Reviewing Redskins Offseason Moves (So Far)

Since Mike Shanahan was fired the day after the season ended there has been very little to get excited about.  I had no problems with Mike Shanahan not coming back for 2014 mainly because it was at a point where he couldn’t.  So he is gone and time to move on.

BRUCE ALLEN:        

It left a void at head coach but it also left a void at the team’s main personnel decision maker.  I was more concerned about that then the head coach.  So what does Washington do about the past four years that saw three bad losing seasons, including the 3-13 debacle?  They pretty much keep everything else in place. 

I hate what Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen decided to do with the personnel department.  I do not believe anything Bruce Allen says when he tells us he has the final call.  I don’t want him as the final decision maker and I surely don’t want Dan Snyder either.  I have no clue what to think of Morocco Brown and Scott Campbell but in the time they have been here the talent has not been good.  A new professional personnel person was needed to fix the mess the Washington Redskins are and that hasn’t happened.  The only thing worse than the Washington personnel department is their PR department, but that is a different story.  I hate to say it but these moves can set us back farther then the disaster we are currently in.  Yes it is true the Redskins have cap room, but do you really trust the current setup to spend wisely? I don’t and I hope they prove me wrong.

JAY GRUDEN:

Next decision was a big one and it was for Allen to hire a coach.  He interviewed a lot of candidates and ended up hiring Jay Gruden.  Gruden showed up at Ashburn, interviewed and was quickly hired.  Allen chose not to wait three more days to potentially talk to guys like Whisenhunt, Roman, and Fangio.  Instead jumping on a guy with a famous last name who around the league is talked about with mixed reviews of how he would be as a head coach.  I hope for the best with Gruden and will be patient, but one thing concerns me.  It seemed like many around Cincinnati are thrilled he is gone and Hue Jackson has his old job.  I think San Diego is hurting Whisenhunt left, San Fran would be if Roman or Fangio go and ironically Cincy is now without Zimmer.  I will just sit back and see if Gruden brings some UFL or Arena league magic to DC.

GRUDEN’S STAFF:

Finally the Redskins are in the process of putting Jay Gruden’s coaching staff together.  I had a bad feeling when Shanny was fired and yet some of his coaches were retained.  Sean McVay has been promoted to offensive coordinator and I don’t have a real issue with this after hearing what many think of him.  My main concern is that he will not call plays and Gruden will.  I would think a first time NFL head coach would be putting a lot in his basket to call plays and be the head coach.  So I wouldn’t have minded if McVay got the chance.

What will crush me is when Jim Haslett is announced to run the defense again.  I expected this to happen now for a week, so I won’t spit when I hear the news.  It also looks like Raheem Morris will be back as well.  I really don’t care if these guys were head coaches, the defense hasn’t worked the past four seasons.  And please feel free to tell me they haven’t had the talent.  Fine, but I think there has been enough talent to at least be respectable.  And if the Redskins are going to defend them by saying the talent level isn’t there, then go replace your personnel department completely.  They didn’t.

CONCLUSION:

Am I confident this is a better situation than the past four seasons?  No.  Will I let it play out?  I have no choice.  I am just concerned from the events I listed from the press conference the day after the season with Allen on to eventual news that Jim Haslett will be back.  Shanahan, or should I say the Shanahans, are gone but to me it really feels like more of the same.  The new Bruce Allen Fraternity as one of my friends would say.