Courtesy: ESPN,cim
After an awful and long season, the Washington Redskins finished 3-13, worst in the NFC. This was a giant fall from being the NFC East Divisional champs in 2012.
A big question for Washington is: what happen? Hopefully, Washington can address all its problems this off season, before the start of the 2013-14.
One gigantic issue was Head Coach, Mike Shanahan who was at the helm of the Redskins for four years and finished with a record of 24-40 being before being fired after the Redskins final loss to the Giants. He may of won two Super Bowls in Denver, but his success did not carry over to his career in Washington, with a tenuous relationship with Dan Snyder and RGIII, he was the odd man out.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
Washington has already has made moves to go about fixing its head coaching problem. The franchise recently hired Jay Gruden, former Offensive Coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and brother to former Head Coach (and Super Bowl champion) John Gruden. Hopefully he will be able to set a new pace in D.C., as he developed the Bengals into a top offensive unit the past several years.
The Redskins may have had a bad season, but their roster is still littered with talent. This off season, it is essential that they re-sign important names; though there were defensive problems, DeAngelo Hall should be retained in Washington. He is currently their best secondary player; Hall is a quality player and always makes big plays, including three defensive touchdowns last season, four interceptions and three forced fumbles.
The team needs to find a productive linebacker to fill London Fletcher’s void, since he has finally retired, leaving the roster of a team leader and tackling machine to man the middle of the defense. Washington’s defense also needs upgrades at the safety and secondary positions. If the Redskins do not re-sign Brian Orakpo, they will need to sign a productive defensive end to replace the two-time Pro Bowler.
Courtesy: Washington Times
Washington’s offense was a huge failure last season as well, only averaging 234.4 passing yards per game. RGIII needs to become a better passer but also needs better options, whether in the draft or free agency, Washington needs to upgrade its wide-out position, to spread things out for the dynamic QB.
Recently, Kirk Cousins opened up about a desire to play for another team. Last season did not show increased developments for Cousins, but he still has some market value. He has the skill set to potentially start somewhere in the NFL; Cousins is the Redskins best trade chip and should return much more than the fourth round pick he was selected with, just two seasons ago.
The Redskins need to forget about last year and embrace a new season, with a new coach and a new scheme. Washington will need to make all the proper moves to building a winning team and getting rid of Shanahan was the first step. They have the benefit of no longer being cash strapped by a penalty from the NFL for the Albert Haynesworth signing during an uncapped season.
