***OFFICIAL*** Washington Redskins 2011 Off-Season Thread (1 Viewer)

[Chewbanks]

The Shanahan Playbook

There are 4 plays there you can look at. Pretty nice that the plays are animated.

I don't see how we don't win the Super Bowl this year.

 

[dgreen]

Every once in a while, I think, "Wow, Donovan McNabb is our QB." It's still kind of hard to imagine. Part of it is obviously the hate built up over the years with him in Philly. But, another part of it is that there will actually be a real life QB here in DC (assuming he hasn't lost anything). Let's see, Brunell had a pretty good year in 2005 and Brad Johnson was good in 1999. Other than that, it's been since Mark Rypien in 1991 when I actually had some confidence in the QB position.

 

[Chewbanks]

Every once in a while, I think, "Wow, Donovan McNabb is our QB." It's still kind of hard to imagine. Part of it is obviously the hate built up over the years with him in Philly. But, another part of it is that there will actually be a real life QB here in DC (assuming he hasn't lost anything). Let's see, Brunell had a pretty good year in 2005 and Brad Johnson was good in 1999. Other than that, it's been since Mark Rypien in 1991 when I actually had some confidence in the QB position.

Peoples' frustration overall with Brunell has led them to forget or diminish this, but he was outstanding and not just good in 2005 as a leader of that offense until the Giants game in December when he got hit in the knee. That just renewed the old problem of not being able to plant and throw, which led to the weak throws we saw in 2004 and after that December game. But until then, he was just as good and masterful and creative on his feet as he'd ever been after those two huge, glorious passes in that stunning MNF game at Dallas in Week 2. His knee injury alone cost the team one more playoff win that year IMHO. It also unjustifiably led to Gibbs to needlessly hire Saunders which further delayed the development of that offense. Frustrating.

But yeah, we've had some very mediocre QB play since Rypien, with only temporary exceptions since then.

 

[dgreen]

Every once in a while, I think, "Wow, Donovan McNabb is our QB." It's still kind of hard to imagine. Part of it is obviously the hate built up over the years with him in Philly. But, another part of it is that there will actually be a real life QB here in DC (assuming he hasn't lost anything). Let's see, Brunell had a pretty good year in 2005 and Brad Johnson was good in 1999. Other than that, it's been since Mark Rypien in 1991 when I actually had some confidence in the QB position.

Peoples' frustration overall with Brunell has led them to forget or diminish this, but he was outstanding and not just good in 2005 as a leader of that offense until the Giants game in December when he got hit in the knee. That just renewed the old problem of not being able to plant and throw, which led to the weak throws we saw in 2004 and after that December game. But until then, he was just as good and masterful and creative on his feet as he'd ever been after those two huge, glorious passes in that stunning MNF game at Dallas in Week 2.

And don't forget all the people who laughed at Gibbs in 2004 when he said, "Brunell is not done as a Washington Redskin." Everyone in the media, and probably 99% of the fans, used that as exhibit A that the game had passed him by. Of course, the most stubborn of folks will just ignore the 2005 results and still stick to their assertion that Gibbs was insane for going with Brunell instead of Ramsey.

His knee injury alone cost the team one more playoff win that year IMHO. It also unjustifiably led to Gibbs to needlessly hire Saunders which further delayed the development of that offense. Frustrating.

Yep. I was looking forward to 2006 more than any season in a long, long, long time. I'm hoping Shanahan can have a 2004-2005 progression in 2010-2011 then make 2012 better than 2006.

 

[Sidewinder16]

But the Redskins have taken 0 steps to smooth things over prior to camp.

I'm not sure I agree with this. They gave him and his agent free reign to find a situation he'd be happier with. Is it the Redskins fault that no one wanted to acquire him?If $21 million and saying "you're welcome to find another team that wants you" can't smooth things over with Haynesworth, I'm not sure what else can.

 

[buster c]

slow learner

June, 2001: Snyder tells reporters that he's learning.

"In the past season," Snyder told Adam Schefter, "I've learned humility."

 

[buster c]

blackout?

Over the weekend, the Redskins held still another ticket-unloading party at FedEx.

The event, which allowed fans a chance to come look at some of the general admission seats that remain unsold in the stadium. I have never heard of any such open sale in the history of the team. After all, Dan Snyder has been quoted as saying he's sitting on a waiting list for season tickets that has more than "200,000 names" on it.

But, those 200,000, if they ever really existed, must have found another hobby by now. The open house was supposed to last from 10 a.m. to noon. According to a poster at Snyder's message board, ExtremeSkins.com, when the gates opened, the place was essentially empty.

 

[dgreen]

blackout?

Over the weekend, the Redskins held still another ticket-unloading party at FedEx.

The event, which allowed fans a chance to come look at some of the general admission seats that remain unsold in the stadium. I have never heard of any such open sale in the history of the team. After all, Dan Snyder has been quoted as saying he's sitting on a waiting list for season tickets that has more than "200,000 names" on it.

But, those 200,000, if they ever really existed, must have found another hobby by now. The open house was supposed to last from 10 a.m. to noon. According to a poster at Snyder's message board, ExtremeSkins.com, when the gates opened, the place was essentially empty.

Good grief, that's some horrible reporting. Did that guy even read much of that thread he links? The OP states it was an event "to allow those of us on the waitlist to come and see our seats first before buying." Who does this? That's generally only done by those looking to be obstructed view seats. The reason "the place was essentially empty" is because most people don't care to drive all the way to Landover to see that their seats in row 29 of the upper deck are really high. There's nothing to see. There's no real mystery to how the game is going to look from there unless you've never been to a live sporting even before.

Also, notice the OP says "less than 50 - 60 seats that had tags on them." And the author of that wonderful article to say:

It sure looks like the Washington Redskins won't sell out their games this year.

and

We're the new Jacksonville?

Good stuff there.How about this: Actually find out on what date the team usually has all general admission seats sold for the upcoming season. Then you can actually compare that to the 50-60 seats that are available on July 17, 2010 (the date of the OP). Guess what. I was called last year just a few days before the first preseason game (that's in August, btw) offering me an upgrade to the lower portion of the upper bowl for an extra price. There were apparently 6 tickets available at that time. I'm guessing this isn't all that unusual. The only unusual part is opening up the stadium to let people come see their seats. Sounds like a nice offer from an organization that's trying to repair their image, albeit an offer that I'd never take advantage of unless I happened to be in the neighborhood.

Look, I think the Redskins waitlist and general ticket interest is an interesting topic. But, that article is a joke. He literally took a post from an anonymous poster on the internet and turned that into an article about the Redskins having blackouts this season. Seriously?

 

[The Man With No Name]

The Shanahan Playbook

There are 4 plays there you can look at. Pretty nice that the plays are animated.

I don't see how we don't win the Super Bowl this year.

New Orleans already won the Super Bowl this year

 

[Marvelous]

blackout?

Over the weekend, the Redskins held still another ticket-unloading party at FedEx.

The event, which allowed fans a chance to come look at some of the general admission seats that remain unsold in the stadium. I have never heard of any such open sale in the history of the team. After all, Dan Snyder has been quoted as saying he's sitting on a waiting list for season tickets that has more than "200,000 names" on it.

But, those 200,000, if they ever really existed, must have found another hobby by now. The open house was supposed to last from 10 a.m. to noon. According to a poster at Snyder's message board, ExtremeSkins.com, when the gates opened, the place was essentially empty.

Good grief, that's some horrible reporting. Did that guy even read much of that thread he links? The OP states it was an event "to allow those of us on the waitlist to come and see our seats first before buying." Who does this? That's generally only done by those looking to be obstructed view seats. The reason "the place was essentially empty" is because most people don't care to drive all the way to Landover to see that their seats in row 29 of the upper deck are really high. There's nothing to see. There's no real mystery to how the game is going to look from there unless you've never been to a live sporting even before.

Also, notice the OP says "less than 50 - 60 seats that had tags on them." And the author of that wonderful article to say:

It sure looks like the Washington Redskins won't sell out their games this year.

and

We're the new Jacksonville?

Good stuff there.How about this: Actually find out on what date the team usually has all general admission seats sold for the upcoming season. Then you can actually compare that to the 50-60 seats that are available on July 17, 2010 (the date of the OP). Guess what. I was called last year just a few days before the first preseason game (that's in August, btw) offering me an upgrade to the lower portion of the upper bowl for an extra price. There were apparently 6 tickets available at that time. I'm guessing this isn't all that unusual. The only unusual part is opening up the stadium to let people come see their seats. Sounds like a nice offer from an organization that's trying to repair their image, albeit an offer that I'd never take advantage of unless I happened to be in the neighborhood.

Look, I think the Redskins waitlist and general ticket interest is an interesting topic. But, that article is a joke. He literally took a post from an anonymous poster on the internet and turned that into an article about the Redskins having blackouts this season. Seriously?

I posted this before: I made it through the 30+ year wait list in maybe 7 years. The Redskins now offer me season tickets every year.

 

[fatness]

Ryan O'Halloran thinks Malcolm Kelly might get cut because "he's done nothing" and he doesn't play special teams.

That link is a 5-6 minute long video of Ivan Carter, O'Halloran, Barry Svrluga (of the Post) and Rich Tandler talking. Good stuff.

 

[fatness]

blackout?

It sure looks like the Washington Redskins won't sell out their games this year.

Um, ok. That should be right after the tsunami and right before the plague of locusts.

 

[buster c]

blackout?

Over the weekend, the Redskins held still another ticket-unloading party at FedEx.

The event, which allowed fans a chance to come look at some of the general admission seats that remain unsold in the stadium. I have never heard of any such open sale in the history of the team. After all, Dan Snyder has been quoted as saying he's sitting on a waiting list for season tickets that has more than "200,000 names" on it.

But, those 200,000, if they ever really existed, must have found another hobby by now. The open house was supposed to last from 10 a.m. to noon. According to a poster at Snyder's message board, ExtremeSkins.com, when the gates opened, the place was essentially empty.

Good grief, that's some horrible reporting. Did that guy even read much of that thread he links? The OP states it was an event "to allow those of us on the waitlist to come and see our seats first before buying." Who does this? That's generally only done by those looking to be obstructed view seats. The reason "the place was essentially empty" is because most people don't care to drive all the way to Landover to see that their seats in row 29 of the upper deck are really high. There's nothing to see. There's no real mystery to how the game is going to look from there unless you've never been to a live sporting even before.

Also, notice the OP says "less than 50 - 60 seats that had tags on them." And the author of that wonderful article to say:

It sure looks like the Washington Redskins won't sell out their games this year.

and

We're the new Jacksonville?

Good stuff there.How about this: Actually find out on what date the team usually has all general admission seats sold for the upcoming season. Then you can actually compare that to the 50-60 seats that are available on July 17, 2010 (the date of the OP). Guess what. I was called last year just a few days before the first preseason game (that's in August, btw) offering me an upgrade to the lower portion of the upper bowl for an extra price. There were apparently 6 tickets available at that time. I'm guessing this isn't all that unusual. The only unusual part is opening up the stadium to let people come see their seats. Sounds like a nice offer from an organization that's trying to repair their image, albeit an offer that I'd never take advantage of unless I happened to be in the neighborhood.

Look, I think the Redskins waitlist and general ticket interest is an interesting topic. But, that article is a joke. He literally took a post from an anonymous poster on the internet and turned that into an article about the Redskins having blackouts this season. Seriously?

certainly it was to be expected that some would simply attack the source. I’m not going to defend the journalistic chops of the City Paper, but I am open to the idea that this 200,000 person waiting list is a mirage. You’d think that the mezzanine section – which is not included for purposes of calculating a sell-out (thankfully) – would be sold out if 200,000 people are waiting to get tickets. I’d guess that even if only 10% of this number bought the yellow seats there wouldn’t be an empty seat in the house.

 

[dgreen]

I posted this before: I made it through the 30+ year wait list in maybe 7 years. The Redskins now offer me season tickets every year.

The 30+ year wait ended with the move to Fed Ex Field. 10-15 year wait times would have ended with the expansion of Fed Ex Field. They've gone from a 55,000 seat stadium to a 92,000 seat stadium. That's going to greatly affect the wait times regardless of how popular your team is. Even the Packers wait time would change a lot if they added another 20,000 seats to get to 92,000.They offer every season ticket holder and every person they have on their wait list premium seats every year. I doubt there's a team in the league with wait lists for premium seats. If there is, it would be maybe one or two teams. As for general admission seats, I assume you'll get an offer every year as long as you are still on the list. Once your name comes up, I assume you'll continue to have priority over those who just got on the list. They'll stop offering you season tickets every year once you tell them to take you off the list.Again, though, yes there is a ticket "problem" compared to the past. It is a pride thing as Redskins fans. We want to be able to boast about the wait and use it to prove how great a fan base we are.

 

[dgreen]

certainly it was to be expected that some would simply attack the source.

I didn't attack the source. I attacked the content. The content is horrible and is based on very few hard facts. My opinion of the content would be the same regardless of who wrote it. I have nothing against the City Paper or the author.

I am open to the idea that this 200,000 person waiting list is a mirage.

A mirage? I guess. It is what it is. Several teams claim to have huge wait lists. Are they all mirages?The question isn't: Is your wait list really 200,000? The better question is: How do you come to that number? I personally don't expect them to weed out all the possible duplications or remove a name the second they turn down an offer for general admission seats. I know some people have put their kids names on the list (back when the assumption was it would take longer to get tickets). When those names come up, maybe they keep them on the list. Maybe they don't. My point is, everybody whines about this mirage but nobody actually finds out where the number comes from. Like I said, it is what it is. Knowing what 200,000 means is pretty important to determining if it's a mirage or not. I think the complaints that basically amount to an accusation of lying are a bit much.

You’d think that the mezzanine section – which is not included for purposes of calculating a sell-out (thankfully) – would be sold out if 200,000 people are waiting to get tickets. I’d guess that even if only 10% of this number bought the yellow seats there wouldn’t be an empty seat in the house.

That's like saying, "You'd think that new condo building in Rosslyn would be sold out if there were really that many homeless people. I'd guess if 10% of these supposed homeless people bought a house, this country's real estate inventory problem would be gone."Or, "If there really are hungry people out there, why doesn't Morton's have a line out the door?"

 

[dgreen]

blackout?

It sure looks like the Washington Redskins won't sell out their games this year.

Um, ok. That should be right after the tsunami and right before the plague of locusts.

I'm not going to be overly surprised if it happens in the next 20 years. Things change. But, I don't see how we're even within 10 years of that happening. If this Shanallenhan thing doesn't work out and there's another disastrous turn around the next corner, we'll probably reach the first step towards blackouts when we start to see individual games for sale. Keep in mind, though, that we won't know for a few years if this Shanallenhan thing doesn't work nor do we know what would follow. And, most NFL teams sell individual game tickets and very few experience blackouts. I'm guessing the Redskins, by still being 100% season tickets, are in rarer company than the teams who sell individual game tickets.It's possible the NFL, as a whole, could start to experience more blackouts. Lots of people prefer to sit at home and watch a game on their 50" HDTV rather than go to a game. As home theater technology advances even more, it could be more difficult to attract fans to the stadium. If this (or some other trend) happens, my guess would be that the Redskins will begin to experience blackouts. But, so would much of the rest of the league. If that happens, the NFL will likely change their blackout rule.

 

[buster c]

certainly it was to be expected that some would simply attack the source.

I didn't attack the source. I attacked the content. The content is horrible and is based on very few hard facts. My opinion of the content would be the same regardless of who wrote it. I have nothing against the City Paper or the author.

I am open to the idea that this 200,000 person waiting list is a mirage.

A mirage? I guess. It is what it is. Several teams claim to have huge wait lists. Are they all mirages?The question isn't: Is your wait list really 200,000? The better question is: How do you come to that number? I personally don't expect them to weed out all the possible duplications or remove a name the second they turn down an offer for general admission seats. I know some people have put their kids names on the list (back when the assumption was it would take longer to get tickets). When those names come up, maybe they keep them on the list. Maybe they don't. My point is, everybody whines about this mirage but nobody actually finds out where the number comes from. Like I said, it is what it is. Knowing what 200,000 means is pretty important to determining if it's a mirage or not. I think the complaints that basically amount to an accusation of lying are a bit much.

You’d think that the mezzanine section – which is not included for purposes of calculating a sell-out (thankfully) – would be sold out if 200,000 people are waiting to get tickets. I’d guess that even if only 10% of this number bought the yellow seats there wouldn’t be an empty seat in the house.

That's like saying, "You'd think that new condo building in Rosslyn would be sold out if there were really that many homeless people. I'd guess if 10% of these supposed homeless people bought a house, this country's real estate inventory problem would be gone."Or, "If there really are hungry people out there, why doesn't Morton's have a line out the door?"

Fan HouseApparently the number comes from Snyder himself, but I don't have a link to support it. Look, you can exist in denial if you so choose, but enough anecdotal evidence exists to suggest that there isn't much of a wait list at all anymore. I don't dispute that there could be duplications, etc., but I think you're missing the forest for the trees by going down that road.

I got a chuckle at your analogies...but I think if you end up on the waiting list, you have enough (or 'had' at one time) to afford to buy seats - none of which are inexpensive. IMO, the yellow seats are the best in the house so all I am saying is that if you can afford to pay "x" for tickets, certainly "2x" for awesome seats would be doable for fairly well-heeled folks. Or maybe 10% of them, no? The game-day experience -good seats or bad- ain't for the poor.

 

[dgreen]

Apparently the number comes from Snyder himself, but I don't have a link to support it. Look, you can exist in denial if you so choose, but enough anecdotal evidence exists to suggest that there isn't much of a wait list at all anymore. I don't dispute that there could be duplications, etc., but I think you're missing the forest for the trees by going down that road.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with anything you've said here. But, what is the definition of "wait list"? What does that mean? What does it include and what does it exclude? You, and many others, tend to assume a certain definition. Probably one along the lines of: "A list of individuals who are currently interested in buying season tickets."My main point when it comes to the "wait list" is that I have never seen anyone try to find out where that 200,000 number comes from. It seems to me that nobody is interested in backing up their whining with some actual facts. My guess, BTW, would be that some questioning would provide evidence in favor of the whining side.

I got a chuckle at your analogies...but I think if you end up on the waiting list, you have enough (or 'had' at one time) to afford to buy seats - none of which are inexpensive.

Some people are on the wait list because walked by a booth at Training Camp that was giving away free t-shirts to anyone who puts their name on the list. Again, goes into the whole "What does wait list mean" question. Even aside from those people, I'm sure plenty of people put their name on the list having no idea how much they cost. And, others put their name on the list knowing how much they cost but hoping that they have that money to spend in a few years when their name is called. Putting your name on the list is not an obligation to buy. It cost very, very, very little to put your name on the list.

IMO, the yellow seats are the best in the house so all I am saying is that if you can afford to pay "x" for tickets, certainly "2x" for awesome seats would be doable for fairly well-heeled folks. Or maybe 10% of them, no? The game-day experience -good seats or bad- ain't for the poor.

Not sure what the exact prices are now, but they are likely more than 2x. Consider that a person on the wait list is likely looking/budgeting for upper level seats. Those range from $49-79 per seat per game, I believe. There definitely aren't club seats for $98 per seat per game and I'm not sure there's a club seat for as low as $158 per seat per game.Also, x is a pretty important value in your x -> 2x hypothetical. My seats are $64. I have two seats. That's $128 per game. There are 10 games. Now we're up to $1280 each year. Then there's the 10% PG County entertainment tax, which adds another $128 for a total of $1408. (There are some other minor charges for shipping and handling.) So, even though I doubt it's as little as 2x for club seats, you're looking to add another $1400+ onto that price and then saying that's "doable for fairly well-heeled folks".Which brings up another point: The people I sit next to don't strike me as upper crust. I'm not going to say we're poor. We live in one of the wealthiest metro areas in the country, so even "average" around here is doing pretty well. But, I'm guessing most of the people I sit around would do more than blink at the thought of paying out another $1400+ each year.And even more variables...It's not just the difference in ticket costs. Club seats require a multi-year contract. General admission seats don't. You can got year to year on those. Plus, these are just tickets. You have to get to the game. Parking is pretty expensive. If you Metro, that will generally involve purchasing food at the stadium, unless you want to eat lunch at 10 AM at home. It can take a while to get home, so you might like to find a restaurant on the way home for dinner. I usually go to about half the games, maybe one more than half. Many of the games I go to, I see someone other than the seat owners in the seats around me. So, many of these people, myself included, don't really look at this as a $1400 annual expense. I try to recoup 3-4 games, lowering my actual annual cost to less than $1000.This list goes on and on of the differences here. Shockingly, there may actually be a good reason why the NFL doesn't require 100% of the premium seats to be sold to avoid a blackout.

 

[Marvelous]

Ryan O'Halloran thinks Malcolm Kelly might get cut because "he's done nothing" and he doesn't play special teams.

That link is a 5-6 minute long video of Ivan Carter, O'Halloran, Barry Svrluga (of the Post) and Rich Tandler talking. Good stuff.

I'll try to watch it later, but I do think that Thomas and Kelley are not locks to make the team. And from what little has come out of Redskin Park, the wide recievers in general have not impressed and Kelley has not done much. Not a good combination. If Kelley does not show much and/or does not look like he will hold up for an entire season, I can easily see Shanahan cutting him.

 

[fatness]

Since we're talking receivers, this is from a Chargers report about Vincent Jackson:

And while some don't seem to think it's true, VJ is available for trade. If the trigger gets pulled on that -- more likely to not happen -- it probably would be in October.

Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-TribuneAlso:

Early reports are that Mike Shanahan really likes Davis, and Cooley is already an established star at tight end. The two-tight-end formation is ideal for the zone running scheme because there is no strong side or weak side to tip off strengths and weaknesses of the blocking scheme. Plus, there are questions about the depth of the Redskins' wide receiving corps. Shanahan has always operated a strong two-tight-end formation.

John Clayton about Fred Davis

 

[Sebowski]

O'Halloran is getting exactly what he was looking for. A lot of free pub.

From Feb

Kelly encouraged by conversation with Shanahan

While at Redskins Park last week, wide receiver Malcolm Kelly had his first conversation with Coach Mike Shanahan. And from Kelly's perspective, it couldn't have gone better.

"One of the first things he said was they're really going to put me in a lot of situations where I'll be isolated. A lot of one-on-one situations where I can take advantage of my size," Kelly said Monday in a phone interview. "Man, that's what I've been waiting to hear."

After earning the No. 1 flanker job in the preseason, Kelly fell out of favor with the coaching staff because of his route running. Fellow second-year wideout Devin Thomas replaced Kelly in the starting lineup, and Kelly's role in the offense decreased as the season progressed.

But with Thomas sidelined because of an injury in the Redskins' final game at San Diego, Kelly had a career-high five receptions for 109 yards during the Chargers' 23-20 victory. Included among Kelly's receptions was Washington's longest play from scrimmage last season - an 84-yard catch-and-run on a seam route.

So the season ended on a high note for Kelly, whom the previous coaching staff did not utilize as much in the red zone as many Redskins observers expected. Listed at 6 feet 4, 227 pounds, Kelly is the biggest wideout on the roster. Kelly often has displayed impressive leaping ability in practice and is considered to have the best hands on the team, but rarely was he targeted on jump-ball plays in the end zone.

That could change under Shanahan and his son, Kyle, the Redskins' new offensive coordinator. Kyle ran the Houston Texans' offense the last two seasons and played a role in the success of Texans star wideout Andre Johnson (6-3, 225), whom Kelly has studied closely.

"We're talking, and Coach Shanahan asked me if I had seen any film on how his son ran that offense down there," Kelly said. "I told him that as it just so happens, I have all of Andre Johnson's cut-ups [video of only Johnson in action] from this past season. I just watched Andre Johnson to watch how he would work during the season.

"He told me he wants to put me on those types of situations where I can take advantage of my size. And then he just started talking about my hands. He said, 'We're going to find ways to get you the ball.' He told me he's going to find ways to show specifically what I can do.

"That was something I haven't even heard before in my two years here. And it was coming from a guy who I know has went out and won championships, and a guy who has had playmakers at every position. That's one thing that he knows how to do - he finds ways to get his playmakers the ball. Looking at our talent level, he said he's going to be able to use all the young guys. It was real encouraging."

 

[Chewbanks]

O'Halloran is getting exactly what he was looking for. A lot of free pub.

From Feb

Kelly encouraged by conversation with Shanahan

While at Redskins Park last week, wide receiver Malcolm Kelly had his first conversation with Coach Mike Shanahan. And from Kelly's perspective, it couldn't have gone better.

"One of the first things he said was they're really going to put me in a lot of situations where I'll be isolated. A lot of one-on-one situations where I can take advantage of my size," Kelly said Monday in a phone interview. "Man, that's what I've been waiting to hear."

After earning the No. 1 flanker job in the preseason, Kelly fell out of favor with the coaching staff because of his route running. Fellow second-year wideout Devin Thomas replaced Kelly in the starting lineup, and Kelly's role in the offense decreased as the season progressed.

But with Thomas sidelined because of an injury in the Redskins' final game at San Diego, Kelly had a career-high five receptions for 109 yards during the Chargers' 23-20 victory. Included among Kelly's receptions was Washington's longest play from scrimmage last season - an 84-yard catch-and-run on a seam route.

So the season ended on a high note for Kelly, whom the previous coaching staff did not utilize as much in the red zone as many Redskins observers expected. Listed at 6 feet 4, 227 pounds, Kelly is the biggest wideout on the roster. Kelly often has displayed impressive leaping ability in practice and is considered to have the best hands on the team, but rarely was he targeted on jump-ball plays in the end zone.

That could change under Shanahan and his son, Kyle, the Redskins' new offensive coordinator. Kyle ran the Houston Texans' offense the last two seasons and played a role in the success of Texans star wideout Andre Johnson (6-3, 225), whom Kelly has studied closely.

"We're talking, and Coach Shanahan asked me if I had seen any film on how his son ran that offense down there," Kelly said. "I told him that as it just so happens, I have all of Andre Johnson's cut-ups [video of only Johnson in action] from this past season. I just watched Andre Johnson to watch how he would work during the season.

"He told me he wants to put me on those types of situations where I can take advantage of my size. And then he just started talking about my hands. He said, 'We're going to find ways to get you the ball.' He told me he's going to find ways to show specifically what I can do.

"That was something I haven't even heard before in my two years here. And it was coming from a guy who I know has went out and won championships, and a guy who has had playmakers at every position. That's one thing that he knows how to do - he finds ways to get his playmakers the ball. Looking at our talent level, he said he's going to be able to use all the young guys. It was real encouraging."

I don't know any more than you guys do and I too and suspicious of O'Halloran seeking attention during the slow offseason, but February was five months ago. A lot may have changed.

 

[dgreen]

All of this stems from O'Halloran's 53-man roster prediction about a month ago. This is what he said for WRs:

RECEIVERS (6)

Santana Moss, Devin Thomas, Joey Galloway, Bobby Wade, Mike Furrey and Terrence Austin.

Analysis: What’s the fun without throwing a couple curveballs, which is why Malcolm Kelly isn’t included. He doesn’t play special teams – that’s why Wade, Furrey and Austin all make the team. Guessing this position is a crapshoot – Thomas is the No. 2 receiver behind Moss by default, and Galloway needs to show he can make it through camp. On his last Denver team, Mike Shanahan carried only five receivers (four active on Sundays), but Austin makes it as the sixth player if he has a good camp returning kicks.

It's really nothing more than Ryan "throwing a couple curveballs." Sure, he provides some reasoning by saying Kelly doesn't play special teams, but he admitted from the start that this prediction was really just a way to shake things up in his article. He says this position is a crapshoot, so he chose it as his place to be edgy and controversial, even though it's really not all that edgy and controversial.He's never mentioned having a source or even hinted that he got this idea from somewhere else. In other words, it's all made up. There's nothing wrong with that. I think he's really trying to make and educated guess (in June!) about who will be on this team. He probably just assumes there will be one or two surprise cuts (always seems to happen with a new coaching staff) and he picked Kelly.

 

[fatness]

O'Halloran has been around quite awhile and he's never seemed like much of an attention-seeker. He was a reporter for the Washington Times until they cut their entire sports department.

Unless Kelly clearly separates himself during training camp and preseason from others behind him on the depth chart, O'Halloran may end up being right. I don't think they'd give up on Kelly in favor of Galloway since Galloway is so old (in NFL terms), but Wade is not old. Furrey's not old.

Odds are that Kelly makes the team, but I don't think it's a lock and not playing special teams hurts him.

 

[buster c]

I still have visions of Kelly's week 16 performance in SD and hope the coaching staff realize that Galloway, Wade and Furrey do not have that ability.

 

[fatness]

More from O"Halloran on some recent Redskin topics. Some interesting stuff there, both information and opinion.

Everybody waits until next Thursday. To see if Haynesworth shows up (yes), to see if he shows up and in good physical condition (who knows), to see if he and the Redskins extend mutual peace pipes (unlikely) and to see if he does, in fact, complain about playing nose tackle (he will internally). It would behoove Big Al to be the good solider and teammate if he really wants to get out of D.C. and back to a 4-3 defense. He has little trade value now, and it will only plummet further if he’s a distraction.

Santana Moss and Thomas are safe. After that, it’s a free-for-all. The guess here is Terrance Austin (I had Brandon Banks in this spot by mistake earlier) sticks if he can prove to be a reliable return man, and Joey Galloway makes the team if he can stay healthy. That could leave Bobby Wade, Mike Furrey and, yes, Kelly, vying for a single roster spot. Kelly better have a good August.

 

[buster c]

my boy

So it wouldn't seem like there's necessarily a roster spot for a Lendy Holmes. But Holmes has been around since last training camp, and one of the main reasons is that he's an omni-talented athlete, even by NFL standards.

"He's a great athlete, you know that," Rogers said. "It's just, when he gets the opportunity he's gotta make the most of it."

 

[fatness]

Chris Russell moving from 106.7 to ESPN980

Russell will be covering the Redskins at 980 (a job he'll share with Al Galdi), but his role will be more than just that. He'll be a regular on the late-afternoon Sports Reporters with Steve Czaban and Andy Pollin, and he'll be a large part of the game-day broadcasts, co-hosting the halftime show and doing breaking news and national updates from the booth with Larry, Sonny and Sam.

Russell's most notable work over the past year was probably the hour-long sit-down he scored with Clinton Portis, which drew national headlines when Portis was highly critical of LaVar Arrington's behavior at Sean Taylor's funeral. Portis also told Russell that Donovan McNabb never had a lot of talent to work with in Philadelphia. More recently, Russell got Mike Williams to confirm The Post's report that he would miss the upcoming season, and has aggressively reported -- since the Donovan McNabb trade -- that the Redskins would have no interest in Terrell Owens. Russell is also a tireless worker who has helped land countless guests on 106.7's air.

He says he was told he has 100% freedom to report what he wants, including being critical of the Skins.

 

[DCThunder]

Anybody read Mike Wise's column today? Please Mike Shannahan, make nice with Albert. He's REALLY, REALLY important and wants to be your BFF...

God, I hate Mike Wise...

 

[Steed]

Any info on Keiland Williams?

 

[fatness]

Any info on Keiland Williams?

I've heard next to nothing about him from OTA's and minicamps.

 

[fatness]

Anybody read Mike Wise's column today? Please Mike Shannahan, make nice with Albert. He's REALLY, REALLY important and wants to be your BFF...

God, I hate Mike Wise...

I just read it. That's pretty much an exaggeration of what he said.

Don't misunderstand.

Given the past few months, if the Redskins tell Albert Haynesworth to hand-wash Colt Brennan's athletic supporter and hang it out to dry in the 400 section of FedEx Field on game day -- using the zigzag ramps, not the elevators -- he should feel honored and reach for the Woolite.

But that's not reality. The reality is they need to make this work. And the person who needs to compromise now might not be Big Al.

People close to Haynesworth have told The Post that the two-time All-Pro defensive lineman is in shape. They say he will report to camp on time next week. They also say he is still not happy about having to play nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. But he understands this is the hand dealt in a regime change, that he has no choice but to go back to work.

Mike Shanahan, your move.

He doesn't have to cave. He doesn't even have to meet Haynesworth halfway. But he needs to show he isn't just interested in making Haynesworth's life miserable in the steam and humidity of August in Ashburn.

Link to article, which makes sense to me if the object is to put the best possible team on the field each week.

Is the coach now willing to put his ego aside for the betterment of the franchise?

 

[fatness]

This is way off the topic of football or the Redskins or Shanahan or Haynesworth, but I don't know if you guys have ever read the article by Mike Wise about getting stuck after dark in 20-degree weather in the frozen C&O Canal and being unable to get out. And alone. He was trying to save his dog.

Article.

 

[fatness]

This is the guy who saved him.

 

[fatness]

Sally Jenkins

Shanahan will bring somewhere between 35 or 40 new players to camp. He has turned over fully half the roster that was purportedly so "talented on paper." He's done it quickly and for the most part inexpensively, without awarding huge motivation-sapping contracts. While all the attention has been on his bolder moves, such as grabbing quarterback Donovan McNabb and right tackle Jammal Brown, it's moves such as Larry Johnson and utility lineman Artis Hicks, that may be just as significant if they produce and give the Redskins the substance they've lacked.

The most striking thing about Shanahan's leadership is that he doesn't talk so much as he acts. You get the sense Shanahan brought in certain players simply to challenge the status quo.

Shanahan has done more than anyone perhaps thought he could in a single offseason, addressing a variety of urgent needs, while rattling the cages of some established veterans who might be complacent. There's a distinct theme to the sort of guys he's brought in: They are players whose value slipped because they were injured or supposedly worn out, who he is betting can still play at a high level and are deeply motivated to show what they still have. If his judgments about even some of them are right, the Redskins will be considerably better.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Sally Jenkins

Finally. A Jenkins piece I can get behind (although I think she is unnecessarily ignoring Allen's role in the changes).

We don't know a lot about the Redskins yet, but we do know this much: They are already a better-coached, less enabling, better-run franchise. Their hopes aren't reliant on a home run strategy but rather on Shanahan's coherent plan and sheer professionalism.

 

[Sidewinder16]

RI is doing a top 10 "Camp Storylines" leading up to the start of training camp on Thursday ( ). Below are the direct links to the first 3 that are already up today.

#10 - Santana Moss

#9 - OLB

#8 - Safety

 

[buster c]

This is way off the topic of football or the Redskins or Shanahan or Haynesworth, but I don't know if you guys have ever read the article by Mike Wise about getting stuck after dark in 20-degree weather in the frozen C&O Canal and being unable to get out. And alone. He was trying to save his dog.

Article.

never saw this. incredible story. I'm a dog man and the part that got me was that after Wise sees his 65 lb dog crash thru the ice, he doesn't think twice about taking his 200 lbs out onto the ice to save her. unbelievable.

 

[fatness]

I'm awfully fond of my dog too, and that impressed me. I got to listen to Wise talk about it all on the radio one day, I think it was on the Sports Reporters. Listening to his actual voice tell the story made it come alive a lot more than just reading his text. He couldn't get out, couldn't move his arms, and actually thought he was going to die in the dark.

 

[fatness]

Things that are settled going into camp -- Rich Tandler

Who’s in charge? Last year, the lines of authority were blurry, to say the least. If certain players were unhappy with the answers they got from Jim Zorn, they could simply go down the hall and knock on the door to Dan Snyder’s office. This year Snyder may hear them knocking, but they can’t come in. Any issues that the players have will have to be addressed with Shanahan. He’s the boss, period. Any questions, see the previous statement.

Who’s the quarterback? Once again, there will be no quarterback controversy at Redskins Park. Just as Jason Campbell has been the unquestioned starter going into training camp for the past three seasons (although some have wondered if Campbell may have benefitted from a legitimate challenge to his job), Donovan McNabb will run the offense this year. He brings an impressive resume, but a reputation for not being able to win the big one. Initially at least, the Redskins will be happy if the team gets the opportunity to play in a game considered to be a “big one”.



Who’s starting on the offensive line? Last season there were huge questions surrounding the offensive line going into the season. As the year wore on and the injuries piled up, all of the questions were answered in the negative. Allen and Shanahan, however, did a fine job of rebuilding the line over the past several months. The starters are settled going into camp. From left to right they will be Trent Williams, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Artis Hicks, and Jammal Brown. That bunch probably won’t make anyone forget the 1982 Hogs, but it appears to be a solid unit.

 

[fatness]

Interesting stuff

“All of that veteran wallpapering comes with an upside. The Redskins should reach the playoffs this year: They are better than they were last season, and they weren’t as bad last season as their record suggests. … The switch from [Jim] Zorn- [Jason] Campbell to [Mike] Shanahan-[Donovan] McNabb will get the Redskins to snap back to that seven-win level, and then buy them an extra win or two. A schedule full of Rams, Buccaneers, and Lions gives them another boost. The NFC East will have a down season, and the Redskins get two meetings with the McNabb-less Eagles, who are actually rebuilding instead of signing 34-year-old backup linebackers.”

“There are two sad elements to the Redskins plight. The first is that some in the Redskins organization will feel vindicated when the team loses in the second round of the playoffs. … The second is that so many of the Redskins problems are obvious and avoidable. Anyone who looks carefully at the roster can see long-term disaster brewing, and it doesn’t take much imagination to find healthier alternatives to the path the Redskins chose.”

Jason Campbell was hurried on a league-high 22.9 percent of pass plays.

 

[dgreen]

Interesting stuff

There are two sad elements to the Redskins plight. The first is that some in the Redskins organization will feel vindicated when the team loses in the second round of the playoffs.

Huh?

 

[Sidewinder16]

Interesting stuff

There are two sad elements to the Redskins plight. The first is that some in the Redskins organization will feel vindicated when the team loses in the second round of the playoffs.

Huh?

Yeah, I didn't get that. The article states that those are quotes referring to "the Redskins’ modus operandi". They seem to be referring to the Snyderatto MO and not the ShanAllenhan MO, in which case, they are pretty useless in regards to the Redskins going forward.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Amy Shipley at the WaPo gets 4 NT from previous decades to talk about the position and Haynesworth. I don't think the article, as a whole, means much, but it was an interesting read and this made me laugh:

Their advice to Haynesworth? First, stop whining. Said Smerlas: "Should I get a napkin to wipe his fat tears?

Gotta love the old-timers.

 

[fatness]

Interesting stuff

There are two sad elements to the Redskins plight. The first is that some in the Redskins organization will feel vindicated when the team loses in the second round of the playoffs.

Huh?

I took it to mean that if the Skins actually do get that far, it's a temporary bump interrupting what the writer says is a continued slide downhill due to age. And that it'll mislead people into Vinnie-type thinking of being "only a player or 2 away".

 

[Sidewinder16]

RI is doing a top 10 "Camp Storylines" leading up to the start of training camp on Thursday ( ). Below are the direct links to the first 3 that are already up today.

#10 - Santana Moss

#9 - OLB

#8 - Safety

Next 3 up:#7 - TE

#6 - Right side of OL

#5 - Special Teams

 

[VaTerp]

My office just relocated from DC to our company HQ in Ashburn.

Negative- Not nearly as much "talent" to look at during my lunchtime walks.

Positive- I am now about 10 minutes from Redskin Park and plan on making several visits. Anybody headed out Thursday?

 

[dgreen]

My office just relocated from DC to our company HQ in Ashburn.Negative- Not nearly as much "talent" to look at during my lunchtime walks.Positive- I am now about 10 minutes from Redskin Park and plan on making several visits. Anybody headed out Thursday?

I'll probably go Monday morning.

 

[VaTerp]

My office just relocated from DC to our company HQ in Ashburn.Negative- Not nearly as much "talent" to look at during my lunchtime walks.Positive- I am now about 10 minutes from Redskin Park and plan on making several visits. Anybody headed out Thursday?

I'll probably go Monday morning.

Hopefully schedule allows me to go Thursday but I will definitely be out there sometime next week. Can't believe how fast the summer is flying by but REALLY looking forward to the opening of Redskin camp so I can stop talking about Dez Bryant and the damn Cowgirls.Football Season is Here!

 

[pablito]

Amy Shipley at the WaPo gets 4 NT from previous decades to talk about the position and Haynesworth. I don't think the article, as a whole, means much, but it was an interesting read and this made me laugh:

Their advice to Haynesworth? First, stop whining. Said Smerlas: "Should I get a napkin to wipe his fat tears?

Gotta love the old-timers.

I thought this part on Ted Washington was interesting too:Per Shipley, Washington offered to tutor Haynesworth if approached by Snyder. Having watched Washington earlier in his career with the Chicago Bears, he was the kind of teammate then that would work with younger players at the position. Few have done it better than Washington, who was generously listed at 6-5, 350 pounds during the latter part of his career. "There are several things you have to realize," Washington said. "No. 1, you're not going to be getting all the glory. No. 2, you're going to be double- and triple-teamed at least 85 percent of the time. But it's fun. When you get good at it, you can make it fun."