NFL FanHouse

Chris Cooley Is Selling an Adrian Peterson Autographed Rookie Card on eBay

Michael David Smith — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:22:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Vikings, Minnesota, Washington, DC

If you go to eBay right now you can bid on an autographed rookie card of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. No surprise there.

But it is a little surprising that the seller, identified as cooley717523, is none other than Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley. Cooley explains on the Shutdown Corner blog that he has always loved football cards, and he and his wife are now becoming collectors and sellers:

At home with hundreds of cards, we decided that it would be fun to create our own account on eBay and sell them. We tried to take great pictures and then describe the cards. Christy wants to describe every card as beautiful. I don't know if that's a great way to describe a card, but it seems catchy enough.

We have our first cards listed for sale and three of them have bids already. I'm pretty sure we'll spend way more money buying cards than we'll ever make on them, but we've had a blast giving it a try.

Cooley has set the starting bid on the Peterson card at $150.

Chris Cooley Is Selling an Adrian Peterson Autographed Rookie Card on eBay originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video Shows Shaun Suisham Making 110-Yard Field Goal, Dumb People Think It's Real

Michael David Smith — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:16:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFL Video, Washington, DC

If you think this video purporting to show Washington Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham making a 110-yard field goal is real, I've got a poker game I'd like to invite you to:

But there are a whole lot of people I'd like to play poker with, I guess, because the guy from the TV station that put it together tells Deadspin that many viewers believe it:

"We've had a ton of e-mail on this, and about 30 percent of people think it's real, which is frightening," Brett Haber, the sports director at WUSA-TV in Washington D.C., said. "Yes it's real, and so is the Easter Bunny. Our marketing department put it together in the spirit of the Kobe video to promote our Redskins preseason football package. I think the phrase they're using upstairs for the video is "summer fun." I didn't have anything to do with it, but I don't think it was ever meant to be taken seriously."

So, to be clear: No, Shaun Suisham cannot make a 110-yard field goal. No one can.

Video Shows Shaun Suisham Making 110-Yard Field Goal, Dumb People Think It's Real originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daughter of Former Redskins Owner Arrested, Plays the 'Do You Know Who I Am?' Card

Michael David Smith — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:08:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Washington, DC

Former Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke died 11 years ago, at age 84. So among the many odd things about this story is that he has a daughter who's 20 years old.

Other odd things: That daughter, Jacqueline Kent Cooke, got arrested over the weekend and asked the arresting officer, "Do you know who I am?" I'm going to go ahead and say no, Jacqueline. No one knows who you are.

Ms. Cooke told the officer that "$1 billion goes a long way" and that he would lose his badge for arresting her, according to the police report, but in reality she apparently has significantly less than $1 billion.

She was charged with operating under the influence and operating without a license.

Via A.J. Daulerio at Deadspin.

Daughter of Former Redskins Owner Arrested, Plays the 'Do You Know Who I Am?' Card originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Cooley Thinks the NFL Offseason Schedule Makes No Sense

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Texans, AFC South, NFC East, Houston, Washington, DC

Yesterday, I passed an article along that suggested that the Houston Texans were a team that compressed the time between training camp and the rest of the offseason schedule. I thought it might be an interesting experiment to watch.

Whoops, it turns out that the Si.com article was wrong about the Texans schedule. I contacted someone with the team, and they said that the official offseason workouts concluded a few weeks ago with the last day of OTAs, but added there are "a lot of players" working out on a voluntary basis.

Maybe it's too bad, because Washington Redskin tight end, Chris Cooley provides some thoughtful reasons why offseason schedules make no sense. In one of Cooley's magnificent blogs, he explains:

"If teams really want players at their highest performance level then have guys stick around until closer to two weeks before camp starts. If you want to give players a little more time away from the game, then give it to them in March and April. If I'm coaching, I'd rather find out that my players are lying around on the beach having a couple drinks earlier in the year. I certainly don't want that happening with less than two weeks to training camp."

That seems to make a lot of sense to me but the SI.com article explained that teams are reluctant to do it because it's the only time coaches get much of a break. The coaches need to be around earlier in the season because of draft evaluations.

Cooley HT to PFT

Chris Cooley Thinks the NFL Offseason Schedule Makes No Sense originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins' Phillip Daniels Calls Out Shawn Springs For Not Being at OTAs

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:44:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Washington, DC

This one is a bit odd. The Washington Times reports that Redskins' defensive lineman Phillip Daniels called out cornerback Shawn Springs for not being at the team's OTAs yesterday. (Hat tip: Hogs Haven):

"If there's no reason [for his absence] and I'm here, then be here, be a leader," said Daniels, who has been Springs' teammate for eight seasons with the Redskins and the Seattle Seahawks. "[Shawn]'s his own man. I'm a leader. I lead by example. I lead by being here. I'm not a rah-rah guy. He's not here to help us right now. ... He gotta deal with the way people perceive him. I can only say to him, 'Get here. Be involved with this.'"

Wow. Now you as a fan may think the same way, but players don't typically do this. Unless you have some character issues, teammates rarely call out others for not showing up to these things. Remember, these are OTAs which are, technically, voluntary. Now, we all know that "voluntary" in the NFL eyes means "you are either a mega star or you better have a good reason not to be here".

In Shawn's case, this could be a bit harsh. It was noted in the Times article that Springs missed the workouts last year and had a very productive and healthy season. Daniels also halted his criticism:

"I don't know if something's wrong," Daniels said. "I know he's going through a lot with his family, too. So I don't want to knock him too much until [I] get the full story, but I would love for him to be here."

Shawn's father, former NFL player Ron Springs, has suffered complications from a kidney transplant and is currently in a coma.

Redskins' Phillip Daniels Calls Out Shawn Springs For Not Being at OTAs originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jason Campbell Interviewed by Chris Cooley, Says Disgusting Things About Casey Rabach

Michael David Smith — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFL Media Watch, Washington, DC

As you're probably aware by now, Redskins tight end Chris Cooley has a blog. So far it's been fairly well received by football fans, mostly because in an era when too many professional athletes follow a safe PR script in all public comments, Cooley will say anything.

But has he gone too far with his latest post? It's an interview with Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, and when their Q&A delves into the subject of Campbell's relationship with Redskins center Casey Rabach, it gets, well, disgusting:

3. Jason, have you ever smelled the back of your left hand (the one that's securely lodged under the center's sweaty butt crack the entire game) after a game? I would imagine that hand would have to go through a thorough decontamination process after every game and practice.
For everyone to know if you don't take a bath your butt crack stinks and I think that's what Rabach does to me. Imagine sweating for 2 hours and you're Casey Rabach and you're really hairy and stinky. Rabach has even farted on my hand which is a feelin that never really wears off. I can actually feel it while we're doing this interview right now. After each practice and game the first thing I do is wash my hands of all that chaotic stuff running off his sweaty, nasty body.

I've heard it said that athletes' blogs will take fans inside the locker room in a way they've never been before. If that's what it's going to be like, I'm perfectly content to remain outside.

Jason Campbell Interviewed by Chris Cooley, Says Disgusting Things About Casey Rabach originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Daddy Drew Sympathizes With Berman, Production Assistants Are Stupid

Enrico Campitelli — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch, Washington, DC, ESPN, Blogs

**warning: an F-bomb is dropped in the above video**

Big Daddy Drew, a man full of gratuitous pot shots and mean-spirited abuse, recently lost his cool on a taping of Comcast's Blog Show. This incident is simply more fodder for real journalists to use to prove their case against the evils of blogs and the despicable people who write them. No member of the main stream media would ever act in such a crass manner.

For those that live in a cave, that is Drew of Kissing Suzy Kolber fame who reached mass stardom when called out by Buzz Bissinger on HBO's Costas Now. Drew, who recently outted himself as Drew Magary, has a new book coming out titled Men with Balls: the Professional Athletes Handbook.

Who needs a book tour when you have YouTube?

The current odds on the man you just watched above becoming the next editor of Deadspin.com stand at 15-1.

Big Daddy Drew Sympathizes With Berman, Production Assistants Are Stupid originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder Now Controls Sports Talk Radio in Washington, D.C.

Michael David Smith — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFL Media Watch, Washington, DC

Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, perhaps more than any other professional sports owner, likes to control the way his team is covered. That's true in small ways, like the team looking to hire a blogger, and in big ways, like Snyder buying as many radio stations as he can.

After Snyder reached a deal yesterday to buy three local AM radio stations, Paul Farhi of the Washington Post wrote that the purchase "gives Snyder control of sports talk radio in Washington. It thus gives the owner of the most popular and closely followed sports franchise in the region ownership of the biggest broadcast outlets for commentary about his team."

Is that a good thing? One of Snyder's new employees, WTEM hosts Steve Czaban, doesn't seem to think so. Czaban said on the air yesterday, "We're being swallowed up by the big burgundy-and-gold empire."

If Redskins fans worry that they'll lose an independent voice evaluating the team, there is something they can do: Contact the FCC, which has to approve Snyder's purchase before it becomes official. Barring some kind of FCC action, Snyder is about to be signing the checks of the people who talk about his team on the radio.

Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder Now Controls Sports Talk Radio in Washington, D.C. originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Santana Moss Out Sick After 'Weekend-Long, Multi-Party Celebration of His 29th Birthday'

Michael David Smith — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Washington, DC

If you told your boss you were calling in sick because of your weekend-long, multi-party celebration of your birthday, would your boss be cool with it?

If not, your boss is less understanding than Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn.

An Associated Press dispatch about the Redskins' organized team activities includes this:

Among the excused absentees was receiver Santana Moss, who was ill following a weekend-long, multiparty celebration of his 29th birthday.

Added Moss of partying as a 29-year-old, "you think you're still young and you can still hold up, but they all know what time it was. Have to chalk it up and be ready the next day."

Yes, for the Redskins, that's a good enough reason for an excused absence. And I say, good for the Redskins. After all, Moss has always been a committed, dedicated player, and organized team activities are voluntary. Moss partied too hard on his birthday, and took a day off when he wasn't contractually required to be there anyway. Some NFL coaches would make a big deal out of it, but Zorn is right to understand.

Santana Moss Out Sick After 'Weekend-Long, Multi-Party Celebration of His 29th Birthday' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shawn Springs and LaRon Landry Miss Redskin Workouts

Josh Alper — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Washington, DC

The Redskins had two extra sandwiches at their defensive back picnic today when Shawn Springs and LaRon Landry failed to attend the first day of the latest round of OTAs.

According to the Washington Post's Jason La Canfora, coach Jim Zorn said that neither player was excused from the workouts. As always, they're voluntary but Zorn nor defensive coordinator Greg Blache had spoken to them. Zorn didn't make a big deal about the absnece.

"I'm going to try to get a feel for why they didn't want to come ... It's not something that I'm going to make a huge spectacle of. We'll just see what happens."

Per La Canfora, Springs has been working out in Arizona and skipped last season's workouts as well. Landry, however, "has not been around the facility much and some are concerned about his attitude." La Canfora doesn't elaborate on those concerns but I'll guess he has a habit of making off-color jokes about other players' mothers.

The Washington Times has a milder explanation. Teammates said each player missed his flight and, presumably, would be along as soon as they could find another.

Whenever they do arrive, they'll have to teach the Redskin secondary handshake to ex-Raider Stuart Schweigert. The four-year veteran signed with the team today. He's a much needed addition to the thin safety corps and could challenge for a starting role if all broke right for him.

Shawn Springs and LaRon Landry Miss Redskin Workouts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On the Eve of His Wedding, Redskins' Chris Cooley Blogs About His Cheerleader Bride

Michael David Smith — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Washington, DC

Congratulations are in order to Redskins tight end Chris Cooley and former Redskins cheerleader and Maxim model Christy Oglevee, who are getting married on Friday.

Christy and another cheerleader were fired because the Redskins found out that they had dated Cooley. It's a no-no, by team rules, for employees to fraternize with players.

Cooley has written a post about his Christy on his blog, and it's a sweet, tender account of how he feels about his bride-to-be:

I asked Christy to be my wife nine months ago, and I'm a lucky man; she chose to be with me. I think she has learned being with a football player is harder than it looks. She is looked through countless times by surrounding football fans, and the funny thing is Christy should be getting the attention. Not to mention she has to put up with my terrible attitude five months out of the year (A.K.A. football season).

But the post isn't just sappy, it's also funny: Cooley looks forward to Redskins owner Dan Snyder sitting next to Cooley's drunken uncle, and to Redskins running back Clinton Portis engaging in some wedding antics.

Here's to Cooley's marriage going as well as his football career -- and his blogging career.

NFL Cheerleaders

Washington Redskins

Win McNamee/Getty Images

New England Patriots

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Kansas City Chiefs

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Denver Broncos

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Oakland Raiders

Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Dallas Cowboys

Layne Murdoch/Getty Images

San Diego Chargers

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Houston Texans

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Tennessee Titans

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Previously on FanHouse:
Chris Cooley to Marry Redskins Cheerleader who Got Fired for Dating Him
Redskins' Chris Cooley is Awesome at Drawing Naked Women

On the Eve of His Wedding, Redskins' Chris Cooley Blogs About His Cheerleader Bride originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins Looking to Hire a Blogger

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:32:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFL Media Watch, Washington, DC, Blogs

Dan Steinberg of the D.C. Sports Bog reports that the Washington Redskins are looking to hire a blogger. This is good news for Redskins fans, for bloggers, for blog readers -- for everyone who likes football and likes going online to get information about football.

The reason it's good news isn't so much that the Redskins want to host a blog at Redskins.com -- there's nothing inherently good about blogs -- but that according to Steinberg, the team is committed to the idea of bringing in a writer who actually covers the team more or less the way an independent blogger would, not just to re-print press releases and talk about what a genius Jim Zorn is.

Steinberg's colleague Jason La Canfora reported that Steinberg himself was a candidate for the job, and although that ain't happening, the mere fact that the team is reaching out to someone with that kind of journalistic background is impressive. This is a smart move for the Redskins.

Redskins Looking to Hire a Blogger originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 11:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins Letting Jerome Mathis Go

Sportz Assassin — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:50:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Washington, DC

The Washington Redskins have placed WR/KR Jerome Mathis on waivers. After the draft, it was obvious that Mathis ... who signed with Washington on April 4th ... didn't have a good shot at sticking with the team.

At the draft, the Redskins drafted recievers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Both would've pushed Mathis down on the receiving depth chart. Mathis' return duties took a hit with the drafting of Thomas (who could find a nice role there) and cornerback J.T. Tryon.

Second off, Mathis has had some troubles with Johnny Law of late, which didn't make his signing very tantalizing in the first place. One was for mishandling his pit bulls ... and the second was for punching his common-law wife.

All this could mean that Mathis' NFL career may come to a halt. Depite being a Pro-Bowl player in his rookie season (2005), he wasn't highly sought after during free agency and may have trouble landing a new gig.

Redskins Letting Jerome Mathis Go originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 May 2008 02:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fifth Person Charged For the Murder of Redskins' Sean Taylor

Sportz Assassin — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:21:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Washington, DC, NFL Police Blotter

We just learned that the four young men who are being charged with murdering Sean Taylor will not face the death penalty. Now comes word that there will be a fifth man charged in the crime.

Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office spokesman Ed Griffith says Wednesday that 16-year-old Timothy Brown is charged with first-degree murder. He is also charged with armed burglary of an occupied dwelling.

Brown also won't face the death penalty.

Currently, Brown is sitting in jail in Lee County, FL and it isn't known when he will be moved to Dade County. It has been rumored for quite some time that police were looking at a fifth suspect in the killing of Taylor, a safety for the Washington Redskins. Taylor died from massive bleeding of a gunshot wound during a robbery gone bad (when do they ever "gone good"?)

The trial for the other four accused is August 25th.

Fifth Person Charged For the Murder of Redskins' Sean Taylor originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 May 2008 21:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Taylor Murder Suspects Won't Face the Death Penalty

Sportz Assassin — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, Washington, DC, NFL Police Blotter

Jason Scott Mitchell, Eric Rivera Jr., Venjah Hunte and Charles Wardlow are being charged with the burglary and murder of the Redskins' Sean Taylor. However, none of them will be facing the death penalty.

"They would have had to show it was premeditated," (Huerte's attorney Michael) Hornung said. "I believe that it's appropriate that they waive the death penalty."

The current theory of the crime, that Rivera was the alleged shooter, likely prevented prosecutors from seeking the death penalty since Rivera was a minor at the time of the shooting.

"The fact that the prosecution won't seek the death penalty has been a foregone conclusion," Taylor family spokesman Richard Sharpstein told the Fort Myers News Press. "The family is still supporting the prosecutors and looking for justice to be done."

It should make closure a bit easier, as a death penalty sentence would've made the trial a bit more trying. Since Rivera was a minor at the time of the murder, he can't get the death penalty under Florida law. The other three (who were legally adults at the time) could have been sentenced to death ... but it would have looked bad that the shooter doesn't get sent to death row but his accomplices do.

Sean Taylor Murder Suspects Won't Face the Death Penalty originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 May 2008 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins' Zorn 'Excited' About Jason Campbell's Hamstring Injury

Sportz Assassin — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:48:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, NFL Injuries, Washington, DC

It is a bit unusual when a head coach is actually pleased when he starting quarterback gets hurt. Well, that just happened in Washington as new coach Jim Zorn isn't too bummed about QB Jason Campbell tweaking his hamstring during practice.

"He was feeling his hamstrings all along, and I think it was because I have him sinking down a little bit," Zorn said. "It's the change. I was kind of excited about it. Not that I wanted him to tweak his hamstring, just the fact that different things are happening to his body. He's going to be fine."

Zorn was a quarterbacks coach (uh, and a quarterback) so I'm sure he sees the bumps and bruises as a sign of Campbell following his direction. One of the most important keys in the 2008 season for the Skins is how Campbell performs in the new West Coast Offense.

However, it isn't encouraging to see the Redskins' skill players dropping like flies. Campbell's hammy will hurt his development in the new offense. Running back Clinton Portis hurt his hip in a race against LaRon Landry; Antwaan Randle El had surgery to remove some cartilage from his knee.

Redskins' Zorn 'Excited' About Jason Campbell's Hamstring Injury originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 01:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris Cooley Explains NFL Drug Testing

Michael David Smith — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, Washington, DC

Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley is blogging about life in the NFL for Yahoo, and today he provides something that a lot of fans will find interesting: Details on what it's like for NFL players to get drug tested.

Cooley gets right down to business and pulls no punches, informing us in the first sentence of his blog post that the drug tester, named Bill, "stares at my penis" while Cooley provides the necessary urine sample. More from Cooley's blog:

Earlier that morning, I'd made over 10 phone calls to three different people arranging the final details of my afternoon meeting. After meeting up with Bill, we wasted no time as we casually strolled through the men's room doors. The two of us snuck quickly past the corridor of urinals toward the last stall -- our best bet for going unnoticed. Luckily it was unoccupied, and we moved right in.

Not many words were said in the stall. Both of us were completely comfortable with the procedure. Bill took out the package, but I was the one who had to break the seal. I ripped open the plastic container, revealing a short plastic cup to capture my random urine sample.

Cooley's post mostly takes a lighthearted approach, but I think there are legitimate privacy concerns for athletes and other people who work in jobs that require random drug tests. Cooley doesn't make it sound pleasant.

Chris Cooley Explains NFL Drug Testing originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 07 May 2008 13:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Draft Grades: Washington Redskins

Sportz Assassin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:15:00 EST

Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, NFL Draft, Washington, DC

Washington Redskins 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 2 (34): Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
Round 2 (48): Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal
Round 2 (51): Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Round 3 (96): Chad Rinehart, G, Northern Iowa
Round 4 (124): Justin Tryon, CB, Arizona State
Round 6 (168): Durant Brooks, P, Georgia Tech
Round 6 (180): Kareem Moore, S, Nicholls State
Round 6 (186): Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
Round 7 (242): Rob Jackson, DE, Kansas State
Round 7 (249): Christopher Horton, S, UCLA

The Good: The Redskins had been in the hunt for a big receiver (Chad Johnson, Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin) but haven't been successful prying one away. Instead of drafting one at #21, they moved back to the second round and picked two of the biggest receivers in the draft -- Thomas and Kelly. Both will prove to be major parts of Washington's future plans and important cogs of the West Coast Offense. Davis and Rinehart have a great chance to push for backup roles and a nice future. Tryon should make the team as a nickel back with all the secondary problems. Even the safeties Moore and Horton have shots to make the team.

The Bad: Drafting a punter is always weird. Brooks was the Ray Guy Award winner (best college punter) which means he's pretty good. Current starter Derrick Frost has been put on notice. I like Brennan at Hawaii. I'm not so sure I like him with the Redskins. He's got health issues and questions about his arm strength ... not something I like when you are backing up the cannon Jason Campbell has. Also, the team neglected to add anything at the defensive line.

The Grade: A-. For a franchise that typically doesn't have many draft picks, they worked this draft extremely well. Washington traded back a few times and still got exactly what they wanted. They didn't address the defensive line ... but maybe they will look there via trade or free agency.

NFL Draft Grades: Washington Redskins originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Methinks the Redskins are Out of the Chad Johnson Sweepstakes

Sportz Assassin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:34:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Redskins, AFC North, NFC East, NFL Draft, Washington, DC, Cincinnati

Last week, reports came out that the Redskins offered two draft picks to the Bengals for Chad Johnson. Cincinnati shot it down.

After Day 1 of the NFL Draft, it doesn't seem that the Redskins will revisit those talks.

The Skins draft out of the first round, netting three second round picks and used all three on receiving threats: WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis.

Thomas and Kelly are those big possession type receivers that Washington was looking to vault their new West Coast Offense. Both are strong, great hands, can break tackles and make big plays. Ya know, things we were looking for in Chad Johnson.

As Hogs Haven points out, this should help QB Jason Campbell out tremedously. He now has three big targets to look at the ability to spread this team out to four or five wideouts (Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El are no slouches). Davis projects to be like a Chris Cooley type player which gives Washington the ability to use two tight ends in the running game.

Of course, all this receiver action means they ignored the defense. While the Redskins defense played very well last season, there are a lot of older guys on that side of the ball and several holes needed to fill. Washington still has six picks remaining (third, fourth, sixth and three seventh rounders) to try and find some help on that side of the ball.

Who knows? Maybe the zest the Redskins had for Chad Johnson may move across the line of scrimmage there may be a few teams desperate to deal someone that the Skins have interest in.

Methinks the Redskins are Out of the Chad Johnson Sweepstakes originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redskins Trade Down; And It Pays Off With WR Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly

Sportz Assassin — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Falcons, Redskins, NFC East, NFL Draft, Washington, DC

The Washington Redskins traded out of the first round and actually *gasp* picked up some extra picks. The deal goes down like this:

Redskins deal away their first round pick (#21), third round pick (#84) and fifth round pick (#154)
Falcons deal away their two second round picks (#34 and #48) and fourth round pick (#103)

That means that Washington gets three second round picks and it may have been a great move. Washington is looking for a big-time receiver and there were ZERO selected in the first round (many mock drafts, including ours) which had them looking in that direction.

UPDATE: Washington selects WR Devin Thomas with that first pick. Outstanding pick! Many people figured he'd be somewhere in the middle to late first round and would have been a nice pick at #21. He's a nice addition to the West Coast Offense (strong, great hands, breaks tackles, turns small catches into big gains).

UPDATE: Washington selects TE Fred Davis with the other second round pick. Eh!?! Dude is a beast but we already have a Pro Bowl tight end in Chris Cooley. Now, Davis is a former running back who was turned into a great pass catching tight end and is another good pickup for a West Coast Offense.

UPDATE: Washington selects WR Malcolm Kelly ... and I am ecstatic! I had Kelly going to the Redskins in the FanHouse mock draft so it is obvious that I love his talent. This is that big receiver with great hands that Washington desperately needs.

Redskins Trade Down; And It Pays Off With WR Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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