Cousins

[hands11]

I don't have a fickled mind, W2L. Shanahan does IMO. He potentially created a bad situation. At the very least he's ruined the immediate future of Kirk Cameron. The backup QB will not get snaps in practice with Rex Grossman #2 on the depth chart.

Did Atlanta ruin Brett Favre while having Pro Bowler Chris Miller on the roster?

Did Green Bay ruin Mark Brunell while having Brett Farve on the roster?

Did Green Bay ruin Matt Hasselbeck while having Brett Farvre on the roster?

Did Atlanta ruin Matt Schaub while having Michael Vick on the roster?




Look CCJ, Robert Griffin IS the quarterback of the present and the future.

You think Shanny gave up a record number of draft picks only to go with Cousins?

Young sat behind Montana for years.

[hands11]

Ruz, I don't know football that well at all. You obviously do. I was wrong about Aikman. You were right.

My intuition is that Shanahan plays favorites. Cousins will be his favorite. Griffin won't. There will be a controversy.

This can't be a serious comment! I refuse to believe it. No way, no how. Your just trying to be oppositional, for the sake of having something to do.

Nope, I'm on to you CCJ. Nope, Nope, Nope.

Sometimes I do just like to stir the pot, but not this time.

I really don't get using that pick for a QB, MDStar. I'm also wondering about Shanahan. This time last year, he was down with Grossman and Beck. That after him riding McNabb out of town. When Shanny had faith in Rex, I wondered based on Rex's INTs and past. I saw a double standard very obvious to me when Rex appeared to be chunky. I don't know what the calipers said or whatever body fat indicator said, but I remember Shanahan accusing McNabb of being too out of shape to run the offense. He never, very questioned Rex's conditioning. Just seemed to me Mike had his guys.

I said I don't know football because it is not my passion. I don't want to do a Skip Bayless, so let me qualify myself first. I was a bench guy on my varsity team. My team DID ALSO win a state championship, but I QUIT because I thought I was better than a guy the coach brought in before me. This same coach obviously knew what he was doing. I regret being more about self and not team. I was wrong to quit. I wish my dad or someone had been around at that point to tell me to stick with it. But what I didn't like was who got to play and who didn't. Somethings seemed to be black and white to me. I actually was chastised for hitting my teammates too hard in practice.

MDStar, I'm tired of this topic but brought it up just to plant the seed. Not of doubt. Just of concern. At the very least, I don't see having two rookies in camp.

Ruz, I do remember the name Steve Walsh. I know Aikman was hugely successful, and think Steve Walsh had a career commensurate with what he should have had. THE ONE THING I KNOW is you cannot tell me Griffin III is a better NFL QB than Cousins FOR SURE because they haven't taken a snap.

The problem I have is why bring anyone in if you don't care what their best is? Put Cousins on the shelf as a collection piece or trade him.

Damn CJJ. That is kind of freaky. I went through the same thing and did the same thing and regret it for the same reasons. I really wish someone would have sat me down and got me to stick with it instead just walking away just so I could enjoy my summer more at the beach. But my folks didn't really want me playing to begin with. You know the type. Over protective. They didn't want us on motor bike or skies, etc so playing football wasn't something that was supported. Hell, my father says he didn't even know I played. Hard for me to imagine that but he was a clueless prick so I guess it could be true. But I am surprised my brother didn't get on me more about it since he played all the way through. I'll have to ask him about that.

I was actually pretty good. I was a fast. Top 3 on the team so I was a WR, QB, Head hunter, Safety.

My biggest problem was I had never played organized ball before HS so I was way behind. Specially learning all the QB stuff when I started not know the difference between a guard and a tackle. lol

[hands11]

Only way this becomes a controversy is if RGIII isn't any good.

Or, if Shanahan thinks Cousins is better than RGIII at any point in the next 2-3 years.

But what wrong with bringing in a guy who is a rookie who can be your back up next year. Someone you can groom who has some talent. QBs get hurt every year so why not have two that you like and not over pay for the second one. There is no future in having Rex as the back up while Cousins could be the back up for the next 3 years. If things go the best they can, he is a really good talent and in 3 years you trade him. In the mean time, you are saving money on your back up next year so you can use that money on something else you need.

In the old days, team used to groom a QB before they played. I see no problem in taking Cousins. And it isnt bad for him. Not like it was likely he was going to start for another team if he was drafted in the 4th. If we didn't take him to sit on our bench, some other team would have done the same.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The 4th round may have been a bit of a reach for a back-up QB(especially with so many assets given up for RG3), but I don't think the move is terrible. If the move looks bad, it will be most likely because RG3 is a top QB and playing every game.

However some top QBs have missed 20%+ of their games(Schuab and Romo). Do the Skins want the top option to be Grossman in his mid-30s? Do they want the season to be over for the team if it is for the starting QB? Another advantage of a competent back-up QB, is it gives the back-up offensive players quality practice reps. This is likely more important for them than it is for the starters, who get lots of game experience.

As far as an opportunity for Cousins, I think DC is a pretty good one. He doesn't have to look over his shoulder about making the roster. And with Grossman's age and track record, he seems to have a pretty clear path to being the #2 QB on what is hopefully a good team. His development obviously won't be the focus, but it probably is helpful having the team developing another QB at the same time.

Also it seems the Skins are not so attached to him that they are willing to deal him when a good opportunity comes up. He may not get much game time, but I think starting next season he sees a fair amount of preseason action(I think RG3 gets as much as possible this year).

I think with the new rookie scale, this should be less of an issue but I wonder if avoiding a hold-out by RG3 was part of the rationale for picking another QB.

I feel a lot better about the QB situation after reading this, verbal8.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Only way this becomes a controversy is if RGIII isn't any good.

Or, if Shanahan thinks Cousins is better than RGIII at any point in the next 2-3 years.

But what wrong with bringing in a guy who is a rookie who can be your back up next year. Someone you can groom who has some talent. QBs get hurt every year so why not have two that you like and not over pay for the second one. There is no future in having Rex as the back up while Cousins could be the back up for the next 3 years. If things go the best they can, he is a really good talent and in 3 years you trade him. In the mean time, you are saying money on your back up next year so you can use that money on something else you need.

In the old days, team used to groom a QB before they played. I see no problem in talking Cousins. And it isnt bad for him. Not like it was likely he was going to start for another team if he was drafted in the 4th. If we didn't take him to sit on our bench, some other team would have done the same.

hands11, I can see your point about bringing Cousins along slowly. No harm in that, and in possibly trading Cousins later. Like verbal8, you have demonstrated that this might not be a terrible thing for Cousns' career.

Didn't comment on the post above, but back when I was in HS my parents split up. At the time, I really wan't trying to listen to my dad. He didn't abandon us, but I was glad when he left because I was afraid one night he was going to come back in and my mom, who had a drinking problem back then, was going to kill him. My dad was an army pilot and not to slander him but IMO I think himself, his career, his friends, and the women in his life (who he didn't think anybody knew about) were more important to him than his family. Some of my anger was for the pain he put her through -- but I only really knew my mom's side of the story then. She was home. Also, it seemed like my dad was pretty critical of me. hands, how you described your dad ... roger that.

It's funny, but if my dad had been as honest then or at least as loving then as he is now some 30+ years later, who knows. We could have been a lot closer and I probably wouldn't have had the issues with anger that popped up from time to time. (My childhood featured more than a few fights). My son is only 12 but he wants to be an NFL player. I feel blessed to be someone he respects and listens to. Fortunately for me and my Dad, he's lived long enough for us to mend fences.

My dad is my best friend. Like me, he's still got some jerk in him, but I love the old man. I have to choose to accept the things he doesn't feel or doesn't seem to know how to show. But thanks to what he DIDN'T give me when I was young, I can give that TIME with LOVE and PATIENCE to my kids.

[Ruzious]

With a hard slotting system in place, why would anyone hold out?

[doclinkin]

They wouldn't. V8's other points are valid. Consider also, for all that we traded away a pick or two to select a franchise QB, I'd complain less about mis-used picks if they were scanty and rare resources. But with this regime they haven't been. Last year's draft haul the Skins selected 12 players, with pretty good track record of value for pick. Every single player they drafted saw time on the field last year, some played surprisingly well, better than expectations on draft day.

Shanny is notorious for bringing up rooks slowly, but though we had a losing team that the talent they selected was skilled enough to make the field in year one says something positive about the judgement of the front office and scouts. Consider past years when high profile, high round selections, were burned and cut by the end of training camp.

This ain't no Vinny Cerrato era. To me, if they see something in this kid (reports suggest for their system they saw him as the 3rd best QB in the draft) then no big deal if they hear hullaballoo from the naysaysers and doom cryers.

Consider too in retrospect this was basically a free pick since they traded down to rack up extra late-round picks for extra late-round system-fit Linemen. And still clearly got guys they targeted to fit their system (fast footed zone blocking guys). Seven rounds of the draft, the Skins had 9 picks. Even after trading some away.

When is the last time the skins selected more than 7 picks in back to back years? Never? Pre-Snyder I'm pretty sure.

To me the relative (early, prodigal) success of last year's draft class means AFAIC ShannAllen front office gets a free pass on draft day until we see what these new puppies can do. Cuz included. The only point i hear repeated has to do with timing: two rookies at once selected, OMFG!!!11!!

Look at some point you have to groom a back-up for your team, if you hope to contend, best to do it early. Look at last year. Hell look at the history of the team going back to who... Brad Johnson? Do we count Mark Brunell as a decent QB for us? In the Snyder era we've always run around with our checkbook out looking to fill the slot of the QB with some big name hasbeen. Or we trade away draft picks to pull in a guy who doesn't fit our system, either way. You telling me you like that approach bettter than to select a system fit and coach him up slow on the cheap?

Injuries happen. RG3's ability to run may occasionally expose him to potential injury. Imagine the team is in contention late season and he suffers a strained whatnot, prognosis: out for two weeks while he undergoes a routine whatnotectomy. The Cuzzo kid comes in and manages the game well, less dynamic, but accurate, smart, good misdirection on his looks down field, making the right checkdowns on progressions. RG3 comes back, we win, superbowl, yay. Now come the offseason: how much would you want in draft pick compensation for the guy who kept your season alive?

I'm confident RG3 will make this a non-issue. If Kirk plays well, as well, seems to me that's a good thing.

[verbal8]

I'm confident RG3 will make this a non-issue. If Kirk plays well, as well, seems to me that's a good thing.

It looks like that has happened already.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutd ... 05151.html

Shanahan, who's been mentoring quarterbacks for decades, has struggled to find his next franchise guy since John Elway retired in the late 1990s after two straight Super Bowl wins for the Denver Broncos. So far, so good – Shanahan expected to be impressed with RGIII's athleticism, but it's the ability to put things together in a playbook sense that has the coach at ease. Grossman is the veteran backup, and Cousins (taken in the fourth round of this year's draft in a move that many found vexing) is the long-term project. That leaves room at the top for one man.

[hands11]

This is awesome. Love it.

Done to basics. I'm looking forward to this year like I haven't in a long time. Not just because of the new QB. That is part of it. I think they were already a good team. They needed a couple more pieces and I think they got them. Now its time to watch them grow over the next few years.

Of four stages of rebuild. I think this is stage 3 for the Skins.

We will now if the Wizards are at stage 3 after the draft. Right now they are at the tail end of stage 2.

[penbeast0]

Whew . . . clicked on this thread by accident. Had been avoiding it because I didn't want to see another CCJ shrine to DeMarcus Cousins. I feel much better now.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

[hands11]

Its what we have to do to have an underground Redskins thread

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Cousins is damn good value in the 4th round. He won't come close to RG3. Anyone who thinks it'll actually affect him is kidding themselves. In three years we'll flip Cousins for a 2nd or 3rd.

Looks close to me.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Kirk. Not Demarcus, Gotcha!



Kirk Cousins reminds me of Drew Brees. He looks fiery and serious and sincere. Boogie Gousins has swag. I've always liked his style, even when he loses it. I thought he would be okay and I'm glad to see him having a good NBA career. Nice tie. But about KIRK Cousins ...

Forget the controversy. Shanahan looks like a damned genius today!

Kirk Cousins is legit. That guy has the Skins heading to the playoffs. NFC East leader, 8-6.

[AFM]

Good to see you admit when you were wrong...

[Severn Hoos]

I think the price just went up to a 1st rounder. If no one offers (minimum top half of 2nd round), keep Kirk as the backup for the next 3 years.

Arizona, Buffalo, KC, Philly, Cleveland - can't see any of them giving up a top 15 pick, so it'd have to be their 2nd. Still, I'd consider it.

Has anyone checked with Mel Kiper lately to see if he's changed his opinion of the Redskins taking a QB in the 4th Round after picking a franchise QB in the 1st?

[Higga]

He's a baller.

We have two good QBs. Most teams don't have one.

[closg00]

Also shows that talent can be found even late Ernie.

[Higga]

Also shows that talent can be found even late Ernie.

And that injuries aren't an excuse if you actually know how to build a quality roster.

Take notes Ernie, because the other GMs in Washington are putting on clinics in team building.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Remember when I said Kirk would compete for RG3's job, and there would be a quarterback controversy?

That, and that I thought Demarcus Cousins is better than John Wall.

The board is pretty dead. Haters and others what say you now?