No Middle Ground for Redskins Anymore

The Redskins accomplished two things on the opening day of free agency: they signed three talented players that will immediately be expected to play key roles. And they killed any chance at having a "decent" season.

Washington will either be very, very good or very, very disappointing -- there is no possibility of simply meeting expectations. Why? Well, when you fork over $180 million for 13.6 percent of your team's starting lineup, you do so with the goal of winning the Super Bowl. Nothing less will be acceptable, not after this.

The centerpiece of all these raised hopes, of course, is Albert Haynesworth, who is the proud new owner of the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history. When he's been healthy and motivated, Haynesworth has been one of the most dominant players in the league, and he'll have to be that guy in D.C. because, well, you don't shill out nine-figure contracts for so-so efforts.

"With the contract, it's going to be all on me," Haynesworth said at his first Washington press conference. "My goal is to be the best player on the field and to eventually get to that Hall of Fame status and be mentioned with Reggie White and Bruce Smith and all the greats."

Of course, we've seen this dance before in the nation's capital. Do the names Adam Archuleta, Jeff George or Deion Sanders mean anything to you? If you're a Redskins fan, they probably do. All of those guys stand as examples of when Washington owner Dan Snyder opened the pocketbook without really thinking. All of those players endured disastrous runs as Redskins.

So you can forgive the Redskin faithful if they watched with a cautious eye on Friday.

Cautious, ironically, just happens to be the one word you can't use to describe Snyder's work so far. I mean, a six-year, $54 million deal for DeAngelo Hall -- a guy that has already played himself out of Atlanta and Oakland -- is at the opposite extreme of cautious. Like somewhere around foolhardy.

It's hard not to think that Washington drove the price up on itself here, because it's hard to believe there was a $9 million-a-year market out there for Hall. Regardless, he must perform to that standard.

And guard Derrick Dockery, the third guy that Snyder added on Friday, must perform as well. His five-year, $26 million deal doesn't even get him in the same monetary ballpark as Hall, let along Daddy Warbucks Haynesworth. It's still a huge amount of dough for an offensive lineman – let alone an offensive lineman who was just days ago a salary cap casualty in Buffalo after an average 2008.

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LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)

David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images

Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )

Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images

A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

Lucas Jackson, Reuters

Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)

Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)

Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP

West Virginia guard Darryl Bryant (25) is fouled by Providence guard Jeff Xavier (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. West Virginia won 86-59. (Don Wright, AP)

Don Wright, AP

Missouri's DeMarre Carroll, top, celebrates the Tigers' 62-60 win over Kansas in Columbia, Missouri, Monday, February 9, 2009. (Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT)

Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT

David Clarkson #23 of the New Jersey Devils fights Erik Reitz #4 of the New York Rangers during their game on February 9, 2009 at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Al Bello, Getty Images)

Al Bello, Getty Images

Driver Patrick Sheltra (60) begins to spin coming out of the fourth turn during the ARCA 200 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.

Darryl Graham, AP

Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives serves the ball, in this multiple exposure, to Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic during their Fed Cup tennis match in Brno February 7, 2009.

Petr Josek, Reuters

That's not important now. All that matters now, once the ink dries and the checks clear, is that Washington has just raised the bar as a franchise again. In itself, that's not an easy task, given the rabidity of Redskin Nation and the constant anticipation of hugely successful seasons. The type of glory yearned for by those fans, though, has rolled through the nation's capital less and less.

Still, almost every year, the organization renews hope with moves similar to these.

The pressure is going to be boundless in 2009. Every Haynesworth, Hall and Dockery performance be scrutinized, but they are not alone. Can Clinton Portis finally stay healthy for an entire year? Is Jason Campbell ready to take that next big step toward becoming a frontline quarterback? Will Jim Zorn win games?

Every question looms large over this team now, because every question and every challenge must be answered swiftly and forecefully by the Redskins.

There's no "Wait 'til next year." Washington must get the job done in 2009 -- as of Friday, there are 180 million reason why.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-28-2009 @ 11:15AM

Redskins0492 said...

With campbell at QB, winning comes hard.

2-28-2009 @ 11:30AM

eazzye49 said...

And i suppose you have somebody else? Let me guess you are Colt Brennan fan

2-28-2009 @ 11:18AM

Noah said...

your a pric

2-28-2009 @ 11:26AM

Ryan said...

ok im a not a campbell fan. i will admit when he plays bad just as much as any guy. but u can not blame him for anything or scrutinize him at all. He has to endure so much and he has done decent given all his hardships...he had to deal with the lack of a true # 1 receiver, many different offenses, and worst of all a horrible line that caused him to get rid of the ball way to quick, he had men in his face all day and he was getting hit time after time. so if he ever has a decent line and some offensive stability i can see him excelling even without that standout wide receiver.

2-28-2009 @ 11:28AM

Adam said...

Last year was a fluke by not going crazy in free agency and actually have a substantial draft class. This year, we're back to Danny Ball, but I expect for us to trade down in the draft, so we might get a few guys anyway. I'm hoping for a new center and a couple linebackers.

2-28-2009 @ 12:22PM

Bradu2 said...

Idk.....i think Haynesworth will make everyone on the D better and if we get Rey Manulga....I swear are D would ATLEAST be # 2 i mean....we were # 4 with no pass rush....were gona have a sick D...I still beleive in J-Camp but if he doesn't perform this year then i think we need to cut him or maybe try Colt Brennan he had a great pre season....but then again so did Marcus Mason and we cut him after being the leading rusher in the Preseason....He had 500 yards in 4 GAMES!

2-28-2009 @ 12:39PM

yea i think are d will easily challenge the steelers and i think we will now surpass the ravens. and yea this is definatley campbells do or die year and i love colt brennan but i want to see him play the first quarter of some pre-season games to see if he is for real against legit starters. b\c i think he can be. and yea i love rock to death but i think we should of kept mason instead. i think mason could of made a good return man and we need to get randle el away from punt returning he is just not that good. but i am worried to see how are punting and kicking game does cuz it seems like we struggle there every year and field goals and field position wins and loses the close ones

2-28-2009 @ 1:02PM

Chris said...

The skins made big strides yesterday in my opinion. unlike the HUGE free agent busts good ol daniel snyder has signed in recent years haynesworth is still pretty young (not even 28 yet) and is going into his prime of his career. he will no doubt at least draw double teams and free up plays for our ends (didnt jason taylor used to be good?) and for our lb's. regardless of who we get to fill in for marcus washington, london fletcher is a beast and rocky is a beast in waiting, and haynesworth will make them even better. the free agent deals that weve had that failed were for old, past their prime players ahem* cough* dana stubblefield, deion and the list goes on (i dont even wanna talk about archuleta). as far as d hall goes, he was by far the best playmaker in our secondary once he joined the team and unlike carlos and fred he can catch an interception if it comes to him. and with our aging line dockery was a solid pickup, joe bugel said a couple years ago that dock could be one of the all time greats. he now has a chance to prove him right.

2-28-2009 @ 1:49PM

BlueStarDude said...

Derrick Dockery was worse than average last year. He allowed 8.25 sacks, had 2 false starts, and 2 holds -- that might be acceptably average for an offensive tackle, but not a guard.

2-28-2009 @ 3:47PM

yea but did dockery have a fumble recovery and then fumle that led to a touchdown that led to a loss that led to a big reason we didn't make the playoffs...no. Way to go Pete "i think im a runningback" kendall

3-02-2009 @ 10:02AM

DeeDubb said...

How the hell does somebody average 8.25 sacks given up? Also, feel free to site the resource where you got these stats. "BlueStarDude"...something tells me a Brokeback fan giving stats on a former Bills' guard to "expose" him doesn't add up.

Worry about your own team pal.

3-15-2009 @ 4:31PM

The stats are from Stats.com. Why do you have to be a sh!t about it?

3-03-2009 @ 11:25AM

Dan Jimenez said...

Snyder did not spend nobody's money but his. He is a guy who wants to win and has the willingness and wherewithal to do so. Of course there is no guarantee that spending $180M will result in victories and super bowl. But Snyder should not be faulted for trying. For a fan, that's all that's expected of an owner. And for you all knowing critics and sports writers, when was the last time you forked $180M?