DMN: NFC East off-season update: How new Washington Commanders GM is making his mark

[jobberone]

NFC East off-season update: How new Washington Commanders GM is making his mark
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Jon Machota Email jmachota@***BANNED-URL***
Published: April 13, 2015 11:58 pm
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Jan 9, 2015; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders new general manager Scot McCloughan (right) speaks during his introductory press conference at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Washington’s off-season began with Scot McCloughan being named the team’s new general manager. Before joining the Commanders, McCloughan was GM for the 49ers and then senior personnel executive in Seattle.

Some of the notable players McCloughan helped draft: Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Richard Sherman.

Unlike many previous free agency classes in Washington, there were no big name signings this year. Coming off a 4-12 campaign, the Commanders have been disciplined with their salary cap space. The draft will be used to fill many of their needs.

Dallas connection: Former Cowboys offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Bill Callahan was one of several new additions to Washington’s coaching staff, becoming the team’s O-line coach.

Key additions:

Jeron Johnson, S. Played in 15 games last season for the NFC Champion Seahawks.

Terrance Knighton, DT. Started 32 games the previous two seasons for the Broncos.

Chris Culliver, CB. Started 14 games last season for San Francisco, recording four interceptions and 14 pass deflections.

Stephen Paea, DT. Started every game last season for the Bears, finishing with six sacks and 33 tackles.

Ricky Jean Francois, DT. A starter for the Colts the previous two seasons.

Dashon Goldson, S. The former fourth-round pick has been a starter for the 49ers and Buccaneers over the last six seasons. He had six interceptions in 2011.

Key losses:

Leonard Hankerson, WR. Had six touchdown receptions in four seasons with Washington.

Roy Helu, RB. Rushed for 216 yards and TD last season.

Brian Orakpo, OLB. One of the faces of the Commanders defense signed with Tennessee after six seasons in Washington.

Jarvis Jenkins, DE. Started 14 games last season, finishing with 28 tackles.

E.J. Biggers, CB. Started seven games over the last two seasons.

Stephen Bowen, DE. The former Cowboy started only three games last season.

Ryan Clark, S. Retired after starting 15 games last season.

Draft needs:

After missing the playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven years, the Commanders have the fifth overall pick. Biggest needs: Pass rusher, safety, offensive line.

Popular first-round projections: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri; Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson; Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska.

Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota


http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/2015/04/nfc-east-off-season-update-washington-Commanders.html/

 

[CCBoy]

To think, those guys are farther behind the now unsubstantiated Eagles:

 

[perrykemp]

Another year another Commanders GM and / or HC.

It's a wonderful alternative to the Farmer's Almanac for predicting seasonal change.

 

[jobberone]

NFC East news is Cowboys' news, too. Esp in a slow offseason.

Wasn't aware Bowen didn't play much last year. Was that performance and/or injury related?

Like the pickup of Paea although not happy about him being disruptive playing us. I don't really know any of the other pickups.

I think they got a jewel in Callahan. He just wanted out of Dallas and can't say I blame him much. OTOH, I wondered why he got 'demoted'. Their OL is not the best there and he'll help. I say that as a football fan but as a much bigger Cowboys' fan not really interested in them improving too much. I do like a good game even if I like a good blowout as well.

It is interesting how they have avoided those big FA pickups that have ruled so long. Can't say I'm too happy about them building thru the draft. I suspect that's part of the new GMs job to keep Danny Boy in check. I'm a big proponent of

I'd like to hear about the pickups and losses and how it will affect the Cowboys from those more knowledgeable than me.

 

[Bullflop]

Another year another Commanders GM and / or HC.

It's a wonderful alternative to the Farmer's Almanac for predicting seasonal change.

LOL -- well played.

 

[jazzcat22]

When the title said "making his mark", I thought it meant he was peeing on a tree, or the wall, or something.
.....different mark...same results...

 

[Wolfpack]

They still need a QB.

 

[Crown Royal]

It should concern everyone that they are starting to slightly look competent in the way they are running things. They still have a LOT of problems to fix, but I can't say they have done anything in the off season that was a straight up terrible move.

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

The Commanders haven't added a "big name" FA since Haynesworth. Allen closed the wallet once he showed up with the real exception of 2011 after the lockout when Bowen and Cofield were added. I guess Hatcher could be a "big name"

The issue with the offseason moves of 2014 FA is Allen picked the wrong guys. Decent deals, just sucky players.

GMSM is clearly taking a plug the holes on D approach and start drafting from there. This is going to be a 4-5 year project to get back to .500 contention

It is impossible to say the makeup of the team going forward until post draft and what real direction the team will be going in. But bringing in guys on such cheap/short term deals gives you an indication

 

[bark]

They have a competent gm now. It's up to Danny boy now. Can he step away and let him do his job. The past says no. Time will give us the answer.

It should concern everyone that they are starting to slightly look competent in the way they are running things. They still have a LOT of problems to fix, but I can't say they have done anything in the off season that was a straight up terrible move.

 

[viman96]

The new GM is doing a good job and is a reason to be concerned. He will continue to bring in legit talent.

 

[erod]

If you don't have a QB, you don't have a team.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

The new GM is doing a good job and is a reason to be concerned. He will continue to bring in legit talent.

Good gm's = concerned.

Not so good gm's = not so concerned.

Got it.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

The Commanders haven't added a "big name" FA since Haynesworth. Allen closed the wallet once he showed up with the real exception of 2011 after the lockout when Bowen and Cofield were added. I guess Hatcher could be a "big name"

The issue with the offseason moves of 2014 FA is Allen picked the wrong guys. Decent deals, just sucky players.

GMSM is clearly taking a plug the holes on D approach and start drafting from there. This is going to be a 4-5 year project to get back to .500 contention

It is impossible to say the makeup of the team going forward until post draft and what real direction the team will be going in. But bringing in guys on such cheap/short term deals gives you an indication

If your front office is competent it doesn't take 5 years just to get back to playing 0.500 ball. This is the NFL.

 

[viman96]

Good gm's = concerned.

Not so good gm's = not so concerned.

Got it.

Yes the simple things escape people.

 

[AsthmaField]

Yes the simple things escape people.

Did you mean things escape simple people?

 

[jrumann59]

GM is a good part but you need good talent evaluators also. You could have a genius of a GM but if the scouts and evaluators suck so will the GM

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

If your front office is competent it doesn't take 5 years just to get back to playing 0.500 ball. This is the NFL.

If it is done properly it could. Look at the 49ers last decade. It took years to get back to .500 and then they took off from there with the right coach. I expect a similar approach, and with the awful talent level of the team, it will take some time to get back to par. At least 3 good drafts in a row, if not 4.

I don't expect some linear projection like the 1989-1993 Cowboys, as sports are a bit different now.

I will also know more about GMSM's plans after this draft. If he trades down or stays put, it will give an indication on what the team feels is its timeline

 

[AsthmaField]

Their new GM (SMac) isn't spending big in free agencey, but did jump on some guys pretty early. I'm not so sure Paea is worth what they paid... particularly if you run a 34 defense. They will likely use some 4 man fronts in the nickle/dime with Paea playing a 3T and knighton playing the 1T, so he will fit there part time, but he really isn't long enough to play the 5T in the 34 and despite his strength, he doesn't really anchor well enough to play NT for them.

Knighton is a good fit scheme wise but accusations of him being lazy aren't what you want to hear. Getting him on a one year contract was a good idea and is what pushes this pick up to the positive side for me. $4M isn't really cheap though but it isn't a huge contract for sure.

Culliver is a decent player but $16M guaranteed seems awful high to me. Particularly in light of his legal issues and a pending lawsuit against him from his hit and run incident where he threatened a teenage boy with brass knuckles. It seems like quite a gamble to me. Unlike the Hardy deal where he has to play to get much money and the team can get out with no salary cap ramifications... if Culliver has to go, it will cost the Skins $16M anyway.

Ricky Jean Francois is a good low end pickup. If he is actually good enough to make the roster, he will provide depth on the cheap. Problem is though, he might not even be good enough to make it out of camp with a job.

Tyler Larson and Ty Msekhe are both fringe players that cost very little but likely will give very little too.

All in all, that is better than spending $100M on Haynesworth but I'm not so sure they're going to see a whole lot of help out of the class and I still think they might have paid more than these guys are worth.

As for SMac's reputation as a GM, I think he gets over valued by the fans and media. He has had two drafts where he was a GM with any team, the 2008 and 2009 SF drafts. Here are his picks those two years:

2008:

1 - Kentwan Balmer
2 - Chilo Rachel
3- Reggie Smith
4 - Cody Wallace
6 - Josh Morgan
7 - Larry Grant

and

2009:

1 - Michael Crabtree
3 - Glen Coffee
5 - Scott McKillop
5 - Nate Davis
6 - Beeear Pascoe
7 - Curtis Taylor
7 - Ricky Jean Francois

The SF 2010 draft that was so good was led by Trent Baalke. SMAC's Bio says he was with SF until 2010, which he officially was because he didn't leave until the beginning of 2010, but his last season as GM was 2009 and Baalke's first season as GM was 2010.

Commander fans talk like he built the recently good Niners team and the Seattle team, when really, he helped with the scouting of the players in SF from 2005-2007 and was only GM for two seasons in 2008 and 2009 before getting dismissed. He helped scout talent in Seattle from 2010 to 2013 before being out of football for 2014. Pete Carrol and John Schneider had an awful lot to do with building the Seahawks, just like Harbaugh and Baalke did with SF.

I'm sure Smac is a good scout and he didn't spend big in free agency this year, which is better than what Washington used to do... but for skins fans to act like it is a sure thing that he will build a good team is kind of funny. He won't have Pete Carrol, John Schneider, Harbaugh or Baalke helping him. It will be the same scouting group that has missed so often in the draft, Jay Gruden and Daniel Snyder meddling as usual.

One free agent class where he didn't really sign anyone of note does not make him a sure thing to finally get talent in DC.

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

I'm sure Smac is a good scout and he didn't spend big in free agency this year, which is better than what Washington used to do... but for skins fans to act like it is a sure thing that he will build a good team is kind of funny. He won't have Pete Carrol, John Schneider, Harbaugh or Baalke helping him. It will be the same scouting group that has missed so often in the draft, Jay Gruden and Daniel Snyder meddling as usual.

One free agent class where he didn't really sign anyone of note does not make him a sure thing to finally get talent in DC.

You are going to see quite a few changes post draft to the scouting department, which is when contracts for scouts are up. The Commanders were trying to pull in Alonzo Highsmith from the Packers but the Packers wouldn't let him leave.

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/18170/packers-alonzo-highsmith-staying-put

I expect there will be some moves when contracts are up for scouts/FO guys post draft.

This is a good way to start for GMSM as he will have the number 5 pick, which could potentially be a lynchpin pick in this draft depending on who falls. There are multiple QB needy teams behind the Commanders. Cooper will probably be there and Leonard Williams might fall.

He should end up with either 1) an impact player to build around or b) more picks going forward. And one of the major failures the Commanders have had over the past decade has been a severe lack of picks

http://www.dchotread.com/2015/03/28/cowboys-own-the-Commanders