Jason Campbell: As Good As Gone from the Washington Redskins

(Photo by: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Bottom line: It is not so much that Snyder has little regard for Jason Campbell as a player as it is that Snyder is not even trying to hide this lack of regard from anyone and everyone. So, Snyder has already moved on. Campbell is only the Redskins' starting QB until Snyder can replace him.

Snyder already tried to replace Campbell with Jay Cutler and failed, but he will certainly try again at the next opportunity. The only question is when this opportunity will be and if Snyder will have better luck next time.

Barring unforeseen developments, the next opportunity that Snyder will have to replace Campbell is the NFL draft, and it is almost certain that Snyder will do so at that time.

If Snyder was willing to give up two No. 1 picks to get Jay Cutler, he will certainly give up far less—say a first and second-round pick—to move up to get Mark Sanchez or Matt Stafford. 

And that is assuming that Snyder would have to do so in the first place. Despite all the mock drafts that you have read, there is little to indicate that two QBs will be taken in the first 12 picks.

Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Oakland, Jacksonville, Green Bay, San Francisco and Buffalo all have relatively young passers that they are committed to—or at least far more committed to than Washington is Campbell.

Saint Louis and Seattle are also not regarded as not wanting a QB, also neither franchise has a history of using first round draft picks to acquire QBs anyway. And if Denver wanted to take a QB at No. 12, why insist on getting a starting QB back in a trade as opposed to another pick or a defensive player? 

So if Detroit passes on Matt Stafford at No. 1, then it virtually guarantees at least one of the top two QB being available for the Redskins at No. 13, and moreover both of them may well be. Again, even that is assuming that the Redskins don't try to trade up to make sure of it. 

So, Apr. 25 will be Jason Campbell's last day as a Washington Redskin. Why, when the Redskins could simply allow Campbell to play out the last year of his contract while the rookie sits and learns? Simple: Campbell may well have a big year next season: 3600 yards, 20 TDs, and a playoff berth.

If that happens only to have Campbell walk and the Redskins have to start over with a new QB, it would be a fiasco. So, far better to dump Campbell for whatever they can get for him and play the rookie next season. 

So in addition to saying and doing the right things—which can only help his reputation as a player, which quite frankly isn't that good around the NFL—Campbell really needs to have his agent start looking around for places for him to land.

Looking for teams that are willing to give him a shot to start in 2009 in case they don't get one of the three QBs that people actually want: Stafford, Sanchez, and Josh Freeman. Campbell does have a case: 27 years old, big arm, good mobility, and decent performance despite the less than ideal circumstances mentioned earlier. 

A franchise guy that can carry a team and make the players around him better? No. A guy that gives you a better chance to win than what you have now, has a real chance to improve, and is low risk (only one year left on his deal and can be had for a middle round draft pick)?

Detroit (assuming they don't draft Stafford), Saint Louis, Seattle, the Jets (assuming they don't get Freeman), and Tampa Bay (ditto) really can't claim to have better things to do in 2009 than that.

But that is a case that Campbell has to make to those teams himself. He can't convince himself that he is Washington's starter this season based on his communications with Jim Zorn, who A) is not the guy making the decisions and B) is only capable of moving forward based on the players that he has now.

If Snyder hasn't told Zorn that Campbell isn't going to be back next season, then what else is Zorn supposed to do but support the guy that he things will be playing for him?

Campbell also can't rely on the reassuring stance that the media has taken towards his situation. That is because the D.C. and national sportswriters know that Campbell has had a tough situation, like Campbell personally, and really want him to succeed.

However, unfortunately for Campbell, the sportswriters don't run the Redskins. Snyder does. 

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