Christmas Wish List for the Washington Redskins

1. Hire a new personnel guy:

-Now this typically is your G.M., but Bruce Allen currently has that title but doesn’t make the personnel decisions for this team. That role has gone to Mike Shanahan and it’s blown up in the Redskins face.  The Redskins need to get a new guy in there (who is not a coach) to take control of personnel decisions. Ideally they will have an college scouting background (if they have pro scouting as well that is an added bonus) so they can help rebuild the team through the draft. Allen should take over the team president role fully (right now he shares that title with Mike Shanahan) and let someone else be the GM.

2. Hire a new coach:

-After the front office is more in place the Redskins next need to turn their attention to finding a new head coach. Bruce Allen should be the lead voice in this search, but obviously Dan Snyder will need to sign off on him. Bringing in a G.M. first could allow another strong voice in this search. There are a number of ways that the Redskins can go, and while it could end up being the biggest name being the best option, that might not necessarily the case. The Redskins should look to have a good and thorough interview processes and not just hire the first name.

Updated: On the Clock: NFL Mock Draft Simulator- You be the GM and run your team’s draft! 

3. Hire top innovative offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators:

-Under Mike Shanahan the Redskins coaching staff was made up of mainly no-name guys, who typically had strong ties to either Mike or Kyle Shanahan. Kyle is clearly an innovative OC, but he’s got some problems dealing with players and being questioned. A guy like Keith Burns clearly was over his head. Jim Haslett has experience, but the Redskins can do better than that this time around. The Redskins should look to have a top staff from top to bottom with a nice mix of veteran coaches and young coaches on the rise.

4. Re-Sign Brian Orakpo:

-The Redskins biggest move this offseason should be re-signing Brian Orakpo. He clearly showed himself to be a top notch impact rusher this year, and has really reinforced that throughout his career. He’s young, productive and the Redskins don’t have anyone on the team that can come close to replacing him. It will cost a good amount, but he is a guy who is likely worth it.

5. Be smart in free agency and don’t overpay:

-The Redskins are going to have a ton of money to spend after voided contracts and cuts, but the key is to spend it in the right way. It will be tempting to overspend on certain guys and land guys early in the free agency process, but after locking up Brian Orakpo the Redskins should let the market set itself and not rush to spend the money.

6. Invest heavily on the defensive side of the ball this offseason:

-Mike Shanahan has spent far more resources (money and picks) on the offensive side of the ball in his four years and it really has cost the team. Now with a good core on offense, most of the resources this year should be devoted to the defensive side of the football. The secondary is the biggest weak spot, but linebacker and defensive line are needs as well.

7. Trade Kirk Cousins for a 2nd round pick and more:

-The Redskins need to add more resources this year, and one of the best ways to do that is to trade Kirk Cousins to a QB needy team. Cousins should fetch at least a 2nd round pick this year and could even bring in another mid rounder (say a 4th).

8. Invest in a new offensive line (outside of Trent Williams):

-The one area that the Redskins should spend a little money or high draft picks is fixing this offensive line. The Redskins spent so much to bring in RGIII, but they don’t do much to protect him. Especially now coming off the injury it is even more important to protect Griffin. The Redskins should look to have 3-4 new offensive line starters next season, and one or two of them at least should be pretty good additions.

9. The special teams to not cost us multiple games in 2014:

-Depth is so key for the Redskins this offseason as a lack of it cost them dearly on special teams this year. That can’t happen next season so the Redskins have to be smart with how they build their roster.

10. Some more weapons for RGIII to throw to:

-It doesn’t have to be a top priority, but the Redskins should look to add a receiver or two to help add to the passing game. Pierre Garcon is great, but Griffin needs more than that to throw to. Jordan Reed has star TE potential, but the concussion at the end of the year leaves a bit of a question mark. Leonard Hankerson could be a solid receiver, but he’ll be coming back from an ACL surgery. I don’t think the Redskins should break the bank here or use a super high draft pick, but adding a solid veteran and like a 4th round pick could do the trick.