Let Healing Begin for Redskins, Campbell

On Wednesday, word leaked that the Redskins were actively pursuing Jay Cutler. The Bears (the Bears!?) would eventually land him, which meant that a) Washington, perhaps for the first time in the Dan Snyder era, didn't outbid another team for a player's services, and b) the organization had some fence-mending to do with the guy caught in the middle of all this: incumbent quarterback Jason Campbell.

Yesterday I called Campbell the new Cutler because in publicly lusting after the Cutler, the Redskins would have to move Campbell to avoid the situation the Broncos found themselves after word leaked that they were interested in Matt Cassel.

With Cutler in Chicago and Campbell still in Washington ... well, let the healing begin! At least that's the front office's hastily-cobbled-together plan.

Concerned that Campbell could feel alienated, Redskins Coach Jim Zorn reached out to him yesterday ... Zorn reaffirmed his commitment to Campbell and said they were "in it together," Campbell said.

Campbell, Zorn, Cerrato and Snyder are expected to meet soon in an attempt to continue the healing process, sources close to Campbell said, with the team at some point planning to issue a statement of confidence in its former first-round draft pick, possibly as early as today. Snyder and Cerrato did not attempt to speak with Campbell yesterday while he was at the complex, Campbell said.

Wow, that's awkward. Luckily, that "statement of confidence" should fix everything.

To his credit, Campbell is handling the situation much better than the guy Snyder was trying to replace him with. "Jim [Zorn] was honest with me about the whole process and everything that went on, and you appreciate it when people tell you the truth," Campbell told the Washington Post. "I know Jim has been behind me and believes in me, and I have the support of my coaches and my teammates, and that's pretty much all you need..."

Campbell's right -- if your coaches and teammates are behind you, that's pretty much all that matters -- but I have to think that he's bothered by the talk that the team was willing to part with him for a second-round pick, and that Cutler would finally solve their quarterback issues. Who knows how he responds, but this much is certain: if Campbell gets off to a slow start and Cutler plays out of his mind early in the season, that's all we'll be hearing about. Well, that and the requisite calls for Colt Brennan.

Lost in all this? Eight games into the 2008 season, when the Redskins were sporting a nifty 6-2 record, Ron Jaworski called Campbell his "first-half MVP." That's high praise from a pretty smart dude. This isn't to suggest that Campbell's better than Cutler, just that maybe the quarterback position isn't the biggest obstacle between the Redskins and a championship.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-03-2009 @ 12:53PM

soulcitysigma1914 said...

Ryan,

Cutler isn't going to throw out of his mind w/ Chicago. That would require decent receivers; plus the Bears have never been one of those throw-happy finesse teams.

I do believe that Cutler shot himself in the foot w/ this. If Moose said Chicago is where receivers go to die, then it must be where Cutler-type quarterbacks go to be assassinated.

4-03-2009 @ 1:11PM

horatiowrd said...

Campbell should demand trade!!!! with any luck, every QB will have shifted by august.

lets see, Campbell goes to 49ers, but Panthers shop Delhomme, so Delhomme goes to Philly, but Browns shop Quinn, Quinn goes to Miami, but Oakland shops Russell, Russell goes to Skins, but Titans shop Young, Young goes to Bucs, but Seattle shop Hasselbeck, Hasselbeck goes to Browns, but St. Louis shop Bulger, Bulger goes to etc.

4-03-2009 @ 1:16PM

Adam said...

I think Campbell is pretty genuine about all this, and knows how to act like a professional. He's never given any of us reason to doubt that he will work hard and he does still want to be here. He, Zorn and the rest of the team had a good rapport, and apparently still do, and that's all that matters. The Redskins FO is a disaster as usual, and I'm sure the players know how Danny and Vinny are.

Except for Clinton Portis, all the players probably know they could be dealt or cut at any minute, not for personal reasons, not even for performance reasons, but just because Danny and Vinny have very little loyalty and love shiny new things.

4-03-2009 @ 3:27PM

Mark said...

I agree with adam and quite frankly this entire article is stupid. Campbell is classy and understands that crazy stuff happens in the NFL. All this did was add fuel to Campbell's fire and put the owners in check. I say this was a good thing for the team. So there is no need for healing, just because Cutler acted like a little kid does not mean Campbell is going to do the same thing. True skins fans know this is going to be Jason's break out year, he finally gets too work with a coach and the same playbook for more then a year. I would take Campbell over Cutler in 2009 all day.

4-03-2009 @ 3:59PM

ahnree said...

campbell is not that good, he doesn't have a case to feel sorry for himself. he is lucky to have a starting job. please people. he is slow on his feet and has the slowest release. i pissed we couldn't land cutler. bears paid to much for him.

4-03-2009 @ 4:28PM

I still take a position of skepticism when it comes to Campbell. I just wanted him to have one more opportunity, because if he can prove to be a great QB, this will be the year to do it. If not, then so be it, but I think he'll do it.

To say that he's 'not that good' is kind of dumb, and ignores the fact that he played great through the first half of the season. I didn't hear many people complain when we beat the Cards, Saints, Cowboys and Eagles in consecutive weeks. The 2nd half was largely due to the o-line getting worn out.

Portis didn't have too many good games the 2nd half of the season, but I don't hear people calling for his job. You gonna tell me that because CP's average went from 5.0 YPC in the first 8 games to 3.4 in the last 8 games, that he's no good? Please. The o-line broke down, Campbell was sacked like 50% more, he had no time to throw, and no QB is very good in that situation.

4-03-2009 @ 4:34PM

checka624 said...

ahnree, campbell slow on his feet? ACTUALLY campbell had the most rushing yards for a qb last year(or 2nd most), he might be a little slower than Tjack but he's a hell of alot better, and he's NOT slow on his feet. You have a case with his release, but that;s gotten better. but to say campbell is slow on his feet just shows everyone you are stupid.

4-03-2009 @ 4:52PM

Checha624....calling people stupid is your ignorance. campbell is the slowest drop back QB on the planet. it takes him forever to do to any 3-7 step drop back. he is SLOW MENTALLY also, his reads are always to late and he forces the ball to high for our small receivers. that is why zorn put in the west coast / slow thinkers offense for him because he still can't read the 2-3 receiver. he sucks checka. we have a bottom of the league passing offense. this is his last year in DC, wait and see, Colt will get playing time after we start out 3-6.

4-03-2009 @ 6:14PM

azncuzin202 said...

ahnree, your argument makes no sense whatsoever. so if Jason Campbell has a slow arm, a slow mental capacity for reading defenses , and is the slowest 3-7 step drop back qb in the world, does that mean you would prefer a qb such as the likes of vince young or sage rosenfels? also, what do you know about arm strength??? Granted Campbell needs to work on his release(which has improved significantly over the course of the season) but he still has an undoubtedly stronger arm than Colt Brennan or a Chad Pennington and Brennan has got issues of his own in his throwing motion as well. As for why the skins were last in passing offense, lets see you try to pass for 4,000 yards and 30 tds knowing that you will get sacked 4-6 times during the course of the game. this was what happened in the second half of the season when the offensive line started to become worn out rendering Campbell hopeless when facing blitzes. Jay Cutler on the hand was sacked a mere freakin 11 times this season because of an amazing offensive line and he didn't even have a running game to backup on. Bottom line: We need to fortify the offensive line instead of blaming it on the qb.

4-03-2009 @ 5:13PM

actually checka62, he was 5th in rushing for a qb which nevertheless is still VERY good. Personally though, i am glad that Jason Campbell is our quarterback not Jay "crybaby" Cutler. also, keeping Campbell for another year is more a settling proposition than trading him away and not knowing whether or not he would've been that franchise qb that we expected him to be.

4-03-2009 @ 6:19PM

jeremiah said...

Colt Brennan is the guy for the job and the redskins need to realize that. everyone saw Colts ability to sling the ball and move the team down the field and demoralize defences. all the "experts" said its because he was playing against second and thrid string defences, but he was playing also playing with second and third string offenceive players. Colt shattard Campbells preseason stats without the star studed starting offence that Campbell gets to lead down the field. If Colt shined in preseason he should have got the chance to see if he could run the offence. I remember after the first preseason game Colt threw two TDs and was over 70% comp. with over 150 passing yards and Zorn trash talked him. Zorn said "he did ok but the game is played with these kind of thorws" and that he doesnt like Colts side arm release and doesnt like that he tends to move out of the pocket, really? come on thats the stupidest thing i ever heard. if you can move the ball and score TDs who cares how you throw the ball as long as your producing. then Colts PT slowly deminished and Zorn whould rather run the ball with Colt in at QB. look at future hall of famer Brett Farve and even resentley pursued QB Jay Cutler both have side arm release. i think a the side arm release is the new era QB because whats a QB going to do when a big defenceive lineman is coming stright at you with his hands up, are they just going to throw it right at his hands and risk tip pass into a INT or sidearm the pig skin right by him. also Campbell and Brennan both had to learn Zorns first year offence and Colt flat out out did Campbell. So why was Colt sitting on the bench as a Thrid string? you cant say Colt is confused on how to run the offence. sorry Campbell you ran the west coast offence in college so you should understand it, so its fair to say you cant use the learning curve as an excuse anymore.

4-03-2009 @ 10:59PM

Michael said...

I don't see why they're trying to ditch Campbell. He's a good quaterback...not great...but good enough for our team. I don't know why a lot of people don't realize that the thing the Redskins need is a better offensive line. All the guys are old; it showed at the end of the season when they tired out and let Campbell get sacked out of his mind. Campbell was solid at the beginning of the season...no interceptions for the first couple of games. But when the offensive line started wearing out, so did Campbell's numbers. Get a new O-Line you tards.

4-04-2009 @ 1:28AM

Aaron said...

The problem is with the offensive line, its getting old and Chris Samuels, the lone standout was banged up all year and missed the last five games or so. The Redskins could use a better center and maybe a guard. I think they should pick the best o lineman in the draft. The defense is overall solid, and if the o line performs well this season the team will be 12-4. I also think that getting Plaxico Burress would be a smart move by Snyder. Jason Campbell could youse a quick tall wide reciever. Campbell is going to be a lot more comfortable in Zorn's system. Hopefully nothing comes of this Cutler thing, no thanks to Snyder.

4-04-2009 @ 3:19PM

majorhana said...

look people -- get with the program. i've said it once, i've said it a million times. Campbell gets us to the RED ZONE, C-O-L-T gets us IN the END ZONE.

This is a no brainer people, it's all about Colt, the sooner the brilliant Skins brass get this through their NFL Mastermind heads -- the sooner we will ever have a prayer at another Super Bowl.

4-05-2009 @ 1:36PM

what the hell is Bryon Leftwich doing in DC. why would the Redskins want him as a back up. they have Brennan and Collins backing up Campbell why on earth would they be looking in to add a fourth and just cause more problems for that position. like i said before if they want a change a QB that bad put in COLT! plus if Bryon comes in hes going to have to learn the west coast offence which takes years to master and Bryon isnt getting any younger. Colt knows the west coast the best hes ran it all four years at Hawaii and showed he knows it better then Campbell and Collins in preseason. put in Colt and dont bother wasting your time in trying to develop Byron because you have two young QB's that already know it. so just keep helping them master it and not watse your time starting all over from nothing.

4-05-2009 @ 5:47PM

John Barry said...

You are a joke and clearly know absolutely nothing about football. First off, it's Byron not Bryon. Second, Colt Brennan is going to be a career NFL backup. In college he played against poor competition except for in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, and how did he do against a team with actual NFL prospects on defense? Exactly. Preseason is preseason, and according to your logic we should be starting Marcus Mason over Clinton Portis since he outperformed him.

4-06-2009 @ 1:26AM

Clearly your the joke. if Colt is going to be a career back up and they still have Todd Collins who finished up the 07 season to get the Skins to the play offs, then why would the Skins sing a fourth string QB? Byron was a starter for the Jags and just got realeased from the world champion Steelers. so what do you think the cap hit on him is going to be smart guy? like you said they have two capable back ups, so why would the need a third? as far as the sugar bowl gos, your right they played power house georgia with with NFL PROSPECTS, how many nfl prospects did Hawaii have? thats right a big fat 0 and he still lead the team to a undefeated season with no players around him. every team has to lose at least one. look at USC they get favored to blow out teams and lose to oragon or the patriots they killed every team and lost in the super bowl. so you put Colt on a team with stars around him like the Redskins and watch the fire works my friend and he proved it in preseason, playing against the same type of players who were nfl prospect in college so please explain how he played so well with people around him that were all nfl prospects apose to in Hawaii when he had none. Jason Campbell went to Auburn with nfl prospect all around him and he still needed to run the ball to pick up first downs because he could make the right reads in college and when Al Sanders came in and told him to stay in the pocket he strugled and still continues to pick up first down in the nfl. as far as Mason gos he only out performed him is because he he had more carries then him and proved he can run the ball without turning it over. Betts in the 06 season turned over the when Portis went down at key points in the game that were game changing and ended up with losses after the game. also Betts is a east to west runner apose to Mason who is faster who likes to run down field and get yards. so Mason should have had a chance to at least fight for 2nd string but Betts was hurt all preseason so Mason got cut to make roster. please please get some more facts before you try to trash talk someone else other then look at what they did in college look at Reggie Bush in each nat. championship game he did nothing on the ground compared to Lendale White. so if playing in bowl games against nfl prospects decides how youll do in the pros why would Bush go ahead of White if White holds the record for most carrer rushing TDs at USC? sooo clearly you dont know what your talking about or anything about football. if preseason was preseason then why did the Cardinals bench Matt Linheart after that horrible showing of this past season with two of the best WRs in the game, ill tell you because owners want to win and that means playing the best players that get the job done. they need to focus on getting a linebacker or some younger o line players not signing a forth string QB. they already have a QB controversy going on and they dont need to add more fule to that fire bc they need to focus on who is going to be the leader of that offence. everyone knows that the QB is always the leader of a team and obviously they dont think Jason Campbell is that guy thats why the wanted to trade him for Cutler and wont give him a contract extention bc clearly he isnt that leader. fanhouse already stated Brennan is going to get a chance to fight for number 2 QB so if he takes that job and Campbell cant get it together it looks like Brennan is next in line so Campbell gos to number 2 and Collins is number 3 and where does Byron fit in mr expert?

4-06-2009 @ 4:23PM

SkinnedAlive said...

ok jeremiah and all you colt brennan fans for the last time, ill prove why hes NOT the qb of the future.

first thing colt is TO SMALL FOR QB granted hes listed at 6'1 but ive met him in person and im 6'3 and3/4 i still looked down when speaking with him...hes a lil smaller than listed also his weight says 205-210 hes lucky to make 200lbs.

NO small qb EVER won anything period. yes every now and again theres a doug flutie but c'mon.

second he ran THE RUN N SHOOT IN COLLEGE NOT THE WEST COAST. and only 2 qbs come to mind that ever had gr8 results from it...warren moon,jim kelly...thats it!

the run n shoot was the first variation of the west coast but it so outdated...except for college and high school where students cant put in the time to learn a FULL WEST COAST SYS.

jc is not the prob as you jeremiah have pointed out...our new wr's had better step up this yr. and please draft an OL like oher or smith one of them should be there...or trade down with det. or new eng. and get mauluga cushing or clay matthews a lil later and still get another draft pic....but that would be in a perfect world.

go easy on me colt lovers i live in houston so know i fight the good fight ALL YR LONG ROUND HERE! LOL

HTTR!

4-06-2009 @ 7:42PM

Even if Colt is to "small" that doesnt mean that he shouldnt get a chance to start. look all around the leauge at small QB's that start Tony Romo, Drew Breez, Jeff Garcia, David Garrard and even Michel Vick when he played, all were 6'0 if not 6'1. if you would brushed up on your history or even new a little bit about football you wouldnt have said no "small" QB ever one anything, ill list some super bowl champs and con. champs all under 6'0, Sonny Jurgensen, Y.A. Tittle, Charly Trippi, Sammy Baugh, Fran Tarkenton and Benny Friedman. i thought football was life in texas id expect someone who lived there to know better. and if the run n shoot offence is just a outdated version of the west coast, all you need to do is just update the player. its just like AOL, itunes, limewire or anyother computer program all you need to do is update the software. i learned the west coast offence playing ball in college, all it is is being able to take one play and running it out of ten different formations and being able to tweak a play by hot routeing a WR, TE or RB. one thing we both know is the Redskins have made up there mind that Campbell is NOT the QB of the future, thats why they were looking to trade him. so if they Redskins have no faith in him why keep him in and throw away game do to the fact that the QB cant convert on third down? Colt finds wide open guys, makes the right reads, and threads the niddle with damn near perfect throws, AKA hes a play maker. im a Redskins fan first and if we have a QB who isnt winning games and we have a play maker on the bench, if im Zorn im putting in Colt to help me look better so i dont lose my job. as soon as people start looking over game film and trying to figure out why the Redskins are loseing games. they will see the games that were lost were the games were Zorn put the ball in Campbell hands to pick up the first down and he couldnt convert. like MAJORHANA said Campbell gets us to the RED ZONE, Colt get us in the END ZONE.

4-07-2009 @ 12:28AM

ok your comparing apples to oranges...ol sunny j,slingin sammy ya title...uh was the ave man 5'9 back in the 30-60s? 6 foot was a giant in those days and yes all them were 6' or a lil more..back then thats like having a 6'4 or 6'5 these days...and none of them ran a west coast either.

listen to me bro...as many dropped passes i seen antwaan and many others jc stats would be SOOO much better.

yes the endzone thing i fully agree with! but how many first and goals did we have and we couldnt run it in either!

jc is not the prob here i remember atleast 5 tds jc threw called back on illegal motion or holding some crap like that prolly more i cant recall them all!

AND TONY ROMO IS 6'2 LOL GERRARD IS 6'4!

AND WHAT HAS HOMO hehehe;) what i like to callem
and gerrard or even jeff garcia won?

last time i checked nothing bro.

colt would never stand up to the poundin of our div. let alone the extra games too.

one last stat NOT 1 QB UNDER 6'1 HAS WON A SUPERBOWL IN THE LAST 20YRS

the only faults jc has is he tends to hold it too long and please for once can you please hit moss in stride on deep routes! there were 3 or 4 of them last yr that would put 6 on the board but he had to hold up and wait for it.

othe than that jc your a class act all the way and your words exemplify your character, im proud to call you a skin and always will be no matter what happens with you!

HAIL!