Redskins Make Safety A "Safe" Pick

Okay. LaRon Landry. Safety.

Fine.

I suppose.

On the one hand, the Redskins did EXACTLY what I told them to do. I said before the draft: “Take somebody you like. Don’t try to trade down, trade up, razzle-dazzle. Take the best player at that spot, period. Don’t play the “need” game. Just get a guy who is going to be a potential 10 year player.”

According to the football “experts”, Landry fits that bill perfectly.

On the other hand….

It’s a safety. We already have one “star” safety who is making Top-6 money. Now we have another. Seems like a touch of overkill to me. Do any other teams have TWO “star” safeties? It’s a lot of money to tie up in one position, methinks.

Plus, when it comes to “What Positions on an NFL Team Are the Hardest To Fill and the Most Crucial In Terms of Winning” I think safety comes in almost last. Here’s my list, and you are free to debate it….

1. Shutdown corner
2. Left tackle
3. Quarterback
4. Middle linebacker
5. Pass rushing defensive end
6. Tailback
7. Wide receiver
8. Run stuffing DT
9. Center/other interior linemen
10. Reliable PK
11. Playmaking safety
12. Pass catching TE
13. Fullback
14. Punter
15. Kick returner/punt returner

Now I think one thing which threw a slight wrench in the Redskins plans, was Gaines Adams going 4th to Tampa Bay. It seems like he was the one real legit d-lineman who deserved Top-6 money.

Okoye was too much of a media darling in my eyes. Yes, he was GREAT last year for L’Ville, but every time I heard about him leading up to the draft, I heard two things…

1. “He’s only 19 years old!”
2. He’s got a degree in psychology!

Okay, whatever. How will either one help him tackle Larry Johnson, or shed double-teams from man-sized NFL beasts?

Apparently, ends like Carriker and Anderson were “okay” but not worthy of #6. Fine. I mean that. Even though I have just about ZERO confidence in either the process or brainpower of the Redskins 3-headed team of Danny Boy, Coach Guffaw, and Bug Eyes, I am going to actually pretend like they did due diligence on this one.

Now, what about my previous, pre-draft assertion that IF somehow Brady Quinn should slip, we should ABSOLUTELY grab him at #6? Well, I would have still done that. But I’m a clown on the couch who did not work him out, break down tape, or talk to professional personnel men about the kid.

In terms of bang for the buck, I think the Redskins and A LOT of teams might be saying “crap, why didn’t we grab him” in a few years. And while they THINK Jason Campbell is the future, the jury is still very much out.

Now, we return you to the regularly scheduled shortcomings of the Washington Redskins.

1. Campbell is unproven over a full year, and bound to have some ups and downs.
2. Todd Wade will try to switch from being a career tackle, to replace road grading G Derrick Dockery.
3. Once Shawn Springs is cut post June 1, the corners STARTING corners will be Fred Smoot and Carlos Rodgers. Count me as concerned here.
4. The defensive line has two decent “B” level playmakers in Griffin and Carter. The rest are either junk, or aging junk.
5. The kicker/punter combo of Shaun Suisham and Derrick Frost is extremely weak.

For a 5-11 team, they made some moves to address known issues. But they took a step back in a few others. Depending on how they come together, the overall health of the roster, and Campbell’s development they might make a run at the playoffs.

But it’s hardly a championship caliber year. Keep that in perspective.

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(Photo Illustration courtesty of www.deadspin.com)