Can be ruined by an unfortunate circumstance
Back last December, all was going well for the Redskins and their draft prospects. Yes, you read that right; all was going well. While everyone was calling for the team to “Suck for Luck”, the team was trying to do one thing and one thing only. Win Games. And with each passing week, their draft position changed dependent on who won and who lost. The Redskins did what true professional team players do; play to win; and ultimately a spot on the active roster.
The players could not be worried or concerned about the Redskin’s draft position. And I am sure that neither Mike nor Bruce gave it a whole lot of thought either except when asked by the media. The coaches and staff were focused on one thing and one thing only; giving everyone on the team the best chance to win.
I bet that in the back of their scheming little minds, Mike and Bruce thought - “hey, no problem, there are going to be three great QB’s (Luck, Barkley, RG3) in the draft and we stand a good chance of getting any one of them at a spot (somewhere between 4th and 8th). Shweeet!”
After all, who wouldn’t be happy with any one of those three wonder kids behind center?
Then, on or about December 22, 2011, everything changed.
Matt Barkley announced he was going back to USC.
The Redskins, and even the Browns, with that coveted 4th spot, suddenly found themselves cursing fate and perhaps Matt’s decision too. After all, both teams’ best laid plans, and dreams of easily landing a quality QB just got tossed out the window.
Now, both the Skins and the Browns are left with the agonizing decision of, how much, how badly do we want it, is he worth it and is there any other options further down or in free agency? Suddenly, there is a lot more risk and uncertainty to the decisions that need to be made. In fact, either one of these teams may very well decide that they want RG3 at any price, or stay where they are in the draft, or (do like the skins did last year) and trade down to get more picks this year and next or even address certain needs via free agency. That is it.
I could go on like every other sports writer and blogger out there and give you all the what if’s, supposed pros and cons, reasons for and against a certain decision. But I will not. That is up to people like Mike and Bruce to think about, and come up with a game plan for both free agency and the draft. That is why they get paid the big bucks.
Pay me $5 million a year, and I would be more than happy to do the same and tell everyone everything about it.
But I am not, so I won’t.
But what I will say is this; The next time you hear or read one of those sports prognosticators and his or her predictions about RG3 and the draft, you can thank Mr. Barkley.
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Barkley made a bold call. If he stays productive and healthy next year, he’ll be in Andrew Luck’s shoes come 2013, and I don’t blame him. Might as well get the best deal you can get early on in this league.
As for the Skins. I desperately want a good young QB, but I want him to have a chance to succeed, and with the current problems on the team along the O-line, receiving corps and defensive secondary, I don’t think this team is built to help a young player develop at that position.
The best bet would be to pick up a discarded QB with some experience at managing games. No big names, no huge splashes, just a solid field general to replace the erratic Grossman and the timid John Beck. Get the other pieces of the puzzle figured out and you can win plenty of games with an average QB.
Joe Gibbs won 3 superbowls like that. Theismann was never considered elite. Doug Williams/Jay Schroeder were so-so, and Mark Rypien was a joke. All three (four) have Superbowl rings thanks to a very talented team. They managed games, made a few clutch plays and the rest is history.