The Future of the Wasington Redskins

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It’s the bye week in Washington and since we’re halfway through another Redskins season, it seems it's time to talk about next year.

Here’s what we know: Head coach Jim Zorn will be fired. There’s very little question about that. Given the rumors that have been coming out of Ashburn in the past few weeks, it’s also very possible de facto GM Vinny Cerrato might be right behind him.

If this happens, this will be the biggest internal overhaul the team has experienced since 2002, when Marty Schottenheimer was shown the door after just one season. While there have been three head coaches since then, the constant has been Cerrato and his lackadaisical attitude toward low-round draft picks and bargain free agents.

This might also be owner Dan Snyder’s last chance with the Redskins fans. Though much of the fanbase is to-the-death loyal, another silly staffing season could lead to a full-scale revolt among the Redskin faithful from which the team might never recover. However, the right choices could potentially bring the team back to its winning ways quite quickly.

I am one of the biggest proponents in hiring good football people and letting them do their job. Anyone who thinks owners should be involved just needs to take a look at the Redskins over past decade under the rule of Snyder for cautionary tales. Despite this, however, there are some moves that I think would be hopeful signs from Redskin Park.

The Head Coach With Total Control Model

There’s long been debates as to which model leads to greater success: the general manager over the head coach, or the head coach who has total control. The simple fact is no rookie head coach is likely to ever get total control over a team’s football operations. If a team’s going with this model, it will be with a veteran head coach.

Save a surprise like Joe Gibbs coming back for round three, there are five experienced Super Bowl-winning head coaches looking for jobs: Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Brian Billick, and Jon Gruden.

None of the latter three should be given total control over a roster. Holmgren had the power in Seattle and did little with it, having the power stripped a few years into his tenure. Billick and Gruden never had the power, working for strong general managers in Ozzie Newsome and Bruce Allen, respectively. Neither have shown the interest in this, either.

If you believe the rumors, Mike Shanahan has been approached by the Redskins on up to three different occasions, and rebuffed the team each time. If Wade Phillips were to be replaced in Dallas, look for Shanahan to land there with similar power that Bill Parcells had. It would be a better fit to work with Jerry Jones than for Shanahan to get total control over another roster.

That leaves Bill Cowher. John Fox is likely gone in Carolina and look for Cowher, who has been lurking in North Carolina since his retirement, to snatch up that job. If not, don’t expect Cowher in D.C.

With Snyder’s poor reputation for intrusiveness, the Washington job simply can’t look attractive to him. That said, Snyder could simply hand over total control and eight figures a year to Cowher and he might give it a shot. You never know.

But know this: if the team hires a head coach other than Cowher or perhaps Shanahan (or someone like them) and gives them total control, cancel your season tickets.

General Manager Over Head Coach Model

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