Washington Redskins: 10 Things We've Learned This Offseason

What an offseason it was for the Washington Redskins and their fans. Talk about the highest of the highs with the trade with the St. Louis Rams and yet more frustration when the NFL ganged up on the Redskins with salary cap infractions. (I could get into that too, but I could probably turn that into 10 pages.)

Since Dan Snyder bought the Redskins, they have been notorious for the big splashes in free agency. Well, upon Mike Shanahan’s arrival, they have targeted young and promising athletes who have yet to have that Pro Bowl-type season.

Of course, this offseason will forever be entrenched in Redskins history as the “RG3 year,” and rightfully so. I believe the reason the 'Skins front office chose not to address the quarterback position last year was due to its want to add more pieces to the puzzle.

Therefore, the future quarterback will be welcomed into a high-potential organization and, most importantly, will have help.

Overall, I would say I’m more than pleased with this year’s offseason. Holes were filled via the draft and free agency and the win-loss record should inevitably improve.

So what have we learned this thus far? Well, I’ve put together a list of what I believe are those answers. Enjoy.

They Went 'All-In' on Robert Griffin III

Prior the infamous trade, the Redskins knew there wasn’t a chance of the former Heisman winner remaining on the board at the sixth overall pick. If they wanted to get him, they would essentially have to give up the house for him.

They did. While we can all analyze the Robert Griffin III selection, realistically we won’t know the answer for a long time. OK, at least three years at the minimum.

That being considered, it is without question that RG3 is the Redskins' man. In the grand scheme of things, you could argue the entire fate of the team will be contingent with the success of the rookie quarterback.

Of course I have high expectations for the young man and it’s hard not to like a guy like that, but there are no guarantees in the NFL, so we’ll see.

They Expect Pierre Garcon to Be a Pro Bowler

The Redskins didn’t sign the guy to a long-term contract if they didn’t expect him to put up great numbers. The contract was worth $42.5 million, for those wondering.

Now, I know the Pro Bowl is typically a big popularity contest, but Garcon is going to need 70-plus catches and 1,000 yards receiving.

I’ve said from the start that I like the Garcon signing, but I don’t like the contract. However, this is the kind of player Mike Shanahan targets: a young, high-potential football player who has yet to peak; and that’s the difference between him and someone like Vincent Jackson, whom I thought the Redskins were going to aggressively pursue.

Shanahan took the same approach last year with the signings of Josh Wilson and Stephen Bowen. Rather than go after Nnamdi Asomugha (the highest-rated corner on the board), they took the safe route with Wilson. The same can be applied to Bowen, who was signed instead of the highly rated Cullen Jenkins. And both Wilson and Bowen came off having very successful seasons.

Lastly, we learned the Redskins want to make bigger plays, also known as “YAC,” or yards after catch. Sure, Jabar Gaffney had a great year, but the 'Skins offense needs a receiver that can stretch the field. Garcon is that player.

Chris Cooley Will Be Second Fiddle

For the first time, Chris Cooley is not the team’s starter. I hate saying this, but I wouldn’t even be surprised if his job is in jeopardy given his large contract.

Fred Davis was the team’s best offensive threat last year, and it goes without saying he’ll be one of Robert Griffin III’s main targets this coming season. So where does that leave Cooley?

Ideally, Kyle Shanahan finally develops a two-tight end system. While improvements have been made, the offense still has a long way to go. When Cooley is healthy, his statistics are excellent.

In addition to that, Cooley is a true Redskin to the point that I think he would consider taking a pay cut. I admit I am a bit biased because Cooley is one of my favorite Redskins of all time. I also believe he can still be an asset to this team at tight end and his ability to play fullback, too.

Either way, the baton has been passed to Fred Davis, and we’ll see a lot more of him than No. 47.

Niles Paul Is Transitioning to Tight End

Moving onto more tight end news, we learned Niles Paul is making the transition to that position.

Last year, I loved the former Nebraska wide receiver. He reminded me of a young James Thrash with his excellent special teams play, blocking and willingness to do all of the things that goes unnoticed. I remember last year that almost every time Paul lined up at receiver the 'Skins ran the ball.

Playing tight end makes sense. He’s already added weight and could potentially become a matchup problem with his athleticism from being a wideout.

This is definitely interesting, though, which is why I have questioned Chris Cooley’s role on the roster. What if Paul starts playing really well?

Anyway, I still like the move and this also opens up a roster spot for another receiver like Aldrick Robinson or it might save Anthony Armstrong’s job.

They Gave Up on LaRon Landry

I know this is probably for the best. He hasn’t been healthy in two years and his attitude has been suspect in his days as a Redskin.

However, I still can’t get over how good he looked in the first half of the 2010-2011 season. He was arguably the most dominant defender in the league. I can’t say enough about it—he was a monster, to say the least.

Since then, he never recovered from his lingering Achilles injury. Did the Redskins have the chance to re-sign him? Sure, NFL teams weren’t exactly lining up at the door to acquire him, but it appeared the Skins front office decided to move on.

They like second-year safety DeJon Gomes and signed three veterans to compete with one another, as well as Reed Doughty. I still consider this unfortunate, though. Landry has yet to reach his potential and if he can fully recover, that missed opportunity will come back to haunt the Redskins. That’s a big if, however.

They Will Use a Rotational Defensive Line

With the signing of Adam Carriker, the Redskins will use a rotational defensive line. This is the best approach, too.

Despite Jarvis Jenkins being the training camp stud last year, his torn ACL was devastating. While Jenkins certainly has high expectations, he still hasn’t played in a regular season game. With the use of solid starters Stephen Bowen and Carriker, Jenkins can ease his way into the defensive front.

Considering the type of beating defensive linemen take, having quality depth at this position is vital to the defense. I’m not sure if the same approach will be applied to the nose tackle position with Barry Cofield and Chris Neild, but I can only assume increased reps for the second-year player.

Kirk Cousins Is RG3 Insurance

Let me say this: If I were the team’s general manager, would I have taken Kirk Cousins in the fourth round? No. With other holes remaining on the roster, I would have liked to address the defensive back position or an offensive tackle.

That being said, Cousins will be on the roster for the foreseeable future. What we’ve learned is that Robert Griffin III is the team’s ace. However, the 'Skins took an insurance plan on him.

I’m actually surprised there hasn’t been a major need for quality backups at the quarterback position throughout the league. Look what happened to the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs after their starting quarterbacks went down with injuries.

Also, what would be the absolute ideal situation is if Cousins develops trade value and the Redskins are in a situation that the Eagles, Falcons and Patriots had with Kevin Kolb, Matt Schaub and Matt Cassel.

Despite the controversy, Mike Shanahan made it clear RG3 is the starter, which was the right thing to do. Therefore, there’s no quarterback battle and no rumors will spread if Cousins has an impressive preseason.

Mike Shanahan Trusts the Offensive Line

Besides left tackle and right guard, I thought the Redskins were going to pursue all other positions on the offensive line in free agency.

With plenty of right tackle and guard options available, this was an easy assumption. Kory Lichtensteiger is coming off a major knee injury and may not be ready for the season opener. Will Montgomery is decent but an upgrade could have been made, and Jammal Brown hasn’t been 100 percent healthy upon his arrival in Washington.

Well, no substantial free-agent acquisitions were made, and there are no guarantees of the three offensive linemen selected in this year’s draft (Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis and Tom Compton)

While looking at this, it seems Shanahan trusts the offensive line as is. He’s giving Brown a second mulligan and he expects Lichtensteiger to recover. It’s a huge gamble, but Shanahan likes continuity on the offensive line. While the rookies might not make a major impact, they will at least provide much-needed competition in training camp.

The Jury Is Still out on Graham Gano

It’s about time.

I will admit that I am a Graham Gano “hater"—I just don’t trust the talented, but inconsistent kicker. And with the signing of veteran Neil Rackers, Gano is playing for his job again. As of now, it’s Rackers’ job to lose. He’s been a successful kicker for years now and he wouldn’t have signed with Washington if he didn’t have the upper hand.

While Mike Shanahan has shown patience in Gano, the team still needs an accurate kicker when the game is on the line, and Gano still hasn’t proven that.

London Fletcher Remains the Heart and Soul of the Team

I can’t say enough about London Fletcher. He is the Washington Redskins, with his play on the field, leadership, appreciation for the fans and the media.

He does it all, and I hope he remains a Redskin even after his career is finished.

And while it took a little bit longer than we all expected, the Redskins remained confident their captain will return. Even though they have taken a youthful approach on the roster, someone like Fletcher is irreplaceable.