5 Moves Washington Redskins Should Avoid in Free Agency

Fortunately, it seems the free-agency market has already started being kind to the Washington Redskins. It's about to take away the temptation to make two of the worst moves this franchise could indulge in this offseason.

Ndamukong Suh is reportedly set to earn enough to buy his own island, courtesy of the Miami Dolphins, per ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen. While Devin McCourty will, to no great surprise, stay on a Super Bowl-winning roster, according to Fox Sports (h/t ESPN.com).

But although two of the big-name, bloated-contract deals the Redskins usually fall all over themselves to pursue have been taken away, new general manager Scot McCloughan still has plenty of pitfalls to avoid.

It starts with shunning reported interest in a running back who is better suited to the schemes of the old, Mike Shanahan-led regime. In fact, settling for poor scheme fits on either side of the ball, something common in recent seasons, should be avoided.

So should complete ignorance of the veteran market. McCloughan may balk at the idea of rolling the dice on 30-something free agents, but he can't ignore the talent of a few old pros.

Find out all the moves McCloughan would be smart to avoid once the bell sounds to start 2015 free agency. 

No More Square Pegs for Round Holes

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It's time Washington broke its recent cycle of settling for poor, or at least questionable, scheme fits. Too often in recent seasons, the franchise has been content to spend on players not ideally suited to what the team does on either side of the ball.

The hope has been that by simply wedging veterans into new spots outside their comfort zones, both players and coaches will find a way to make it work.

The problem has been most obvious up front. Last season, it involved adding Jason Hatcher, a pass-rushing 3-technique, to a two-gap version of the 3-4 defense.

Offensively, a natural power blocker like Shawn Lauvao was asked to execute stretch-style, zone techniques. It's never a good idea to expect a seamless transition in these cases.

Of course, there are caveats. Obviously, the lines of divide between defensive fronts have become increasingly blurred in today's NFL where hybrid defenses are the common mode of choice.

It's also worth noting that Hatcher and Lauvao represent a shift away from what the Redskins did before Jay Gruden succeeded Shanahan as head coach. Gruden has been inching toward more power-based blocking along the offensive front, as well as more one-gap attacking in the defensive trenches.

So, it's not unreasonable to suppose Washington fans may see the best of both players in Year 2. But why wait?

Honestly, Gruden can hardly afford to take that same approach for his second season patrolling the sideline wearing burgundy and gold. Not after a 4-12 rookie campaign.

That's why a link to Chicago Bears defensive tackle Stephen Paea, per CSN Chicago reporter Jen Lada, is disturbing. Paea is a useful interior pass-rusher, but he's relatively slight for a nose tackle at 6'1" and 300 pounds.

Yes, he may fit a one-gap scheme, but no matter how the Redskins dress it up, few 3-4 fronts survive with a lightweight over center. That explains Washington's strong interest in house-sized 0-technique Terrance Knighton, per Troy E. Renck and Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

More to the point, Paea has been a 4-3 lifer during his four seasons in the pros.

Why waste money and time on another player who will have to learn the nuances of a new front? It never really worked with Barry Cofield Jr., despite some moments of promise, so why repeat the pattern?

Washington's decision-makers have to stop indulging the fantasy that an assortment of ill-fitted pieces will form a medley that works on the field better than it does on paper.

Instead, now's the time to be crystal clear about the schemes on both sides of the ball and which free agents fit them best.

Making a Run for Justin Forsett

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Perhaps the ultimate square-peg-in-a-round-hole move would be signing Justin Forsett to a team that is seemingly determined to move away from a reliance on zone running.

NFL.com Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Redskins are one of a few interested suitors in the back who rushed for 1,266 yards in 2014. But while that number is impressive, Forsett's potential fit in Gruden's schemes is not.

He's tied to the Shanahan-influenced zone system. Forsett has operated in it under Shanahan disciple Gary Kubiak, for both the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.

As ESPN 980 reporter Chris Russell noted, that history, along with Forsett's age, makes him a strange choice for Washington. Both Gruden and McCloughan have indicated a preference for gap-blocking plays, per CSN Washington reporter Rich Tandler.

With bigger blockers likely the order of the day along the O-line for 2015, Washington could abandon the stretch plays that have been the backbone of its running game since 2010.

That's a big change—probably too big for Forsett, who just enjoyed his breakout season in a stretch-style ground attack.

Expecting him to stunt that career progress to learn the ropes in a new system is approaching madness, even if Gruden's decision to alter a highly successful rushing approach is also a head-scratcher.

Signing Too Many Former Players

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It's standard practice in the NFL for head coaches and general managers to fall back on what they know. Or more specifically, who they know.

But McCloughan and Gruden must not tumble into the trap of loading up on players they've worked with in the past. After all, familiarity isn't known for breeding success.

Unfortunately, there have already been early signs the Redskins are preparing to make this mistake. The team moved quickly to sign defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois, whom McCloughan drafted when he ran the show for the San Francisco 49ers in 2009.

But the disappointing lineman never made the grade in the Bay Area. It was a similar story after he joined the Indianapolis Colts as a high-priced free agent in 2013.

Yet that didn't stop McCloughan from handing his former draft pick a deal "worth $9 million with $4 million guaranteed," per agent Drew Rosenhaus (h/t NFL.com Media Insider Ian Rapoport).

Worse could follow. The Redskins are among a number of teams that are apparently interested in Cincinnati Bengals free safety Taylor Mays, according to Pro Football Talk reporter Mike Florio.

Gruden knows Mays well from his time calling the offense for the Bengals prior to his arrival in Washington. Even McCloughan has a potential, albeit tertiary, connection.

The 49ers drafted Mays in the second round in 2010. McCloughan was sent packing in San Fran about a month prior to that draft.

Given the time frame, it's not unreasonable to suppose he at least played a role in scouting Mays and adding him to the Niners' big board that year.

But is a free safety who's started just 10 games in five seasons really any sort of answer at the weakest position on Washington's roster? Of course he isn't, no matter how strong his ties to this regime may be.

Being surrounded with familiar faces may be a comfortable feeling, but it isn't going to redress this team's losing.

Ignoring the Veteran Market

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McCloughan is apparently not a fan of recruiting players the wrong side of 30, per ESPN.com Redskins reporter John Keim:

"

But you’ve also got to understand with free agency that’s a tool you can use and you can use it in a positive manner. [But] you start dabbling too much in free agency sometimes, you’re getting older guys, you’re getting medical history.

...

We’re not going to have to go out to other organizations and bring in 32- and 33-year-olds who have different plans.

"

Those are words that will always win fans over. They speak to the supposed "right way" to build a winner in the NFL.

On a personal note, this view has always been difficult to stomach, particularly for Washington. This franchise once had a proud tradition of trusting and leaning on veteran experience.

No, not back in the early days of owner Dan Snyder's era. Not when the likes of Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders were being wheeled into D.C. on their last legs looking for a final bumper payday.

Instead, Washington's history with golden oldies goes all the way back to George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang." It also includes the aging but still effective backbone of the 1991 team that captured this franchise's last Super Bowl trophy.

While every general manager chases a core of young talent, every roster should be underpinned with veterans who have the winning habit. That's why a player such as nose tackle Vince Wilfork shouldn't be overlooked.

Dumped by the New England Patriots after last season's Super Bowl triumph, Wilfork still has a lot to offer even at 33.

Few nose guards in the game are as powerful and difficult to shift in the trenches. For those still chasing the supposed "right way," few veterans possess Wilfork's commitment, professionalism and leadership qualities.

All of those would be invaluable to a young player like beefy D-tackle Chris Baker. He's a talent who has yet to realize his full potential.

There are gems to be had on the veteran market. Experience needn't be a dirty word in Washington. Instead, it can be a real asset for a team that's forgotten how to win. 

Skimping on the Offensive Line

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McCloughan may have been hired to change a culture of chasing quick fixes, but if there's one area where he can justify spending big, it's along the offensive line. The last thing McCloughan can do is skimp on improving the bane of the offense.

Too many bargain-bin solutions have led to chronic decay up front. A succession of low-round draft picks and uninspiring free agents culminated in surrendering 58 sacks in 2014.

The Redskins have put off committing to properly fixing the problem for too long. That has to change this offseason.

There can be no more half-measures. Sadly, the early signs aren't exactly encouraging.

Washington officials have reportedly been scouring the market for O-line help, but it seems they've already set a limit on what they'll give away to get it.

Mike Jones of The Washington Post has detailed one near miss, involving Houston Texans right tackle Derek Newton, that could have worrying implications for the rest of free agency: "However, Newton wound up re-signing with the Texans for a five-year, $26.5 million deal that featured roughly $10 million in guaranteed money, one source said. That exceeded the amount Washington initially had wanted to pay for the fifth-year pro."

The unwillingness to meet one price is likely to impact the pursuit of other available blockers who could help. For instance, the team has also shown interest in Green Bay Packers starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

He notes how Bulaga is seeking a deal worth $7 million per year, one the Packers aren't prepared to grant. Based on their rejection of Newton's terms, it doesn't sound as though the Redskins will be either.

Perhaps new line coach Bill Callahan will convince McCloughan to pursue Jermey Parnell, a Cowboys backup whom Callahan tutored in Dallas last season. The Redskins are among those keen on the 28-year-old, per Fox Sports reporter Mike Garafolo.

But the real worry is McCloughan deciding Parnell has been priced out of the tackle market. That's a distinct possibility, according to CSN Washington writer Rich Tandler.

He believes the spiraling prices for tackles in this market may force Washington to stay in-house. Tandler cited Newton and Bulaga's situations, while Garafolo noted how Parnell, a blocker with just seven career starts to his name, is expected to "do well."

Tandler believes the Redskins may consider 2012 sixth-round pick Tom Compton or disappointing 2014 third-rounder Morgan Moses as viable alternatives.

Let me be the first to say no, no and no again.

It's long since past the point of bearable for Washington to enter a season with major question marks along the offensive line and expect to survive. Nowhere has that folly been more exposed than at right tackle.

After four seasons of Tyler Polumbus and an assortment of misfits, it's easy to begin to wonder if this problem will ever get fixed.

But this is the year it can, especially when there's a strong free-agent market for linemen and a solid draft class.

But the solution isn't going to walk into Redskins Park and offer better pass protection for half wages. McCloughan won't be able to avoid paying a premium. That's just the way it is if you want talented linemen in today's NFL.

So if he does offer a mega-money contract to a capable blocker, the rest of the league will roll its collective eyes. Pundits, fans and commentators will all try to beat each other to utter phrases like "same old Redskins, trying to win the offseason by outspending the rest."

Frankly, let them talk and judge themselves into a self-satisfied stupor. The reality is the offensive line is the one position this team has to spend big to get right.

It should have happened long before now anyway.

Free agency needn't be too difficult for Washington this offseason. Just by targeting scheme-suitable options, along with spending where it's needed and not on luxuries, the Redskins can emerge from the veteran market primed to make some positive noise in 2015.