Kirk Cousins Has No Option But to Stay in DC

The Kirk Cousins Saga will come to its glorious zenith once the Redskins finish their season against the Giants this Sunday and he is allowed to begin free agent negotiations.  In the DC area, the conjecture surrounding the fate of Kirk Cousins over the past three seasons has only been eclipsed by the theories surrounding Game of Thrones and The Last Jedi, and this season the maelstrom of rumors has been centered on what Kirk has said over the past three months regarding his status with the Redskins organization.  But this approach only looks at what Kirk has said to the detriment of looking at what kind of person Kirk is.  A great Spots Illustrated article by Greg Bishop gives a good glimpse at Cousins's personality and it is very telling.  He is someone who face timed into a QB meeting from the delivery room of a hospital while his son was being born.  He has his day planned out in 15 minute increments.  He has a brain coach.  Cousins is someone who is overly regimented and draws his energy from the process he uses to get himself into peak performance.  So why would Cousins mess that process up by going somewhere else?  And, more importantly, would those situations be any better suited to his process or psyche than staying in DC?  Lets look at all possible suitors by breaking them into categories and showing why the alternatives leave Cousins with no option but to stay with the Redskins.

Category 1: The Ghosts of RGIII (Denver, Cleveland, Buffalo)

These teams seem promising for Cousins, but all of them would more than likely carry an incumbent QB into the 2018 season that may have Cousins needing 10 hours of sleep a night in his hyperbaric 

chamber to keep his beta levels in order (read the SI article).  Does Cousins want the Ghost of RGIII looking over his shoulder again?  For all of Denver's upsides they will probably hold on to Paxton Lynch for this year considering he has a $4 Million dead cap hit, and they may want to keep an insurance policy.  Cleveland will probably hold on to Deshone Kizer for the same reason, and because he is only finishing his rookie season.  Tyrod Taylor carries an extra $10 Million in dead cap money until 2021 if he is not on the roster after the 2018 season so it can be assumed that the Bills would want to keep him for next year and beyond.  Cousins seems to be a calculating individual who has played his way out of situations like this, and it is not worth it for him to go to a place like this even if Cleveland can offer a huge contract.

Category 2: Uncharted Waters (Cincinnati, Arizona, NY Jets, Miami)

Cousins's brain coach will need to be working overtime if he chooses to leave DC for one of these destinations.  All of these teams carry uncertainties that Cousins and his camp must be weighing against the known evil that lies in Ashburn, Virginia.  Arizona was one of the obvious alternatives for Cousins in the beginning of this season, but with Bruce Arians almost certainly on his way out can Cousins afford to take a gamble on an coach to be named later and hope that they gel?  This is ditto for Cincinnati's situation where Marvin Lewis looks to be ending his 15 year reign as head coach.  Miami would have to take a big step and release Ryan Tannehill, which is a maybe at best, and Cousins would also be stepping onto a Dolphins team with a second year head coach that is taking on water at the moment.  The Jets are very intriguing as far as salary cap space goes, but with Jermaine Kearse, an aging Matt Forte, and soon-to-be-free-agent Austin Serferian-Jenkins as the Jets's main skill players on offense it seems to be a lateral move from DC at best.  Even with that cap space to possibly sign some free agents, remember that the Jets drafted Christian Hackenberg to be the future.  So these teams have many uncertainties surrounding their situations that makes the known situation of the Redskins better than the unknown of these teams

Category 3: Replacing the Legend (NY Giants, New Orleans, Pittsburgh)

These teams present Kirk with the question of legacy.  It is plausible that the Giants could move on from Eli, Brees is a UFA at the end of this season, and there are rumors that Roethlisberger may retire after this season, especially if he wins his third Super Bowl this year.  It would be intriguing for Kirk to go to a ready made winner, but would Kirk be able to handle that kind of pressure?  Cousins will need to really amend his process to accommodate for the media lashing that will come when he falls short of being "the guy who came to replace the legend".  And, more importantly, does Cousins want to carry that moniker with him in the latter end of his career?  Even if he is able to win a Super Bowl in New York or Pittsburgh (which would be the standard he will be held to), the narrative will always be that it was not as many as Manning or Roethlisberger.  Brees only won one, but Cousins could never endear himself to that fan base the way Brees has over his career.  He will always play the step dad role in these cities.  Couple this with Odell Beckham's prima donna attitude, Pittsburgh's horrendous cap space situation, and Le'Veon Bell's own franchise tag free agency hangover, and a ready made winner may not be better than trying to build here in DC.  If New Orleans came calling, though, it may be hard to turn down, but it would still carry the baggage of replacing a legend.

Category 4: High Expectations (Jacksonville, Minnesota)

It maybe the first time ever that the Jacksonville Jaguars are associated with the term "high expectations", but if Kirk were to go there he would need to get the left side of his brain in full gear to tone down his inner monologue. The current AFC South Champions would expect, with no major free agents to sign other than Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson and a returning high octane defense, that Kirk Cousins would come in and improve them right away based on his performance over the past three years.  If Cousins were to fall short of wherever the Jags finish this season it would spell instant disaster for Cousins based on the price tag he would demand.  It would be the same situation with the Vikings who have the defense and the skill players to get the job done next season, and all three of their current quarterbacks are UFA's at the end of this season.  Minnesota would be intriguing for Kirk because they have the cap space and a ready made team for him to succeed, but if that success does not come right away Kirk would be an instant scapegoat.  Would Kirk be able to perform with the expectation that he needs to win his division or else there will be disappointment?  And, could Kirk handle being called a bust after one season due to his big contract and hypothetical mediocre record?  With all of these teams considered there is only one option.

All of these teams' current situations show that Cousins has no option but to stay in DC.  The Redskins have the means to give him a large long-term contract, and if not they could still franchise him and limit his options once again.  The Redskins, though, do not have a possible replacement that Cousins would need to dispossess.  The Redskins coaching staff is relatively stable, and most of his offensive weapons will be back next year.  Expectations in DC will be high no matter what, but they will not come with special caveats that will put a higher premium on winning in the short term for relative strangers who would not fully appreciate what Cousins brings.  Kirk Cousins draws his energy from his self imposed daily routine, and moving to another team may require a drastic change to that routine that would require time that Cousins may not have in a new setting given the limitations stated above.  For Kirk Cousins to remain successful with the least amount of stress put on him and his process, his only option is to stay with the Washington Redskins.

For Maryland Football It Is A Season of "What Ifs"

It is hard to believe that over two months have passed since Terrapin Nation was whipped into a frenzy after the Terps pulled off the improbable and beat the Longhorns in Austin.  The expectations for this season were low going into that game.  Most everyone thought the Terps did not stand a chance against a presumptuously ranked Texas team that was not about to have their new golden boy's ship sink in his own port on its' maiden voyage against some lowly carpetbaggers from the Big 10.  But lo and behold, the Terps were able to hang 51 points on Texas in their own stadium and come out with their first win over a ranked opponent since 2010.  Expectations were through the roof for the season, and many thought that the Terps could make some noise once the Big 10 schedule began.  Fast forward to now, and quarterbacking injuries have made the Terps season a shell (pun intended) of what it could have been based on the Texas win.  This season for the Terps has been defined by "What If's", and there are more "What If" scenarios that define this Terps season than you may think.  These scenarios span the Terps past, present, and future, and they are questions that all Terps fans should be asking themselves at this point in the season.  Let's go through all of them in order to get a better idea of the state of this season, and a better idea of where the Terps go from here.

What If.....Kevin Anderson had been able to keep James Franklin as head coach. A nice trip down memory lane, but one that is more pertinent as the game against Penn State on November 25 draws closer.  That game will mark the first time James Franklin will coach at Byrd Stadium since leaving Maryland for Vanderbilt in 2011, and his fortune compared to that of the Terps since that time could not be more opposite.  Franklin sent a lifetime SEC doormat to three straight bowl games and consecutive nine win seasons, and he has vaulted Penn State back into the national spotlight.  All it would have taken to keep Franklin in College Park was for Anderson to reassure Franklin that he would get rid of Ralph Friedgen after the 2010 season, which he ultimately did, and that Franklin was the guy to replace him.  That never happened and Anderson decided to hitch his wagon to Randy Edsall.  Two weeks from now Terps fans will be able to see the error in that decision staring back at them from the opposing sideline.  But enough of the past, let's take a look at a "What If" that is more relevant to the here and now.

What If.....Tyrrell Pigrome and/or Kasim Hill were still playing at this point in the season.  The biggest "What If" of the season because both quarterbacks showed so much promise.  For two and a half quarters, Pigrome showed that he was not the diminutive chucker he was a year ago.  Pigrome ran the read option to perfection, which allowed Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison to run rough shot over the Texas defense.  What was most impressive was how well Pigrome improved as a passer from last season, and his ability to hit receivers deep down the field.  Terps fans' expectations for the season went up after every offensive snap, and they only went higher with Kasim Hill.  A Freshman who could perform under pressure with a Cam Newton-like build was something that made everyone think that we could take on the likes of Ohio State and Michigan.  If either could have stayed healthy it is more than likely that we would have beaten UCF, Northwestern, and Rutgers, and I still purport that with either of them at the helm we would have been within a touchdown of Ohio State, Wisconsin, or Michigan going into the fourth quarter.  Alas it is all for naught, but there are still two games to play and another "What If" that Terps fans are asking themselves right now.

What If.....We beat Michigan State and/or Penn State.  You need to see a doctor because someone slipped peyote into your drink.  But if Max Bortenschlager or Ryan Brand can somehow find a way to win one or both of these games it will bring the theme of the season back to the idea of lost potential and "What could we have done if we had Pigrome or Hill".  They would be landmark wins, but it will only mean something in the short term if the Terps can win both and be bowl eligible which seems highly unlikely. The more probable outcome is that Michigan State and Penn State beat the brakes off of the Terps.  But the long term effect of staying close to either of these teams, god forbid beating either of these teams, leads into the final "What If" of this season.

What If.....All of this is a prelude to Maryland's rise to Big Ten contender status.  It was the thought in everyone's mind this year after the Texas game, but it is now a thought that extends into next season.  Pigrome and Hill will be coming off devastating injuries but they will be back.  Right now the Terps have the 21st ranked 2018 recruiting class according to ESPN.com, and if they can hold that spot they will be rolling into next season with back to back Top 20 recruiting classes. Couple that with what Terps fans saw the first two and a half games of this season, and it is not out of the question to think that by this time next year it is possible that the Terps will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. This notion will be ignited even further if the Terps manage to win at least one of their remaining games, but the biggest thing to take away from this season is that despite all of the turmoil the Terps seem to be headed in the right direction.

All of these "What If's" cloud the fact that DJ Durkin and his staff have done an amazing job with this roster this season despite all of the injuries.  The perceived potential brought about by the Texas win shows that this program is ready for upward movement into the realm of the Big Ten elites. For now, though, Terps fans must wallow in that potential of what could have been this season, and revel in the idea of what that potential could bring down the road.  All of it is drive by the question "What If..?".  It is the "What If" that got the Terps to this point, and one that will be personified on the visitor sideline come Thanksgiving Weekend.  It is the "What If's" that will define the lost potential of this season no matter how it ends.  And it is the "What If's" that give Terps fans a glimmer of hope for the future.  

The Pathology of DC Sports

Last Thursday Night the Nationals found a new way to rip the heart out of all of DC Sports fans.  Once again we had to watch one of our favored teams lose at home in a deciding series game that continued the playoff misery of all DC Sports teams since 1998.  For those of you living in a hole over the past 18 months, that is the last time any professional DC Sports team (The Capitals) made it to a Conference Final.  That point has been particularly sensitive recently, as the Nationals loss marks the third time in less than four months that a DC sports team has dropped a deciding series game that would have put them into their respective Conference Final.  That is what makes this situation so hard to comprehend.  No American Sports City with three or more "Big 4" sports teams has ever seen futility like this before, and it should not be classified simply as just another sports "curse".  This goes far beyond what classic sports terminology can explain, and it should be dissected in order to come up with a title fitting for the uniqueness of the situation.  Lets start by addressing the scale of this phenomenon.

This "curse" (I'll use that term for now) is unique in that it has impacted all four teams that call Washington DC their home.  All other sports curses have been relegated to specific teams within a given city.  While Red Sox fans suffered under the Curse of the Bambino the Celtics won 16 NBA titles over three decades.  The Cubs wallowed in misery for over a century, but during that time the Blackhawks won six Stanley Cups, The Bears won a Super Bowl, and they were witness to Michael Jordan's greatness.  Even Dallas fans have had the 1999 Stars and the 2011 Mavericks to satiate their championship appetite as the Cowboys continue to disappoint them.  There has been no DC team to pick up the slack over the past 20 years, and it is the nature of that slack that makes this situation even more incomprehensible.

As all of DC fandom is aware, all of this lament is to see one of our teams PLAY in a Conference Final.  Not WIN a Conference Final, just PLAY in a Conference Final.  All of the above mentioned cities never had a 20 year drought where all of their teams failed to make a Conference Final.  Even Cleveland, the gold standard for sports sucking cities, never had all of their teams fail to make it to a Conference Final in a 20 year span during their famed championship drought.  Think about that.  DC has now eclipsed Cleveland in sports futility.  What makes it frustrating is that the DC franchises seem to be doing everything right.  The Nationals and Capitals have one of the best regular season records in their respective sports since 2010.  There have been three number one overall picks (John Wall, Alex Ovechkin, and Bryce Harper) who have lived up to the hype, and they are one of the best players in their respective sports.  The Redskins finally have hit on a number of draft picks and free agents, and they seem to have found their elusive franchise quarterback.  What makes it even more frustrating is that DC fans have seen post season magic.  Jayson Werth's walk off home run in Game 4 against the Cardinals in 2012 is one of the greatest radio broadcasts DC fans have ever heard, and no DC fan has ever been more pumped up than when Joel Ward scored the game winning overtime goal in Game 7 to defeat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.  What makes it even MORE frustrating is how close these teams have been to making a Conference Final.  All DC teams have had a combined thirteen chances to make a Conference Final since 1998, including the 2015 Capitals who were 1:41 away from eliminating the Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal.  We all know what happened from there.  So this "curse" is attributable to all DC teams, and it has brought misery and frustration to a fan base the likes of which have never been seen before even in the worst of cases in sports history.  This calls for a new term to be coined.  One that should only be used in the most dire of circumstances, and one that could last even longer here in Washington DC given the status of current events.

The new term based on this evidence should be "plague".  It is not a "DC Sports Curse".  It is the "DC Sports Plague".  Think about it. Curses happen to one or a few individuals and only show up intermittently allowing some joy in their lives until the curse comes back.  Also curses are usually broken instantaneously by acquiring and applying the necessary objects or actions to break the spell.  Plagues are different.   Plagues affect all in their path and anyone who comes in contact with it, they linger for quite some time (The Buboinc Plague still exists to this day) with no one shot panacea, and all they cause is misery.  Doesn't this sound like the DC Sports situation?  We have drafted the right players.  We have put together the right teams.  We have suffered incomprehensible playoff defeats.  And still we suffer from this playoff affliction.  Just as the term "Bubonic Plague" had to be coined because it was new to Medieval Europe, so too should the term "Sports Plague" be coined to describe the current state of Washington DC Sports.  No major sports city has had to endure such a futile times with such seemingly superior teams, and this DC Sports Plague could cause massive casualties in the near future.

With the firing of Dusty Baker, the likelihood that Bryce Harper will not be a National by this time next year looks better and better unless the Lerner's offer him north of $400 million dollars. Following him out of National Airport may be Kirk Cousins, whose contract situation is as enigmatic as I'm sure the first black splotches on the skin of peasants were to those in the Fourteenth Century.  This means that two of the four major figures in DC Sports could leave town within the next year, and if John Wall and Alex Ovechkin fail to end this "DC Sports Plague" this season it may mean that they will never end their Conference Championship drought in a DC uniform.  If that happens we will be well into the next decade still waiting to have the right to cheer for our teams in a championship setting, and seeing high profile free agents in all sports come to this city and get infected with the "DC Sports Plague".

The Nats Need to End the DC Curse

It all started when John Wall hit the game winning shot against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals this past spring.  Wall's miraculous shot vaulted him into the upper echelon of DC playoff lore, but it unintentionally set off strife within the different fan bases within the DC Area.  There was an underlying resentment of the Wizards when John Wall prolonged their season and forced a Game 7 that could possibly end the DC Curse.  This resentment stemmed from the notion that John Wall's Wizards had not endured the playoff misery that some of the other DC teams had to earn the right to be the first DC professional sports team to make their conference final since 1998.  The Caps had met that threshold through their almost laughable playoff ineptitude in the first two rounds since 2008, especially with their propensity for blowing 3-1 series leads.  The Redskins fulfilled their duties by just plain sucking for the better part of the past two decades.  The Nationals have been the favorite to win the World Series at least twice over the past four years but fell short, including blowing that Game 5 lead against the Cardinals in 2012.  The Wizards had not experienced that kind of failed hype in the playoffs until this past spring, and all of DC sports fans were looking to one of the other three teams to break the DC Curse due to their collective impotence in the post season.  By sheer timing the Nationals are that team at the current moment.  A look into the deeper psyche of the DC Sports fan base shows that the Nats need to be the team that finally gets to a conference final to break the DC Curse for all teams in this area.

The argument for having the Nationals be the first DC team to reach their conference final since the 1998 Capitals is due the nature of baseball in the DC area.  There is the pride.  The original Washington Senators were one of the charter members of the fledgling American League in 1901.  The Senators also had Walter Johnson,who some argue is the greatest pitcher to ever play the game, and who holds one of the MLB records that some say will never be broken with his 110 career shutouts.  Johnson also has the moniker of being the first professional athlete in the US to have a high school named after him, and that high school still stands to this day in Bethesda, Maryland.  The Senators also brought the first professional championship to this area by winning the World Series in 1924.  It would be the only World Series the Senators would win, and just like every other DC Sports team after them, the Senators sucked outside of a few random successful seasons.  This was where the pride met the fall.

The Senators left Washington for the first time in 1960 to become the Minnesota Twins, but they would be replaced months later in 1961 by a new Senators Team that would move to Texas in 1971 to create the Texas Rangers. The MLB was twice fooled by the Washington Baseball Fans, but for the die hard Senators fans the sting of not having baseball in the DC area left them empty.  The Nationals success has revived a section of this cities populace that no other team could muster based on the history of baseball in Washington DC.  The fact that baseball can trace its' roots in this areas to the turn of the last century gives it a unique nostalgia that can rally older fans that had no other team to root for other than the Senators, and who are looking to remove the chip off of their shoulder about losing baseball twice before in their history.  But old time baseball fans cannot fill all the seats, and that Nationals have endeared themselves to the young fans through players and fan experience.

Bryce Harper is the biggest sports figure in the DC area as far as young fans under the age of 10 are concerned.  John Wall jersey sales pale in comparison to those of Bryce Harper, and along with Strasberg, Sherzer, Werth, and Trea Turner, the Nationals have built an All-Star lineup that fans of the younger variety can get jacked up for and support through merchandising sales.  Nationals Park has also been rife with ravenous fans ready to spend their day at the stadium watching these young players perform, but it would be nothing without the stadium experience.  Nat Park is easily accessible through public transportation, and that convenience has allowed some of the watering holes around the stadium to become desired destinations for 20-30 year olds with no families and disposable incomes.  A generation of DC Sports fans have witnessed the Nats draft and retain young talent and create a fun experience that is on par, or even better than, the competing sports franchises within this area.  The youth have been drawn to Nationals Park from a young age, and it is this mix of the old and new that makes the Nationals the team of destiny for right now.

I wrote a long time ago that the Nationals were like House Targaryen because they once exclusively ruled this area in terms of popularity, but were exiled and now they are looking to reclaim their throne.  Despite their 3-0 loss on Friday night to the Cubs, the Nationals need to be the team to break the DC Curse and make it to the NLCS.  They can bring old an new together through the history of baseball within the DC area, and through the player personnel/stadium moves they have made as an organization over the past decade.  Seeing the Nationals play for a Pennant would bring the old and young in this area together just as the Cubs did for Chicago one year ago.  The Nats have earned the right to represent this area on national scale in their respective sport, and it is time for them to be the ones to end this horrible curse and send this city into a collective frenzy.  The Nats are the one team that could bridge generations of fans if they were to break this horrible DC Curse, and in an event driven town like Washington DC, it would make them the biggest event in town.

A Tale of Two Quarterback Cities

It seems amazing that the Redskins and Terps find themselves at quarterbacking crossroads so early in the season.  One team is poised to become one of the premier teams in their sport, and the other is one injury away from possibly having to start its' second linebacker at quarterback in five years.  It is the best of times for one team and the possible beginnings of the worst for another, but 15 years ago the current situation would seem ludicrous to Skins and Terps fans who were witnessing a reversal of fortune for either team at the quarterback position.  It is always good to look back on history to put the present into context, so before the Redskins and Terps embark on a season defining weekend lets take a trip down memory lane to the 2002 season for both teams to see just how far they have come in 15 years.

The 2002 season was being pegged as a renaissance year for both teams, even though there were major uncertainties surrounding the quarterback position. The Terps stunned everyone the previous year by winning their first ACC Championship since 1985 under newly hired head coach Ralph Friedgen.  Expectations were high for the Terps' 2002 season despite the fact that they would be starting Junior quarterback Scott McBrien.  McBrien was a Dematha alumnus who had transferred to Maryland from West Virginia and had yet to take a snap for the Terps, but he was being entrusted to continue the momentum from the previous year.  While the Terps built their momentum the Redskins manufactured it.

The 2001 season saw Marty Schottenheimer salvage an 8-8 season from an 0-5 start, and for his troubles he was let go along with starting quarterbacks Tony Banks and Jeff George.  Enter Steve Spurrier and cue the pandemonium.  Dan Snyder hired the Ole Ball Coach for the 2002 season and the sky was the limit.  Redskins fans were expecting it to be Florida Gators North and in a way it was.  Spurrier filled his quarterbacking void with two of his old pals from Gainesville in Shane Mattews and Danny Wuerffel. The Redskins also used the last pick in the first round of the Draft that year to select Patrick Ramsey.  It looked like Spurrier had all the firepower he needed to run his Fun and Gun offense and take the Redskins to new heights.

Despite the optimism being espoused within both fan bases for their quarterbacking situation, the outcome of the 2002 season was very different for both teams.  It was evident from the beginning of the season that Shane Matthews was not the answer at quarterback, and he was benched after only three games in favor of Wuerffel.  Wuerffel got hurt the next game, and then it was Patrick Ramsey's turn.  Spurrier would go through this full rotation one more time in the last ten games of the season, and it was evident that the Redskins had nothing close to a franchise quarterback or a competent NFL coach.  The Redskins ended the season 7-9, and the 2002 season would be a precursor for the Redskins quarterbacking situation over the next decade and a half that was rife with uncertainty, inconsistency, and lackluster performance.  The 2002 season for the Redskins was the beginning of an arduous time for Redskins fans, and The Terps' 2002 season started out just as bad.

McBrien and the Terps were shutout in the opening game of the season against Notre Dame on

national television, and things didn't improve two weeks later when Florida State came to Byrd Stadium and the Terps could only muster ten points.  A lowly 1-2 start after a Conference Championship season was leaving the natives a bit restless, but McBrien would prove his worth.  The Terps would reel off eight straight wins that included wins over a Phillip Rivers led NC State team on homecoming weekend and a 30-12 victory at Clemson.  McBrien would cap off the season with a brilliant 30-3 drubbing of Tennessee in the Peach Bowl, and he led Maryland to its second straight 10 win season.  McBrien would do the same his senior year, leading the Terps to a 10-3 record that culminated with the Terps embarrassing their hated rival West Virginia 41-7 in the Gator Bowl.  McBrien was named Gator Bowl MVP, and while he would graduate after the 2003 season things seemed to be looking up for the Terps.  The Terps had won 31 games in three years, and with McBrien's performance and Fridge's offense it seemed as if the Terps were poised to lure quarterbacks to College Park that could recreate McBrien's success.  It was anything but that, and now we see a reversal of fortune for both teams.

  Kirk Cousins is set to make his 36th straight start for the Redskins on Monday Night, and many are speculating that a win over the Chiefs could vault the Redskins into Super Bowl contending status for the first time in 25 years.  If Cousins can make it through this season unscathed, he will be the first Redskins quarterback to start every game in three consecutive seasons since Joe Theismann between 1981-1984, and it is possible he could see some of the same success that Theismann's teams had in that time period.  Compare that to the Terps, who have seen two of their starting quarterbacks end their season with ACL tears in the first three weeks, and their replacement looked less that adequate last week.  This is a far cry from 2002-2003 where Scott McBrien started all 27 games in that two year span.  Since that time, the Terps have had only one quarterback (Sam Hollenbach in 2006) start every game in a season without being injured or replaced.  The game against Minnesota will be a litmus test for the Terps as they will see if they can keep their aspirations high with either Max Bortenschlager or Caleb Henderson under center, or if they will need to temper their expectations in light of another injury riddled season at the quarterback position.  Both teams have come a long way in 15 years, and it seems that despite injuries and contract disputes, each team has found viable starting quarterbacks that can lead them to new heights for the future.  This weekend, however, will show Terps and Skins fans if they can start to get excited about the present.

Hernandez's CTE Should Change the NFL

The news about Aaron Hernandez's CTE diagnosis will not be the end of the NFL or American Football as we know it.  There is too much money invested in football for an illness that currently can only be diagnosed posthumously to eradicate it.  But the severity of Hernandez's condition will have lasting effects on the sport and the people who volunteer to play the sport. The severity of those effects will be determined by how the NFL reacts to the news about Hernandez in the steps they take to address this problem that has now become more palatable to those people playing football at all levels.  Before we go further, there must be three axioms that we all need to agree to before going further in this article.

Axiom #1: Hernandez's CTE does not absolve him of the crime he committed.  Fortunately for the NFL, most discussions that have occurred about this topic have devolved into vociferous outrage over Hernandez's family suing the NFL because people think the lawsuit mitigates Hernandez's accountability for murdering Odin Lloyd.  Even if the courts knew that Hernandez had CTE during the trial, that would not have been enough to overcome the two things needed to hold someone accountable for a crime which are actus reus (Hernandez killed someone) and mens rea (Hernandez knew what he was doing was wrong).  There was sufficient evidence to show that Hernandez tried to cover up his crime, which shows that he knew what he did was wrong.  CTE is not to blame for this murder, Aaron Hernandez is to blame for this murder.  Are we all OK with this?  Good. Because Hernandez's CTE is the focal point of this article.

Axiom #2: All speculation about players having CTE is SPECULATION.  I have no evidence of any player currently having CTE, and any suggestion of this is merely to evoke critical thought about player behavior and what the NFL should do about addressing the CTE issue.

Axiom #3:  All information presented about CTE in this article has been done through personal research, and is not intended to be presented as absolute fact.

If you cannot agree to these statements I suggest you stop reading immediately as you will only become more incensed.  For those of you who do agree, here we go.

The diagnosis of Aaron Hernandez's CTE is startling and it presents the NFL with a whole host of new problems, the most pertinent being the severity of Hernandez's CTE diagnosis relative to his age.  Some reports state that Hernandez had Stage 3 (out of 4) CTE, and that the progression of his brain deterioration was that of something doctors see in 60 year old patients.  This should make all current NFL players perk up and start doing some math.  Hernandez was 27 at the time of his suicide, but remember that the last down of football he played was in 2012 when he was 23 years old after only playing three years in the NFL.  This is not someone like Junior Seau, Ray Easterling, Dave Deurson, or Andre Waters who had long careers and committed suicide 10-20 years after they retired.  Hernandez was right around the average age for a current NFL player when he committed suicide, and well under the average age when he left football.  The details about CTE are still being learned, but what seems to be unanimous is that CTE is a degenerative condition that progresses as the person gets older.  If Aaron Hernandez was at Stage 3 by age 27, that means that he probably showed the beginning symptoms of CTE while he was playing in his early 20's.  This could mean (again PURE SPECULATION) that some current players in their early 20's are showing signs of this disease, and it could progress to Stage 3 before they are 30 years old. This is not to say that all players with CTE commit suicide or murder, but current players have to see that Hernandez was one step away from Stage 4 symptoms which include full blow dementia, parkinsons, trouble walking, paranoia, loss of executive dysfunction, and language difficulties.  The rate at which CTE progresses in unknown, and the question of how some players get it and others do not is still being researched, but Hernandez's case will put some doubt into younger players' minds about the nature of their health, and it raises the second problem that the NFL will now have to face.

The NFL will now have to face the question "is this player exhibiting signs of CTE" every time they become violent off the field or show erratic behavior.  Since CTE has become more of a mainstream topic this question has been asked of player conduct off the field, but it has been dismissed as being a ridiculous notion due to the players being too young.  "Players in their mid 20's do not have CTE, and their behavior is a manifestation of playing a violent game".  This has been the explanation for this kind of behavior, and it has been tacitly accepted by all areas of society.  The Jovan Belcher incident and the death of Chris Henry should have brought this argument into question, but now Hernandez's diagnosis makes it even harder to peddle that statement as an answer to the question "is this player exhibiting signs of CTE".  If Hernandez could have Stage 3 CTE at 27, then could it be (again PURE SPECULATION) that certain players' actions can be explained by symptoms of early CTE that include depression, minor losses of mental control and self regulation, impulsiveness, short term memory problems, and aggressiveness.  Examples of erractic/violent behavior of football players off the field can be seen in recent incidents involving Su'a Cravens, Lawrence Timmons, Randy Gregory, Greg Hardy, Adam Jones's numerous incidents, Ray Rice, and countless others.  And let's not forget all the incidents that are occurring with college players.  Are these incidents just the byproduct of these players playing a violent game, or could these be manifestations of early onset CTE?  We will never know for sure, but Hernandez's case opens up a new road of justification for the latter, and the NFL needs a plan to address this for the future if it is to head off lawsuits and a possible dwindling of its labor force.

The plan the NFL should adopt needs to address two issues.  The first is participation in the sport.  Depending on the source, youth football is either in decline or it is slightly increasing but high school football numbers are in decline.  There are probably truths on both sides, but the more cases of CTE showing up in players around age 25 start to accumulate, the more doubt begins to sink in to the minds of the "NFL farm system".  College Football.  If players in college right now are concerned that they could have advanced CTE symptoms before they end their rookie contract it may dissuade some of them from pursuing that goal.  The NFL should increase the amount rookies are allowed to be paid in order to add incentive for them to come to the sport, and soften the idea that some could have CTE by age 25.  The NFL also needs to think about those making the league minimum.  Right now the league minimum ranges from $465,000 to $1,000,000 dollars, but for the players making that much money is that worth it to risk their long term health?  The NFL and NFLPA need to realize that this CTE issue will not go away, and to keep players wanting to join the sport out of college and stay in the sport as long as they can they need to increase the league minimum.  Increasing these two areas of salary will give players short term peace of mind about making a decent living in the face of CTE, but it will only partially address the long term problem CTE will have on the NFL.

Lawsuits against the NFL regarding CTE have come, gone, and come again, and they will not stop if the NFL does not have a long term solution.  With CTE thrust into the public sphere because of the NFL, some health organizations have taken it upon themselves to try and develop tests that can screen for CTE while the player is alive, but none have been able to do it reliably.  If the NFL were smart they would put as much money into this research as possible.  Now, you are asking yourselves, isn't this, on some level, admitting that football causes CTE?  Maybe.  But admitting that CTE is an issue is less risky than pretending it is not, and if the NFL can sponsor research that comes up with a reliable test it will do two things.  First, it will be a good faith gesture that shows the NFL is not some money making ogre that does not care about the well being of its players.  The NFL would fund research that could develop a test that will help its players and other segments of the population like military veterans.  Second, let's assume the NFL's funding bears fruit and a reliable test is found that has the ability to test for CTE in living players.  The NFL would have the ability to ameliorate future lawsuits by giving the players a choice to get tested or not.  Those who choose not to get tested will have a tough time suing the NFL later if they continue to take risks when the NFL allowed them to know if they had CTE while they were players.  If a player decides to get tested, and CTE is found, then the NFL can have the players sign a waiver before testing saying that the NFL is not responsible for any previous CTE conditions that are found because it cannot be determined when those conditions were acquired.  This also mitigates culpability for any future symptoms after the test is administered because it may be hard to determine whether those symptoms were manifestation of symptoms that were discovered before or after the test.  This may open up more people to get tested, but the NFL needs to start proactively trying to get ahead of some of these future lawsuits by admitting on some level that this is a problem and that they are taking steps to increase player safety.

Whatever you think the merits of Hernandez's Family's lawsuit against the NFL are, the fact is that the NFL needs to begin to address this issue on many levels.  Hernandez is now at least the third confirmed case in the last ten years, along with Jovan Belcher and Chris Henry, of an NFL player in their mid 20's who suffered from CTE and whose life ended in a violent and tragic manner.  The longer the NFL waits to proactively address this problem, and the more cases of younger players having CTE start to pile up, the higher the risk the NFL runs of irreparably damaging the empire it has built.  But like D'Angelo Barksdale once said, "The king stay the king", and the NFL will continue to rule over all other American professional sports leagues even with this CTE issue.  It is just a matter of how big of a kingdom do they want to have.

John Wall Needed to Win More Than Anyone

Monday's Game 7 loss was another hard pill to swallow for the DC area.  Another ray of hope to end the nearly two decade drought of not making a Conference Final was dashed by another improbable performance by a fringe player.  Kelly Olynyk's 26 point performance will go right up there with Jaroslav Halak in the dark annals of DC Sports playoff misery.  One positive to come out of this playoff series, though, was the rise of John Wall as a DC icon.  Wall's game winning shot in Game 6, and his plea to the crowd on the scorer's table at the end of the game, had some anointing him as the premier sportsman in the DC area.  Wall's emotional outburst on the scorer's table was the personification of his passion for the city of Washington DC, and it was the type of moment that endears a player to the fan base.  The problem for Wall was that he did not deliver in Game 7.  A DC superstar player losing in a Game 7 is nothing new, but Wall and the Wizards squandered an opportunity to become the toast of the town.  They could have been the ones to break the streak, and for Wall that missed opportunity goes beyond just not making the Eastern Conference Finals.  Wall needed to win that game to be the unquestioned top dog in the DC sports market, but instead there will still be doubts in this area created by the accomplishments of other players, fans of other DC sports, and the way the NBA markets it's product.

There is nothing inherently special about John Wall's presence here in the DC area. The Wizards winning the Draft Lottery in 2010 to have the opportunity to pick Wall was surprising, but Wall is one of four number one overall picks in this market who have made an impact in their respective sports.  Alex Ovechkin has become the greatest goal scorer of his generation and led the Capitals to unprecedented popularity.  Bryce Harper is one of the premier hitters in baseball, and he and Stephen Strasburg have led the Nationals to become one of the best teams in baseball.  So John Wall being a number one overall pick who has delivered on his prospective talents is nothing new for this area.  John Wall needed to be the one to end the Conference Finals streak in order to separate himself from this pack, and also to win over DC fans who maybe brainwashed by NBA marketing.

The NBA is a sport that glorifies the elite.  Think about it in the terms of other sports.  How many Redskins fans wearing Kirk Cousins jerseys would say, "You know I'm a Redskins fan, but when Tom Brady (or other superstar QB) comes to town I gotta root for him"?  Not many because the NFL markets the team and each local fan base buys into that notion.  There is no Capitals fan who would root for Connor McDavid when the Oilers come to DC because 98% of the fan base (myself included) does not have the capacity to appreciate the finer points of hockey, Caps fans have had time to generate an intense loyalty to Ovechkin, and 10% of the fan base doesn't even know what city the Oilers play in.  The Nats/Orioles hedging still goes on, but few Nats fans nowadays have both a Bryce Harper jersey and a Mark Trumbo jersey. The NBA is different.  The NBA markets the elite players to everyone around the country, and in a transient area like DC it is hard for someone like John Wall to overcome that.  How many John Wall fans wear Jordans?  How many kids wear Golden State gear when that team is 3000 miles away?  How many casual Wizards fans will root for LeBron when he comes to Verizon Center?  The fact that you have to seriously ponder these questions means that John Wall faces the hardest road of any DC sports figure in winning over the fans.  The NBA markets it's top players to everyone around the country, and the Wizards have been so bad for so long that there is a significant portion of the area that gloms onto Curry and LeBron because they are winners.  Wall could have erased that in Game 7, but alas the DC fan base is left hoping yet again.

Emotionally, John Wall has won over this city but that sentiment is fleeting.  Winning is what this city wants, and Wall could have stripped the title of top DC sports figure with one win on Monday Night.  In an event driven town such as DC, think about the run Wall would have gotten going head-to-head with LeBron and God forbid possibly winning a few games.  Had that happened there would be no question about which individual sports figure is the biggest in DC.  Now, questions still remain and the doubt is still there.  Wall is tied at the top with people like Cousins, Harper, and Ovechkin, but he has the hardest road ahead of him and the longest time to wait to get another shot at winning.

The Capitals Motto: I Will Remember Before I Forget

One resounding message from the Capitals locker room Wednesday Night was that the team was angry.  Angry that they let the best assembled team in the Ovechkin era go to waste yet again.  Angry that they had to exit the playoffs before even getting a chance to play for a championship yet again.  Angry that despite the resounding sentiment that the Capitals had all the momentum going into Game 7 they let their nemesis best them yet again.  And with all this anger, what better motto to adopt for the Capitals to explain that anger than a line from a Slipknot song.  The Capitals Game 7 collapse can be comprehended through the lens of this motto.  This motto also should be adopted by the fan base as well because this motto could define what we see out of the support for the Capitals from the fans in this area going forward.  Capitals fans and the organization stand at a crossroads, and it is this saying, "I will remember before I forget", that needs to be addressed at this point to see how this pivotal point in franchise history could shape the team going forward.

Game 7 proved that for all the talk from the team about how they had forgotten their playoff past, they remembered it more than they thought.  The Capitals dominated the Penguins in the first period in every facet except for the score, and a little tick in the back of their head started to creep in. They launched a fury of shots that did not go in, and Shattenkirk's PP shot that rang off the post started to weigh on them.  Then Bryan Rust scored in the second off of a poor clearing attempt and there was this looming sense of dread that filled the Capitals.  It was happening again.  They started to press more, pass too much, and not return the favor when the Penguins made horrendous exits out of their zone.  This dread grew to a crescendo when Patrick Hornqvist scored in the third period and there was this visceral reaction of defeat from the Capitals.  The fans could feel it through the TV.  The Capitals play in the last 15:00 of Game 7 showed that the memory of all the playoff collapses were still lurking in their subconscious waiting to be awoken again like some hibernating animal.  Everyone watching had the same reaction, "This cannot be happening again", and unfortunately the Capitals embodied that notion.  The weight of every playoff collapse in the Ovechkin era was on display Wednesday night in the last 15:00 of Game 7 and it shows that the Capitals have not forgotten anything about the past.  The problem is compounded by the fact that the fans have not forgotten as well.

Everyone knew it in the back of their mind.  Even before the game when fans said that the Capitals have this game in hand it came with a certain break in the voice.  A certain change of pitch.  A certain lowering of tone that would make someone think that if it was said too loud that it would conjure the devil.  For all the prognosticators saying this was a different team, there was the cynical fan that had an equivocation to go along with their optimism.  Some brought up Jaroslav Halak.  Some brought up all the stats about how the Penguins own the Caps in the playoffs.  Some brought up the Caps abysmal Game 7 record.  It was clear that the fans have not forgotten all the past playoff failures of this franchise and that is a problem.  It is a problem because this fan base is beginning to expect a return on their investment.  The "Rock the Red" era was built on fans who wanted to ride the hot ticket (myself included) and they sure got it from the Capitals.  But that regular season success has now translated into entitlement.  These Caps fans feel as if they built this team themselves and that their loyalty has been betrayed time and again by these playoff failures, the worst of which came in Game 7 on Wednesday Night.  They remember all the playoff failures and they are apt to bring them up when suggesting the Capitals trade Ovechkin and blow up the team because their fandom has not been rewarded.  These fans have forgotten a most dire period in Capitals history, and it is relevant at the current time where the fans and the franchise face an uncertain future.

The fan base needs to remember the dark times.  They need to remember what happened the last time the team sold off all of their superstars and finished next to last in the Easter Conference between 2003-2007.  The fans need to ask themselves if it is worth possibly giving up these playoff runs for three to five years to rebuild after trading someone like Ovechkin, Backstrom, or both.  And how loyal will some of these fans be if the Capitals are a shell of their former selves due to trading away their superstars?  Will they be willing to support a team that may not make the playoffs for a few years?  The fans need to ask themselves these questions before they start spouting off about how this team needs to be blown up. They also should consider it when this team will be losing some of the main pieces that have allowed them to the Presidents Trophy over the last two years.  The "Rock the Red" era is officially over, and we will now see how many fans are willing to remember the success this team has had before they forget it.  If not we may see the exodus of the portion of the fan base that was on board because for the experience and not true fandom.

As the fan base needs to remember the dark times, the team needs to forget them.  This team will stay relatively intact for next season, and it is obvious that they have internalized all these playoff defeats.  They need to forget them as best they can.  Trotz's comments may have rubbed the media the wrong way, and laughter may not have been the best choice of words, but his message needs to be adopted by the team.  The team needs to forget these defeats and remember that they are one of the most talented teams in the league, and they will still be even with the departure of some of these free agents this off season.  They need to release these internal demons if they expect to ever conquer them, and this Game 7 loss will probably take the entire of season to recover.  The team, tough, needs to ask themselves whether they will let this loss define who they are, or if they will forget all the losses and start a new narrative come next season.  The "Rock the Red" era is over, but if the remaining players carry the same baggage with them then all that will leave is the name.  The results will be the same if the Capitals remember before they forget all these playoff losses.

Ovechkin's Possible Farewell Speech

In the immortal words of DMX, "Here we go again".  The Capitals find themselves on the brink of elimination in the second round of the playoffs and again the Penguins are on the opposing side.  This scenario has happened so many times over the past decade that you would think the team and the fan base's acquiescence to failure would numb them into a stupor of denial once again.  But this year is different.  This year could mark the end of an era with all the impending free agent signings/decisions the Capitals need to make this off season, and the Ovechkin trade rumors gaining more traction in the wake of another perceived playoff collapse.  Even if the Capitals somehow comeback against the Penguins and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals there will still be drastic changes to the Capitals' roster due to the fact that there are too many high profile free agents to sign and limited cap space.  The greatest iteration of the Capitals roster in the Ovechkin era will come to a crashing end whenever the Capitals decide to exit the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, and it very well could be tonight, which is why Ovechkin needs to give a kick ass pregame speech tonight.

The Capitals have been built around the greatest goal scorer of his generation, and he needs to be the one to deliver the speech that could possibly bring the Capitals back from elimination.  The speech, though, needs to be more heartfelt and emotional rather than a rah rah type speech.  You would assume that over the past four games the Capitals have gotten in each others' faces, called out people's names, broken enough sticks on their lockers, and used the F-word like its going out of style that another speech like that would ring hollow at a time like this.  Ovechkin needs to be the one to address the whole team tonight in a way that gives the team a renewed sense of brotherhood, and in my opinion here is how it should go:

"Alight boys, listen.  Tonight could be our last game together so listen closely.  I've had some pretty good success in my career:  Heart Trophies, Rocket Richard Trophies, goal scoring milestones, but I have never been a team champion at the highest level.  For all my success, I have never been able to inspire the teams I have played on enough to win it all.  That is why I am skating with Lars and Willy tonight, because my play so far has not lived up to the "C" I wear on my sweater or the pedigree I have built.  I asked to switch lines [this is just an assumption on my part but just go with it] because Bura has been killing it and I have been dragging TJ and Nicky down so far this series.  I have to face reality that I am not the goal scorer I was 10 years ago.  Think about that Nick [Ovechkin looks at Nick Backstrom in a reminiscent way].  Ten Years together.  The Young Guns, remember?  Hmfh, Not so young now, I guess. Right John? Karl? Beags? Ten years.  Some players don't get half that time to play together in this league, but we have had the privilege to be on the same team for Ten Years.  And we have been able to bring up guys like you Schmidtty......Kuzy..... Bura.........Willy.....Orly.....Holts........[Ovechkin looks at each one of them in the eye] you guys haven't been here as long but this is the only NHL team you have ever known.  You guys have put on a red sweater for your entire NHL career and not thought twice about it.  And when TJ, Justin, Winnik, Nisky, Brooks, Shatty, Lars, when you guys came in it was like we never missed a beat.  We're a family, but we know what is coming.  Most of us will not be here next year. The family is getting broken up after this season whether we win or not.  Ten years, Nick.  Ten years could be over tonight.  It will be over no matter what after these playoffs.  Which is why I ask you to play for that.  Fuck the Stanley Cup.  I want those ten years to last a little longer.  I want to play with the best team I have ever played with a little bit longer.  I want to see TJ score from the slot as many times as I can, I want to see Karl shut down the other team's best line, I want to see Willy check people as hard as he can, I want to see Kuzy make some ridiculous move and put a wrister over the goalie's glove, I want to see Winnik forecheck the shit out of the other team's top line, or Shatty unload some ridiculous shot from the point.  That is what I want, boys.  I don't want Ten Years to end.  I want to keep the only team I have ever known together for a little bit longer.  I'm playing tonight because I want to see all of you wear that red sweater for as long as possible.  I'm not playing tonight for any trophy.  I'm playing for my brothers who I want to keep here as long as I can.  From now on we play for each other, and if that means we get out of this series alive, then we know we have already won, because we get to have those Ten Years last one more game.  Let's go boys."

That is the route I would take with this speech, but that is just me.  And Ovi, since I know you read this blog religiously, please feel free to use any part of this you would like.

Kirk Cousins's Value Is Dropping

Do you believe anything Bruce Allen says?  Good.  This is a quasi rhetorical question but I had to ask it in order for you to be in the right frame of mind to buy into my premise, which is that the teams trading up to take rookie quarterbacks in the first round in the NFL Draft have harmed Kirk Cousins's market value.  It may sound crazy, but ask yourself that question again.  Do you believe anything Bruce Allen says?  Do you believe him when he told JP Finley almost a month ago that the trade rumors surrounding Cousins were false?  One look at that one minute interview gives you an uneasy feeling about Allen's stance on Cousins's contract situation.  So it is not far fetched to think that the rumors stating that the Redskins were talking to the Browns about trading Kirk Cousins held some shred of truth.  It is also likely that, despite Allen's vehement denials, the Redskins may have thrown some lines out to other teams before the Draft to see if they would bite on a trade for Cousins.  If you believe these statements then Cousins and his agent, at the very least, had to assume that the Redskins were looking for trades as well.  If that is the case then Mike McCartney may need to rethink how to approach the calculation Cousin's market value based on the trades that happened in the First Round of the Draft.

The trades the Bears and Texans made to move up in the draft to select rookie quarterbacks have indirectly harmed Kirk Cousins's market value.  Let's assume that the Redskins at least talked to the Texans and Bears about a possible trade for Kirk Cousins before the Draft (remember: Do you believe anything Bruce Allen says?).  The Bears and Texans had ample resources and equally crappy quarterback situations that the Redskins probably exploited in the form of trade talks for Kirk Cousins.  If that is the case then the Texans trade for Deshaun Watson states that Cousins is not worth the 2018 first round pick that they gave up to get Watson.  Maybe the Texans didn't think that the Redskins's 17th pick would be high enough to have Watson still on the board, but it can be reasoned that the Texans were willing to trade their 2018 first round pick for Watson but not for a guy who has had back to back 4500 yard passing season in the NFL.  The Bears trade puts even more of a damper on Cousins's value.

Let's assume that the Redskins reached out to the Bears about a trade for Cousins before the Bears signed Mike Glennon (remember: Do you believe anything Bruce Allen says?).  If that is the case then the Bears trade to get Mitch Trubisky devalues Cousins market value further.  If the Bears declined a trade for Cousins then subsequently gave up only a 3rd and 4th round pick this year, plus their 3rd round next year to the 49ers for another unproven quarterback then it reinforces the notion that Cousins may not be worth giving up high drat picks on the open market.  Now, the Bears gave up those picks knowing they had Glennon on the roster, but if the Redskins offered the Bears a trade for Cousins before the Mike Glennon deal then you would have to assume that the Redskins asked for something higher than what the Bears gave up for Trubisky.  This would show, again, that another team with a questionable quarterback situation was willing to give up draft picks for an unproven rookie rather than for Kirk Cousins.  Both of these situations, if true, could make it so that Cousins may be sobered by his market value a year from now.

The Texans could have traded their 2018 first round pick for Cousins and then see where that took them.  The Bears could have traded their 2018 first round pick to get Cousins AND possibly could have still drafted Trubisky at the third pick this year.  But both teams balked at that notion.  The Redskins could have had a higher asking price in these hypothetical trade scenarios that turned off the Texans and Bears trading for Cousins, but that supports the notion that teams are unwilling to give up a lot for Cousins and are not willing to wait and see if he hits the open market.  Why pay a soon-to-be 30 year old quarterback $24 million per year with $50-60 million plus guaranteed over the next five years when, according to Jason Belzer of Forbes Magazine, the Bears will only have to pay out $29 million total for the duration of Trubisky's rookie contract?  If this is true then this may be the first blemish on Kirk Cousins's master plan.

The pervasive narrative that has surrounded the Kirk Cousins contract negotiations is that Bruce Allen has botched it from the beginning in giving Cousins two consecutive franchise tags.  This weekend's Draft, however, may be hinting that Allen is playing a long game with these tags that may end up in the Redskins favor.  Whether you believe the Redskins offered Cousins in trade to the Texans or the Bears, the fact is now there are two less suitors to help drive up the price for Cousins's services come next off season.  Couple that with one early 2018 mock draft stating that there could be four quarterbacks taken in the first round next year (and that is not counting whether or not Lamar Jackson decides to leave Louisville early), and the cap situation next year for all NFL teams and Kirk Cousins and Mike McCartney may need to have a serious talk about what the actual market value will be come the 2018 off season.  Who is going to pay a 30 year old Kirk Cousins $50-60 million plus in guarantees over 5 years when they can just draft a quarterback for a fourth of that cost?  And if there are a limited amount of teams willing to bid on Cousins's services, then why not bid low and see what happens if the team is looking to spend money elsewhere?  All of this is dependent upon what transpires through this season, but two teams have already passed on Cousins for what seem to be statistically inferior alternatives.  What will happen next year when the rookie talent pool is bigger, better, and the free agent market is a little more flush with talent?  Cousins could be staring down the grim reality that Allen may have manipulated his contract situation through the use of the franchise tags in a way that made him less valuable on the open market when and if he is finally allowed to hit free agency.  The question then may not be whether you believe what Bruce Allen says, it may be "Was Bruce Allen right all along about the market value of Kirk Cousins?".

Redskins Draft Special Round 1 (Pick 17)

Everyone except for Myles Garrett has been linked to the Redskins at the 17th pick.  It is hard to determine what the Redskins will do, and the smart money is that they may trade down to acquire more picks for trade in the later rounds.  I think the Redskins trade up a lot in this draft to get players they want for the simple fact that it may be hard to carry 10 new players on their roster.  I do think that they need an elite pass rushing DE more than anything, and if they are to stay at 17 that would be Derek Barnett.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 1 (17th Overall Selection):  Derek Barnett    DE    (Tennessee)
Height: 6'3"   Weight: 259 lbs   40 yd: 4.88   3 Cone Drill: 6.96 sec

Who would not want an elite level SEC pass rusher?  Derek Barnett is the cream of the crop when it comes to pass rushing ability and stat production. Barnett was a three year starter at Tennessee, the first defensive lineman ever to start as a true freshman for the Vols, where he accumulated 32 sacks over his three years.  Barnett was named First Team All-American by numerous outlets in 2016, and his stat production came against some of the SEC's best. Barnett is a violent pass rusher who uses superior hand fighting technique in unison with good footwork to rush the passer.  While his speed and athleticism are question marks for some, his 6.96 cone drill time was 5th at the combine for defensive linemen and only .01 seconds behind Solomon Thomas.  Barnett shows this quickness in his ability to get around lineman and close in on the quarterback in the pocket.  Barnett is a play maker who is not content with just setting the edge.  He uses great moves to get around the tackles and finishes his sacks.  Barnett also shows great spatial awareness in batting passes, defending screens, covering passes in the flat.  Barnett is described as a quiet player who lets his high level of hustle and intensity do his talking, and someone the coaches described as the heart and soul of the Volunteer defense.

Barnett's limitations come with his athletic acumen.  Scouts worry about his inferior athleticism compared to other DE's in this class, and that he relies too much on timing the snap to make up for his lack of burst off of the line. That timing has caused him to be on the wrong end of offsides penalties.  Barnett also has trouble changing direction once he gets going down field, and scouts note that he will have trouble with quarterbacks who elude the pocket.  There are also questions about his overall footwork, and his ability to sustain pressure when he does not win the initial confrontation with his hands.  Scouts also note that he needs to diversify his pass rush techniques and not rely solely on beating tackles of the edge with dip moves and hand fighting.  Finally, Barnett comes from a 4-3 scheme and may have trouble adapting to the 3-4.  Whatever.  The Redskins need a guy like this on the line.

Barnett's highlights are a thing of beauty.  He wins one-on-one battles at the line and can put major pressure on the quarterback.  Barnett's style maybe reminiscent of Brian Orakpo's straight line approach, but remember that that move worked for a few years.  The Redskins could develop his technique and possibly put muscle on him to be able to handle NFL level tackles, but those are things that can be easily done.  You cannot teach someone to do what Barnett does at the point of attack to win against lineman, and his dedicated level of play could prove to be infectious.  He would also provide yet another option at pass rusher that would give the Redskins front seven a scarier look in passing situations.  The Redskins have relatively good  outside pass rushers at the linebacker position, but they need people at the line who can strike the same fear into opposing offenses.  Barentt would do that the moment he puts on a Burgundy and Gold uniform, and if the is there at 17 (or wherever the Redskins end up in the first round) without any better alternative at D-line (i.e. Solomon Thomas) the Redskins would be fools to not pick him.

Redskins Draft Special Round 2 (Pick 49)

Another pick where the Redskins could do a lot of things.  This one could be a reach, and yes I propose that we take two safeties in this draft, but what would a Redskins draft be without a little redundancy.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 2 (49th Overall Selection):  Marcus Williams    S    (Utah)
Height: 6'1"   Weight: 202 lbs   40 yd: 4.56   Vert: 43.5"

Everyone seems to be falling in love with Obi Melifonwu from UConn, and for good reason.  He is an athletic freak who wowed people at the combine, and whose body type maybe more suited for the NFL than Marcus Williams.  But the Redskins have plenty of thumpers at safety.  What they need is someone who can play center field and actually cover a lot of ground on deep pass plays. Williams fits that mold perfectly.  Williams is a safety with 4.5 speed and whose quickness drills at the combine were comparable to Budda Baker, not to mention that he had the second highest vertical behind Melifonwu.  Williams, though, is not just a workout warrior.  He forced 18 turnovers the past three seasons for the Utes including 11 interceptions, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.  Scouts note his impeccable ability to make plays on the ball from deep positions, and he possesses the instincts and timing necessary to track deep balls and break up pass plays.  He also has good instincts in the run game that allow him to be first to the ball, and he is avid in trying to strip the ball from the ball carrier.  Williams is characterized as a true center field type safety who has the speed and quickness to cover a lot of ground in the open field in order to defend the pass, and he is also not afraid to step up and play the run.  The Utah coaches attribute Williams's honed instincts to his voracious appetite for film study, and they have called him one of the most committed people on the Utah team.  With all of these positives, there are some worrisome negatives that Williams has.

Williams missed two games in 2016 with a sprained knee, and while the injury appeared to be nothing major it could be indicative of a larger problem for Williams in the NFL.  His smaller frame and wrap up tackling style may leave him more prone to injury, and he may not have the same type of success with creating fumbles as he did at Utah.  Bigger running backs have been able to carry him for extra yardage, and even slip his tackles due to Williams's lack of pop on his hits.  Williams also has been known to read the quarterbacks too carefully, and he can fall for misdirection and pump fakes. Despite these shortcomings, which can be fixed at the next level, Williams is the safety the Redskins should go with in the higher rounds.

The Redskins need someone to police the deep routes that they get killed on time and again, and Williams is that type of guy.  His 10 INT's over the past two seasons against PAC-12 competition should be all the Redskins need to know in drafting a player like this.  His size could be a turnoff, but just like Tarell Basham that can be fixed through proper training and conditioning.  It is also hard to deny Williams's instincts and work ethic that could increase the level of commitment from everyone in the locker room.  Williams would not necessarily be a physical enforcer, but he was a guy that PAC-12 quarterbacks had to think twice about challenging due to his elite level of play.  The Redskins have not had someone like that at safety for a long time, and when paired with Cravens or Swearinger it could allow the Redskins to play around with interesting coverage packages.  The Redskins need a sure fire play maker in the back of the defense, and for my money it should be Marcus Williams.

Redskins Draft Special Round 3 (Pick 81)

This could be a pick the Redskins package into a Draft Day trade.  There is a lot of talent around this part of the Draft, and there are a lot of directions the Redskins could go if they decide to stay at 81.  Here is someone who could be an intriguing project for the Redskins to get in the 3rd round.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 3 (81st Overall Selection):  Tarell Basham    DE    (Ohio)
Height: 6'4"   Weight: 269 lbs   40 yd: 4.70   Vert: 31.5"

Tarell Basham is a prototypical NFL Defensive End that started all four years for Ohio and recorded a school record 29 sacks over that time.  His best season came in 2016 where he had 16 TFL and 11.5 sacks en route to being named The 2016 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year.  Scouts note that Basham is quick in short bursts, which allows him to close on running backs and scrambling quarterbacks.  Basham also has long arms and a high motor that he uses to never give up on a play, and he has good spatial awareness that allows him to avoid cut blocks and even drop into coverage at times.  The Ohio coaches also raved about his infectious personality and work ethic that allowed him to evolve as a football player.  Basham does not come without limitations, most notably his surprising 15 reps on the bench at the combine.  Being overpowered by strength at the NFL level is a major concern, and there are questions about his stats being a product of the level of competition Basham faced in the MAC. Basham still has room to grow in the area of diversifying his pass rushing skills, and there is uncertainty as to whether he can enhance his play style in order to beat NFL level lineman.  As the saying goes, though, you can't teach speed/quickness, and the Redskins could get someone they could develop into a solid NFL pass rusher.

The Redskins need edge rushers, and they could get a guy with that type of speed and quickness in Basham.  The depth along the defensive line needs to be bolstered, and Basham could inject youth, work ethic, and talent into that group.  The Redskins need to give teams other people to worry about pressuring the quarterback other than Ryan Kerrigan, and Basham's college stats indicate that he could be that guy.  While his strength and rawness may give teams pause, his speed, quickness, and instincts should prompt the Redskins strength coaches to develop a plan to get him game ready by September.  Basham could be the guy who backs up Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee while learning the facets of the NFL game.  The Redskins need help in their defensive front, and while some scouts say that Basham could fall to the lower rounds, the Redskins may not want to take that chance.

Redskins Draft Special Round 4 (Pick 114)

The Redskins traded their 5th round pick last year (158th overall) to the Jets for a 4th round this year, which turns out to be the 114th overall selection.  The Jets took OT Brandon Shell out of South Carolina with that pick, and hopefully the Redskins can out do them by choosing a better SEC offensive lineman.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 4 (114th Overall Selection):  Will Holden    OT    (Vanderbilt)
Height: 6'7"   Weight: 311 lbs   40 yd: 5.47   Broad Jump: 111.0"

The Redskins could use depth at the tackle position, and Will Holden may be able to fill the role as Morgan Moses's understudy.  Holden is a redshirt senior out of Vanderbilt who has played all over the offensive line, but made a home as the Commodores resident do-it-all tackle.  He started 10 of 12 games at right tackle in 2014, but was moved to left tackle the next season due to injuries along the offensive line.  All Holden did there was make 37 consecutive starts for Vanderbilt from 2015-2016 and he was named Second Team All-SEC as a left tackle in 2016.  Holden is noted as being a very good run blocker who has the quickness and strength to move the defenders off the line in the run game. He has good instincts when moving to the second level on run plays, and is fundamentally sound enough to compensate for some athletic shortcomings.  The most notable of those shortcomings is Holden's struggle with speed rushers off the edge.  Holden has been beaten by players with enough quickness and speed to get around the edge, and Holden also tends to struggle shutting down stunts at the line.  Despite those shortcomings the Redskins would be wise to give Holden a look if he is here at the 114th pick.

While the Redskins are high on Ty Nsekhe he cannot be everywhere at once.  As Morgan Moses continues to age, and if Trent Williams continues to smoke pot, the Redskins may need another option at tackle that they can plug in.  Holden brings experience at both tackle spots to the Redskins offensive line, but more than likely the right side is more suitable to his skill set at the NFL level.  It would be another case of finding someone who can provide depth at first and maybe develop into a starter.  If the Redskins are looking to take a running back anywhere in this draft it would behoove them to start adding depth to the offensive line as well.  Even if they don't take a running back, the running game last year was sporadic at best and Holden's durability and skill set play right into bolstering the offensive line's ability to sustain changes due to injury or suspension.  Holden's disciplined nature would also bring good intangibles to the team as well, so the Redskins would be wise to give Holden a look in the 4th round.

Redskins Draft Special Round 4 (Pick 123)

There are a lot of directions the Redskins can go with this pick, but I propose choosing a player who may not be as obvious.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 4 (123rd Overall Selection):  Wayne Gallman    RB    (Clemson)
Height: 6'0"   Weight: 215 lbs   40 yd: 4.60   20 yd Shuttle: 4.28 sec

He is no Joe Mixon, but I could not in good conscience take THREE players who had to miss a year in college due to disciplinary reasons.  Hence the choice of Wayne Gallman, and he may fit the Redskins scheme better than you would think.  Gallman is a hard runner who has good bursts through the tackles and can make quick cuts at the line of scrimmage.  His 20 yard shuttle time was 5th at the combine for RB's, and was only .06 seconds slower than Christian McCaffrey who is listed as being almost 15 pounds lighter than his Clemson counter part.  Gallman has used that size to be a hard runner who always falls forward and fights for the extra yards.  He is noted as being trustworthy in fourth and short situations as well as goal line packages, which can be seen in his 28 rushing touchdowns over the past 2 seasons at Clemson.  The knocks on him are that he has trouble finding lanes and he slows down at times to try and find the hole.  He is not a shifty type back and has trouble moving in tight spaces, and his pass protection is average at best.  Scouts state that he may need large lanes to run through at the NFl level, and his pass catching ability is spotty.

So why waste a pick on a possible Matt Jones 2.0?  Because Matt Jones 1.0 may have fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, and they need another power back with a little extra.  Gallman's profile sounds like that of Rob Kelley, but he has a little more speed and quickness that can add an extra element to the Redskins running game.  His negatives are all somewhat ameliorated by the fact that the Redskins offense can provide big one cut lanes he needs when working properly.  Gallman also worked out of the shotgun a lot at Clemson, which may limit his ability as an every package type back but it could also make him an intriguing option on 3rd downs if given the proper coaching.  Gallman could push Matt Jones to either fix his fumbling issues or push him out of the depth chart all together.  Either way, it would add competition to a position that needed some new talent to invigorate it, and Gallman could eventually become a steady go-to option for the Redskins

Redskins Draft Special Round 5 (Pick 154)

The Redskins can finally be rid of the Derek Carrier trade after this pick.  The 49ers hold the Redskins 5th round pick this year (161st overall) because of the Carrier trade, but Scot McCloughan was smart enough to get that 5th rounder back.  The Redskins traded their 4th round pick last year to the Saints (who selected David Onyemata) for their 5th rounder last year (where we selected Matt Ioannidis) and this year which turned out to be 154th overall pick.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 5 (154th Overall Selection):  Devonte Fields    OLB    (Louisville)
Height: 6'2"   Weight: 236 lbs   40 yd: 4.72   Vert: 34"

The second player I propose the Redskins draft that has played for more than one FBS team.  Fields started his career off with a bang at TCU registering 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, which won him the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Award and a First Team All-Big 12 Nomination.  Things did not go so well for Fields after that.  He only played in three games the next season due to a foot injury.  Then he was robbed at gun point and had to face domestic violence charges when he allegedly punched his girlfriend and pointed a gun at her.  That case was eventually dismissed, but not before Fields was dismissed from TCU.  He would play one year of Junior College before transferring to Louisville in 2015 where he finished his career drama free this past season.  Fields's activities outside of football are major red flags, and there are a lot of questions about him when he does get on the field.

His production waned in 2016, and a lot of scouts point towards his apparent lack of effort as being the cause.  Fields is characterized as giving up on plays too easily and loafs when the play is not in his direction.  He also played significant time as a down lineman at Louisville, which he will not be able to do in the NFL due to his size.  He also gets overpowered very easily at the line of scrimmage.  So, after all of this, why should the Redskins draft him?  Because you do not get 26.5 sacks in 39 FBS games in the Big 12 and the ACC by accident.  Fields is a quick and agile defender who uses that ability to make quick changes of direction at the line of scrimmage to give him openings to the ball carrier or quarterback.  He can change direction quickly, which allows him to mirror scrambling quarterbacks and sack them before they can get away.  He is undersized, but some scouts say he has the potential to get bigger at the next level if he is willing to work.  His lack of production can be partially explained by teams running plays away from his side of the ball, as evidenced by his tape from the Florida State game this past season.  The negatives may outweigh the positives with Fields, but the Redskins could be a good fit for him.

If there is any position on the Redskins with a boon of leadership that could motivate a player it is the linebacking corps.  Between Ryan Kerrigan, Will Compton, and Mason Foster, Fields would have players around him that could push him to maximize his potential and have the NFL pedigree to back it up.  Kerrigan and Preston Smith will be the starters, but if one of them goes down are you confident in Trent Murphy and Zach Vigil's ability to get to the quarterback?  Exactly.  Fields would add pass rushing depth to the OLB position, and his ability to contain scrambling quarterbacks is enough to make him a valuable addition to the defense.  The fact that he will not need to start right away and he can learn from professionals like Kerrigan could give him the time he needs to develop into an NFL level talent.  Yes, his past and his apparent lack of motivation are concerning, but Fields's potential is something the Redskins need to take a flyer on with this 5th round pick.

Redskins Draft Special Round 6 (Pick 201)

Finally, the Redskins get to use a pick that was not involved in a trade and is at the beginning of the round.  The Redskins should take advantage of being able to pick high in the sixth round to add some depth.

Note: All scouting information comes from CBS Sports, NFL Combine Results Page, and the NFL Draft Tracker.

Round 6 (201st Overall Selection):  Connor Harris    ILB    (Lindenwood)
Height: 5'11"   Weight: 242 lbs   40 yd: 4.73   Vert: 33"

Lindenwood is a Division II school in St. Charles, Missouri that plays in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  Connor Harris was highly recruited, but received only one FBS scholarship from Kansas and that was after he committed to the Tigers.  Harris made a name for himself by becoming the NCAA's all time leading tackler with 633 career tackles.  He was also a First Team All-American and won the Cliff Harris Award in 2016 for being named the top defender in Division II, III, and NAIA.  Now, you probably have the Sandlot mentality right now about Harris's accolades, but he has skills that would warrant the Redskins taking him early in the sixth round. Harris is described as a high motor player who has tremendous leadership skills and the quickness to be in front of run plays and disrupt their timing.  He has a good burst to the ball, and has the quickness in space to cover running backs out of the backfield.  Harris finishes his tackles, he is noted as a linebacker who can play all three downs, and has experience playing QB, Safety, Running Back, and Punter throughout his football career.  There are questions about his production being a product of the level of competition, and his lack of length has caused him to be eaten up by bigger offensive lineman. Scouts note that he has trouble shedding blocks and is more of a straight line/downhill type tackler.  While his quickness is above reproach there may be issues with his speed at the NFL level.  His size and lack of experience with higher level athletes may be concerns, but Harris is someone the Redskins need on this roster.

Yes, the Redskins just signed Zach Brown to shore up the inside linebacker position, but it couldn't hurt to add depth there as well.  At the very least, Harris will add competition to that ILB group with his determined demeanor and level of work ethic.  While you can't coach him to be bigger or taller, you also cannot teach quickness.  Harris seems to have the quickness to be in the play and the determination to finish the play once he is there.  The fact that he can cover running backs coming out of the backfield should also have the Redskins praying that he falls to this spot.  The big issue with The Redskins defense last year was stopping the run and Harris's skills set is geared to do just that.  His leadership skills would also be a bonus to have in the locker room, and the Redskins should look to select Connor Harris if they have the chance.