Reasons to be Pessimistic at this point in Redskins’ Offseason

Last week I laid out a few factors how the Redskins could improve from the dismal 2014 campaign and possibly contend in the NFC East.  This week I look at the counterpoint and what could cause the Skins to potentially be drafting 1 or 2 next Spring.

1- Coaches are way in over their head.

I think this is a very scary situation and shouldn’t be taken lightly.  Nothing Jay Gruden did last season sells me that he will be a successful head coach in the NFL.  He made a complete mess of the QB situation including calling out his starting QB like no other coach we have seen do in public.  His strength coming in we were told was he can deal with these quarterbacks and season one was a failure.  The offense regressed in his first year I believe and at times I had no hope with RG3 behind center they would move the football.

Then comes the defensive coaches as we finally said goodbye to Jim Haslett.  But like Gruden we have zero clue if the new coordinator can coach a defense even if we dismiss his one season in Detroit.  The Redskins were unable to get Vic Fangio here, a proven coordinator, and passed on Jim Schwartz to go with Joe Barry.  A guy the fan base wanted no part of.  The Barry hiring just feels like the Zorn hiring to me but I am willing to give him an opportunity to turn the squad around next season.  The GM brought some talent in so it’s Barry and his staff on the clock to make the fixes now.  But unproven coaching could be a concern for disaster.

2- I will now take a second to discuss this week’s hot topic.  Should DeSean Jackson be at the voluntary OTA’s and what could this mean in the future?

I understand this is a voluntary thing but I think it would have been best for Jackson to show up.  The team is bad and the starter behind center and Jackson have a lot to work on.  I think it is not a smart decision for Jackson to miss these practices and then to be in the public eye at events while his teammates battle in the heat.

Jackson played very well last season and showed that he can be a game changer.  I was impressed when he suited up with the shoulder injury when I didn’t expect him even though it was in Philly.  He needs a quarterback to get him the ball and that didn’t happen enough in 2014.  But I could see this relationship headed for divorce after next season.  I wouldn’t be shocked if the Jackson and the Redskins part ways and the 2015 season is not good for either.  We knew what we signed on for with DeSean and hopefully it doesn’t get ugly starting with these missed voluntary practices.  If Jackson is like the Jackson of last season I have little worries but in the back of my head I don’t see it like that.

3- Most importantly for this team to improve it will need better play from whoever is playing quarterback and I just don’t have confidence in the Gruden and his QBs working right.

Griffin gets the first crack and could that be a quick one?   He is saying all the right things and printing up all the right t-shirts.  Well, the great PR team is on that.  But if he can’t see the receivers running routes it could all end quickly and the situation is a mess.  Maybe it benches Griffin’s ego along with his play and that quiets things?  But everything once again is tossed up in the air like chalk from Lebron’s hands.

So then would Gruden go with Cousins?  All signs seem to point to McCoy over Cousins in Gruden’s head.  Which I think would be a huge mistake and set this team back.  So then you are in week four at 1-3 or so and have no clue what to do at quarterback again?  Sound familiar?  Then it is almost a good thing the crash happens and they end up at the top couple picks in the draft.  The QB situation is crazy with this team right now with three guys pretty much on one year deals if Griffin falters.  I want to hope that Griffin or Cousins can become a reliable starter but nothing right now has me convinced.  Griffin’s play and Cousin’s lack of opportunity could cause this to be a 2-14 squad.  There I said it.