Our Philosophy

[section322]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year? Sure we have Jerry and Douglas coming back but returning from major injuries is always a question mark. Our offense depends too much on Turner. Can our O-Line pass block long enough to throw the ball deep? Can Matt throw the ball deep? and Can anyone other than Roddy even go deep? Will continue to be predictable on offense? Do we really believe in our D-End situation or our #2 Corner? It seems like every year we go into the season with our fingers crossed while other teams make more moves and take more chances.

Don't beat me up too bad for sounding negative but I am tired of waiting and since the Saints won a ring I can't sleep at night!!!!! I gotta fever and the only prescription is a Super Bowl Win!!!

[ki46dinah]

I thought we signed one of the most expensive defensive players this offseason.....or did I dream that?

How many DE's under the age of 29 were there in the FA market that would have been a real upgrade?

[section322]

Age must not matter if our #1 DE is 32, injury prone and coming off a bad season. We are always one injury away from being below average so why not take a chance on a veteran RB, WR or DE. Yeah we picked up a good CB but Gonzo and Abe and our O-Line are aging rapidly. Do you really think that one move per year will get us there?

[Jp7833]

Newbs arent a part of OUR philosophy.

but to answer your question.

Yes, building through the draft is working.

[BlacksburgHokie]

We signed Turner, Dunta and Coleman in FA and traded for Gonzo, so it's not like we haven't done anything to solidify the team beyond the draft.

Besides, I think you too easily dismiss the growth that may have happened between last season and this season. We're not dealing with a Roddy holdout, Gonzo will have had a full year to work with the offense, Turner is actively getting himself in better shape instead of playing his way into shape like last year, and by all accounts Ryan has spent a TON of time weight training and studying film to try to become a better QB. Additionally, the young guys on defense (Decoud, Lofton, Owens, Grimes, etc) will have had another year to hone their technique and grow physically in the offseason training program.

If the lack of offseason moves really worries you, then just think about the Redskins. They were the undisputed champs of FA for several years running, and how did that work out in terms of winning seasons/playoff wins?

[hudson]

We signed Turner, Dunta and Coleman in FA and traded for Gonzo, so it's not like we haven't done anything to solidify the team beyond the draft.

Besides, I think you too easily dismiss the growth that may have happened between last season and this season. We're not dealing with a Roddy holdout, Gonzo will have had a full year to work with the offense, Turner is actively getting himself in better shape instead of playing his way into shape like last year, and by all accounts Ryan has spent a TON of time weight training and studying film to try to become a better QB. Additionally, the young guys on defense (Decoud, Lofton, Owens, Grimes, etc) will have had another year to hone their technique and grow physically in the offseason training program.

If the lack of offseason moves really worries you, then just think about the Redskins. They were the undisputed champs of FA for several years running, and how did that work out in terms of winning seasons/playoff wins?

i dont think he that far off. ii think there are plenty of concerns. Everyone wants to point to the redskins for trying to buy a SB. Problem with redskins is that there drafts have sucked. Then their best player died RIP sean taylor. I too would like to build thru the draft but i would like to sprinkle in a few more vets. When we go out and get a guy like peterson or gonzo everyones like well the leadership is great. Our young guys need that. Im not saying go and get everyone, but sure would have liked henderson on this team.

[StealthFalcon]

Steelers , Patriots and Colts primarily build through draft. You only supplement with free agents.

[Stryka]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year? Sure we have Jerry and Douglas coming back but returning from major injuries is always a question mark. Our offense depends too much on Turner. Can our O-Line pass block long enough to throw the ball deep? Can Matt throw the ball deep? and Can anyone other than Roddy even go deep? Will continue to be predictable on offense? Do we really believe in our D-End situation or our #2 Corner? It seems like every year we go into the season with our fingers crossed while other teams make more moves and take more chances.

Don't beat me up too bad for sounding negative but I am tired of waiting and since the Saints won a ring I can't sleep at night!!!!! I gotta fever and the only prescription is a Super Bowl Win!!!

Yes we have a better roster. Injuries are part of the game. Ryan was better in 08' when we were more balanced with a healthy Turner. Our OL gave up 17 sacks in 08 when healthy. Matt can throw the deep ball HD made several big plays in the passing game and Jenkins avg 15 ypc in 08' We believe in our #1 CB now, which is better than not having a #1. Grimes was solid as a #1 and should thrive as a #2. DE is gonna be better because our young guys are getting better(Biermann, Sidbury) and Abe should return to form.

Other teams make more moves and more chances but how does pay off? Broncos, Buccaneers and Lions are always super active in FA but that has done just about nothing for their franchises.

Slow and steady is how you build a champion. Not overnight.

We are all anxious but you cant get caught up in what everybody else is doing, we are building in a manner thats best for long term success.

[McSpanker]

I hate when people act like players we already have can't get better, That's how building through the draft works. You get alot of good young players, and each year they get better, which means their is no need for alot of free agent purchases. I would name every player that is gonna be better than last year, but I don't feel like typing the names of 30+ players

[Falcon918]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year? Sure we have Jerry and Douglas coming back but returning from major injuries is always a question mark. Our offense depends too much on Turner. Can our O-Line pass block long enough to throw the ball deep? Can Matt throw the ball deep? and Can anyone other than Roddy even go deep? Will continue to be predictable on offense? Do we really believe in our D-End situation or our #2 Corner? It seems like every year we go into the season with our fingers crossed while other teams make more moves and take more chances.

Don't beat me up too bad for sounding negative but I am tired of waiting and since the Saints won a ring I can't sleep at night!!!!! I gotta fever and the only prescription is a Super Bowl Win!!!

Sounds like you prefer the Washington Redskins way sign as many free agents as you can and you win the Super Bowl. (sarcasm on) Look closer you see us doing little and I see us making huge progress. I hate to bust your bubble but I will buy into TD and Mike Smith's philosophy before I buy into your nonsense. Maybe you were a sleep but we did sign D-Rob, Tony G, and Eric Coleman. Sorry this is not Madden so please rethink your post and try again.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Falcon918

[ROMERO]

I believe bulding throught the draft is working because we have good things happends since TD started doing this. Its better than spends millions of dollars on a person and that person turns out to be a bust *cough*HAYNESWORTH*cough*

[King ED]

Age must not matter if our #1 DE is 32, injury prone and coming off a bad season. We are always one injury away from being below average so why not take a chance on a veteran RB, WR or DE. Yeah we picked up a good CB but Gonzo and Abe and our O-Line are aging rapidly. Do you really think that one move per year will get us there?

Abe has a long contract with the team, he has played all 16 games for the past 4 years, and wasn't as bad as some MBers paint him to be(2nd in the NFL in pressures).

I suggest checking your facts too. We've signed for and traded for more than "one player a year".

[Smiler11]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year?

Er ... Yes

Jerry, Moore, Douglas, Robinson, Spoon...

[kschreck]

Yes we're better than we were last year.

Yes the FO needs to keep doing what they've been doing.

Yes we're headed in the right direction.

I understand big name FAs make things more exciting during the off-season but look, for example at the Colts, they do it all through the draft. They never have an exciting off-season but always have an exciting season.

[HASHBROWN3]

Its a long road... Just let em' blossom... we're on the right track my man...

[Robb4242]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year? Sure we have Jerry and Douglas coming back but returning from major injuries is always a question mark. Our offense depends too much on Turner. Can our O-Line pass block long enough to throw the ball deep? Can Matt throw the ball deep? and Can anyone other than Roddy even go deep? Will continue to be predictable on offense? Do we really believe in our D-End situation or our #2 Corner? It seems like every year we go into the season with our fingers crossed while other teams make more moves and take more chances.

Don't beat me up too bad for sounding negative but I am tired of waiting and since the Saints won a ring I can't sleep at night!!!!! I gotta fever and the only prescription is a Super Bowl Win!!!

Hate to answer a question with a question, but in this case I think it's warranted.

Which do you prefer, win immediately but not have the solid core required to sustain excellence or building a solid core that is capable of competing for a super bowl every season for 8 - 12 years?

That's the real difference in philosophies that you are talking about. We can build through aging free agents to fill gaps and maybe challenge for a superbowl or two, or we can build a solid young team that is capable of winning multiple championships and sustaining that for a decade. My choice is to build through the draft. Sure it might be a tad slower to get to the top, but we'll stay there longer when we get there.

[Guest Gritz]

Hate to answer a question with a question, but in this case I think it's warranted.

Which do you prefer, win immediately but not have the solid core required to sustain excellence or building a solid core that is capable of competing for a super bowl every season for 8 - 12 years?

That's the real difference in philosophies that you are talking about. We can build through aging free agents to fill gaps and maybe challenge for a superbowl or two, or we can build a solid young team that is capable of winning multiple championships and sustaining that for a decade. My choice is to build through the draft. Sure it might be a tad slower to get to the top, but we'll stay there longer when we get there.

Excellent response.

[pzummo]

Sure it might be a tad slower to get to the top, but we'll stay there longer when we get there.

Even though it seems like it would be, building through the draft isn't slower. Look what Dimitroff and Smith have done. We went 11-5 and 9-7 while building through the draft. Sure, we signed a couple of free agents, but we did not mortgage our draft picks for them (yes, I know a 2nd for Gonzalez, but a 2nd for a sure fire HOFer is a great value).

[stoned_jc7]

There are a whole lot of teams out there that build thru the draft and supplement thru free agency. This isn't like a new thing.

I can promise you that at least half of the teams in the league would gladly take our roster over there own. Why? Because we are young and talented, most notably at QB. We have for the most part high character guys on our roster. Did we have anyone whining on our roster this off season? Did we have any holdouts looking for a bigger paycheck? Don't we have one of the youngest defenses in the league, and one of the best offenses in the league?

Free Agents will run up your payroll a lot faster than signing your middle to late round draft picks. Even if some of our draft choices and sporadic FA pickups don't pan out, I don't question the philosophy behind the moves we make at all.

Go ask the Redskins how those Big free agent signings pan out.

[Robb4242]

Even though it seems like it would be, building through the draft isn't slower. Look what Dimitroff and Smith have done. We went 11-5 and 9-7 while building through the draft. Sure, we signed a couple of free agents, but we did not mortgage our draft picks for them (yes, I know a 2nd for Gonzalez, but a 2nd for a sure fire HOFer is a great value).

In our case it really hasn't been much if any slower. However most teams usually have some players that don't pan out. If it's a 1st rounder, it often sets you back 2 years or more, a 3rd rounder not panning out, but you were counting on to contribute can set you back a season. We've done exceptionally well in the draft, but as a general rule, not all teams do as well as we have. Just another reason to be more impressed with TD, Coach Smith, and as, if not more, importantly, our entire scouting department.

Even building through the draft, teams have to sign a few key free agents or go out & get some vets to fill gaps. Like you said TG was one of those. Turner & D. Robinson are other examples of that. We have gone about this rebuilding very smartly.

[ukfalc]

I'd rather build through the draft and create something which is sustainable, because it gives you the best chance to win a title. It's how all of the consistenctly successful teams build, inlcuding the Pats, Eagles, Colts and Steelers.

It amazes me that so many fans can't see the drawbacks of using all of your draft picks and cap space on a handful of big name veterans - when teams like the skins and raiders have proved that it is a philosophy that simply doesn't work.

I'd rather keep our best young players together for the next decade, than sell out for a 1 or 2 year push for a title right now, and risk having to let guys like Lofton, Decoud and Biermann go in 2 years because we don't have the cap spcae to keep them. The fact that we don't know what is happening with the CBA and that there may be no football in 2011 makes it even more sensleness to sell out for short term succeess right now.

[gazoo]

NEWSFLASH>>>>>>>>>>>>LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1967 THAT THE FRANCHISE HAD BACK TO BACK WINNING SEASONS AND WE CURRENTLY HAS THE DEEPEST ROSTER OF TALENT THAT I'VE EVER SEEN HERE.

NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, YEAH......LET'S S.CRAP THE CURRENT PLAN OF BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT FOR LONG TERM SUSTAINED GREATNESS AND GO WITH THE RAIDERS AND REDSKINS PHILOSOPHY OF BUILDING THROUGH FREE AGENCY SO WE CAN WIN NOW BUT HAVE THAT PLAN SUSTAIN LON TERM MEDIOCRITY WITH SOME ABSOLUTELY UGLY SEASONS SPREAD AMONG THEM.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE INTOXICATION AND INFECTION THAT HIGH PRICED PLAYERS LIKE HAYNESWORTH EVOKE IN SOME FANS. THEY SEEM TO BE ABLE TO0 SEE NOTHING ELSE BUT AN OCCASIONAL BIG PLAY.

[Theyhateme : )]

Lets be honest. Do we really have a better roster than last year? Sure we have Jerry and Douglas coming back but returning from major injuries is always a question mark. Our offense depends too much on Turner. Can our O-Line pass block long enough to throw the ball deep? Can Matt throw the ball deep? and Can anyone other than Roddy even go deep? Will continue to be predictable on offense? Do we really believe in our D-End situation or our #2 Corner? It seems like every year we go into the season with our fingers crossed while other teams make more moves and take more chances.

Don't beat me up too bad for sounding negative but I am tired of waiting and since the Saints won a ring I can't sleep at night!!!!! I gotta fever and the only prescription is a Super Bowl Win!!!

LOL..I really hate that the Saints won one before we did, but to answer your question, our roster is a much better team than last year, especially if everyone stays healthy and MM gets back to the play calling he did in Ryan rookie year. Man, that "No Huddle" should be our "Bread and Butter." Who cares if its a page out of Peyton Manning's book, Ryan looks better at excuting that style of play than Manning.

[FalcoChicquera]

There are lots of ways a team gets better. Free agents are an important part, but not an exclusive part.

Here is a list of positions where I think we have improved, and conversely a list of positions where we have declined (the rest are likely to maintain the status quo - i.e. the 25-29yr old vets who you would expect to continue to play at roughly the same level).

Better (not guaranteed but reasons to be hopeful)

QB Ryan into year 3

WR3 Douglas healthy

LT Baker into year 3

O Line Depth Johnson/Hawley

LDE Biermann into year 3

DT Jerry/Peters

WLB Weatherspoon

MLB Lofton into year 3

CB1 Robinson

CB Depth Franks/Owens to nickel

FS DeCoud into year 3

SS Moore healthy

Worse (potentially - although who knows)

TE Gonzalez 34 and ageing

OC McClure 33 and ageing

RDE Abraham 32 and ageing

I think that if we can continue to improve year on year to this extent - by whatever means (draft/resignings/free agency/trades/health), we'll be playing for rings soon enough.

[zigg zagg]

i like and trust what td has done. sure i like the idea of signing a couple guys people predict will destroy the team, like marshall and haynesworth, but if thats not tds gameplan i respect that even though some people act like thats the only formula for a superbowl is strictly through the draft. not true. neither is the idea that somebody caught swatting a fly is instantly a locker room cancer.