1) DE
2) CB
3) WR
4) OG
5) DT
6) OT
7) QB

Returnees

It's quite the trend this free agency period. Griese back to the Bucs. Kearse back to the Titans. Muhammed back to the Panthers. Booker back to the Bears.

(I pity the Bears who signed Brandon Lloyd. But I pity the Skins for having wasted $10 million on him in the first place. Yes, he made some nice plays against the Skins as a Niner but there was never any sign of consistency or promise that warranted a $10 million contract. That is a clear example of why Cerrato fails in the much-needed GM capacity. I'm sure Gibbs wasn't the one who wanted Lloyd.)

Gregg Williams and Jim Zorn

He deserved so much better. Four years as heir apparent. Support of the team and fans. Support of yours truly. Four long interviews.

But he obviously sealed his own fate all along. He apparently had never reached out to form a relationship with Snyder. He hadn't earned Snyder's admiration and respect. He didn't have the charm that Snyder found with Zorn (and seemingly saw in Mora as well).

It was a big mistake not to let Gibbs know about the 10-player thing after Taylor's death. Of course Gibbs would have given his blessing. But by catching Gibbs off guard withthat, Williams didn't appear to pay the same homage to him that Snyder would have expected.

Gregg Williams moves on to a better situation. So long as Snyder and Cerrato are in charge, the best coach for the Skins was Gibbs. No other coach will ever have the same respect from Snyder unless he can immediately have the Skins contending in the playoffs and do so consistently.

Zorn will have two years. Mark my words. If there is ever a two-year period where the Skins aren't in the playoffs (including these first two), he will be gone. Say he pulls it off and has the Skins contending and even wins a Super Bowl (knock on wood). If he then hits a dry spell, that SB will probably buy him one extra year of leeway. So three years out of the playoffs and he's gone. .

Sean Taylor

Heartbreaking loss. Sports figures are so magnified in our society through the media that a loss like that really feels like we've lost a friend. Many of us feel that way even though we may not have actually met #21.

I watched the video tributes available online (on redskins.com and washingtonpost.com). Was anybody able to watch those tributes and maintain dry eyes.

There was no denying his talent. No denying his ferocity. No denying his love for the game. And that was all recognized with the Pro Bowl nod.

And then there were the personal family circumstances. So young (same age as my youngest brother). A young daughter who will grow up without him. A troubled past that he appeared to be putting behind him. Sean Taylor, we barely knew you but what we did know, we loved. Rest in peace.

Moody Blogswings

The problem I've found with blogging about my favorite sports team is that when they lose, I don't feel like rehashing and dissecting their loss in detail. I'm depressed that they lost and can't stand to read about it on washingtonpost.com. By the same token, when they're winning, I can't get enough. So I've been an absentee blogger for much of the season.

What about their winning stretch when they won a bunch in a row to get into the playoffs? First, it was just hard to blog after the Sean Taylor tragedy. Second, we die-hard sports fans all have our supersitions and know about jinxing a good thing. (And of course there was the whole finding time issue) However, I resolve to be a more consistent blogger about the Skins in 2008.