Washington Redskins: How the 2011 Free Agency Could Turn the 'Skins Around

On January 4th, 2010, the Washington Redskins fan base was jubilant and ready for a bright future after Jim Zorn was fired by Dan Snyder. Two days later, we all got our wish as Mike Shanahan was named Head Coach of the Washington Redskins.

We expected Snyder to be out of personnel decisions, we expected to build through the draft, we expected to get rid of all the turmoil surrounding the franchise, and lastly we expected a playoff berth. As Redskins fans not only do we expect these things, we demand them immediately. Once again, we were let down as none of these expectations came to pass; we were left with a 6-10 record and a team plagued by drama.

The Redskins opted not to build through the draft but to trade a 2nd and 4th round pick for McNabb and a 3rd round pick for Jammal Brown. The McNabb trade was an absolute train wreck as he was benched for Rex Grossman with three weeks to play, and the Jammal Brown trade could also be a disaster if he does not agree to terms with the team this offseason.

Then there was the Albert Haynesworth saga, in which Shanahan and Haynesworth had a battle of egos that eventually lead to Haynesworth being suspended for the final four games of the season.

These expectations that we put on Coach Shanahan and the franchise were nearly impossible. Whether our coach was Jim Zorn, Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, or Mike Shanahan, there was no way we could go from being a 4-12 team to NFC East Champions.

As fans we need to be realistic and look at the positives, even if they are few and far between. The Redskins did improve by two wins from the previous season, Laron Landry emerged as a star and leader on the defense, Torain and Armstrong showed a lot of potential on the offensive side of the ball, and Brandon Banks has become one of the most dynamic return men in the game.

Taking all of that into account, the Redskins have a lot of work to do this offseason. If there is no lockout, there could be a plethora of free agents available, and the Redskins have a lot of cap room to play with again this year.

With that knowledge, I propose five free agent signings the Redskins should seriously consider if they want to turn this team around once and for all:

1. Vince Young

 Over the past 21 games that Vince Young has appeared in, he has accounted for approximately 3400 yards of offense and has a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The key stat that the Redskins need to take into account when considering Young is his 30-16 career record, meaning he wins approximately two out of every three games that he starts.

On top of that, Young has earned Pro Bowl honors twice and won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2006. Young is also only 27 years old and will most likely come at a reasonable price, assuming he is released by the Titans. The Redskins could also pursue him via trade if they are willing to pay his 2011 salary and convince him to sign an extension.

2. Sam Koch

The Redskins have been struggling to find a punter since they let Matt Turk walk away after the ‘99 season. Since then the Redskins appear to be going through a carousel of punters, with this year being no exception, they should look to pick one up in the offseason.

Koch averaged 43.6 yards per punt this past season, while the best Redskins punter was Bidwell at 41.7 yards per punt. Koch also had the 4th highest net yards per punt and had 39 punts land inside the 20 yard line, with only four touchbacks.

Koch is also known to be one of the best holders in the league, which is another of the Redskins needs. Koch takes out two birds with one stone and sures up the punter spot for the next couple of years.

3. Michael Bush

As I mentioned previously, I really like Ryan Torain. I believe he has a bright future in Washington but his durability is a question. Michael Bush would help to solidify the running back position for the Redskins and would be a good insurance policy for Torain.

Bush has averaged over four yards per carry during his career in Oakland and at many times during his career he has outperformed Darren Mcfadden.

4. Tamba Hali

After a 14.5 sack season, Tamba Hali will become one of the top defensive players available if the Chiefs are unable to come to an agreement with him. He and LaMarr Woodley are both set to become free agents and will likely get big contracts.

With the Redskins switching to a 3-4 defense, they need another OLB opposite of Brian Orakpo. Tamba Hali is a guy that Haslett would love to have rushing the passer. The Orakpo-Hali combination could put up numbers like Harrison and Woodley put up this year in Pittsburgh.

5. Davin Joseph

Davin Joseph will most likely be the second or third best guard available in free agency, and, if the Redskins are going to be successful, they really need to sure up the interior of their line.

The tackles appear to be set if Brown returns, but we did not see that potential out of the interior lineman. Adding Joseph who was a key piece of the Bucs offensive line this year would go a long way for opening up holes for Torain and protecting whichever QB lines up under center next season.

By acquiring these five players the Redskins do not immediately become Super Bowl contenders, but it puts them on the right path.  As we have learned in the past, there is no quick fix and one or two high profile signings always end up underwhelming.

All Redskins fans can do is hope that Shanahan, Allen, and Snyder put up a fight for old D.C.