ESPN: Skins add Gray to All-Star Staff

[Fan21]

Another brilliant mind to coach an already outstanding defense!
Skins coaching staff is set for the long-term!
HTTR!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2311954

The Washington Commanders have continued their assemblage of an all-star, and pricey staff of assistants, hiring Jerry Gray to coach the secondary.

Most recently the defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, a position that he held for five seasons (2001-05), Gray becomes the latest high profile aide in owner Dan Snyder's galaxy of staffers.

The Commanders recently hired former Kansas City offensive coordinator Al Saunders in the same capacity, signing him to a three-year contract worth about $6 million. Before that, the Commanders took highly regarded defensive coordinator Gregg Williams out of the head coach market by signing him to a three-year extension that could be worth as much as $2.6 million annually, and which will pay him a $1 million bonus if he is not named head coach when Joe Gibbs retires.

Contract details of Gray's deal were not available.

Hiring Gray reunites him with Williams and Washington will be the third different team with which the two have worked together. Gray was the Tennessee secondary coach when Williams was the Titans' defensive coordinator. When Williams went to Buffalo as head coach in 2001, he brought Gray along.

Gray, 43, interviewed earlier this month for the head coach vacancy with the Houston Texans and also met with several teams regarding defensive coordinator positions. It was fairly well known that, if Gray did not land any of those positions, he probably would join the Commanders' staff.

A former NFL defensive back, Gray played nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers (1992) and Tampa Bay Bucs (1993). He began his coaching career at SMU in 1995 and served two seasons on the staff there before being hired by the Titans in 1997.

 

[Yeagermeister]

The all star rosters didn't work so I guess Synder is trying the coaches this time.

 

[Wheat]

You know what they say about too many chefs.

We'll see how this works out.

I have my fingers crossed.

 

[WoodysGirl]

You know what they say about too many chefs.

Was thinking the same thing.

I have my fingers crossed.

I do too, but for different reasons...

 

[superpunk]

Whoop-ee-doo.

 

[kingwhicker]

I'm underwhelmed- I didn't even realize he was a coach. I only remember him as a crappy DB on some crappy teams and getting burned by Rice and Taylor countless times.

 

[silverbear]

You know what they say about too many chefs.

We'll see how this works out.

I have my fingers crossed.

A fair analysis, Wheat... I'll just note that the Bills' pass defense dropped WAY off in 2005, 2 seasons after Williams left them... they were 3rd in pass defense in 2004, 1st the year before, then 19th in 2005...

Jerry's an ex-Longhorn, so I naturally pull for him, but I do feel the jury's out on him as a coach... he has had some success in the league, but might have been the beneficiary of walking into some VERY good situations for a coach...

Let's just say that this move doesn't strike me as nearly as significant as the signing of Al Saunders...

FWIW, I am equally unexcited about the prospect of the Boys signing Chris Palmer to their staff... for much the same reasons as I've expressed here...

 

[Wheat]

I guess I hope that pass coverage struggles when pass rush struggles....and if this guy is back with Williams. Maybe he'll excel.

Doesn't change that we need to add depth to our secondary.

 

[silverbear]

I guess I hope that pass coverage struggles when pass rush struggles....

Why would the pass rush struggle, when he had all of his defensive linemen from the previous year returning?? Indeed, in his bio on the Bills' website, they wrote:

Enters his fifth season as the Bills defensive coordinator with the majority of the defensive starting lineup returning…

And on a website named realfootball365.com (first time I'd ever been there, found it using Yahoo), they wrote:

Last season there was a significant drop-off in production from the Bills' defense as they finished a paltry 29th overall. Clearly, after five seasons, the best thing to do for the Bills and Gray is to go their separate ways.

So, 2 years after Gregg Williams, defensive guru, leaves Buffalo, the defense falls completely apart... even though it did not undergo any radical changes in personnel...

I find that cause for concern, to wonder if Gray was riding on Gregg's talent... of course, mitigating against that argument was the success Jerry had with the Titans, but again, he walked into a pretty good situation for a DBs coach there, with lots of talent on hand...

and if this guy is back with Williams. Maybe he'll excel.

Yup, I've gotta acknowledge that could happen, too... I just don't see that as the sure thing that some Skins fans these days seem to think it is...

Doesn't change that we need to add depth to our secondary.

This is true... again, kudos for a realistic look at the situation...

 

[TheHustler]

I can't see this working out..... With THAT many previous HC/DC/OC on the staff, there is bound to be some head butting.....

 

[superpunk]

I can't see this working out..... With THAT many previous HC/DC/OC on the staff, there is bound to be some head butting.....

You underestimate Gibbs' humility. He is soooooo humble that all year during game week he'll be down in NASCAR land watching cars make left turns.

 

[SkinRamon]

Why did the Bills defense suck at run defense this year?

*Pat Williams, run-stuffing DT, left to Viking via Free Agency while returning DT Sam Adams' age really showed this year, consistently banged up...

*The loss of Takeo Spikes for most of the season, their leading tackler and team leader.

*The Bills fielding one of the most pathetic offenses in the NFL, specializing in turnovers as well as punting.

Drew Bledsoe > Losman & Holcomb.

The defense was gassed on a consistent basis.

 

[Wheat]

my point was....with no pass rush.

a secondary with Deion Sanders in his prime, Darrell Green in his price, Ronnie Lott and John Lynch wouldn't be all-star. Especially with the rules for CB's now.

 

[silverbear]

my point was....with no pass rush.

a secondary with Deion Sanders in his prime, Darrell Green in his price, Ronnie Lott and John Lynch wouldn't be all-star. Especially with the rules for CB's now.

That's true, but it's irrelevant to this discussion...

It's irrelevant because the Bills did not suddenly become unable to sack the quarterback... in 2003, they had 38 sacks, last year they had 45, in 05 they again had 38 sacks... sure doesn't look like their pass rush suddenly dropped off, does it??

 

[Ken]

Why did the Bills defense suck at run defense this year?

*Pat Williams, run-stuffing DT, left to Viking via Free Agency while returning DT Sam Adams' age really showed this year, consistently banged up...

*The loss of Takeo Spikes for most of the season, their leading tackler and team leader.

*The Bills fielding one of the most pathetic offenses in the NFL, specializing in turnovers as well as punting.

Drew Bledsoe > Losman & Holcomb.

The defense was gassed on a consistent basis.

It's a good move for the skins.

If the rest of their offseason can match the coaching moves, they are in good shape.

I'll give Danny some credit here. In this day an age of the salary cap, coaching is what seperates a lot of teams. Danny seems to understand that.

 

[jazzcat22]

It's a good move for the skins.

If the rest of their offseason can match the coaching moves, they are in good shape.

I'll give Danny some credit here. In this day an age of the salary cap, coaching is what seperates a lot of teams. Danny seems to understand that.

What he understands may be nothing. You can put together 2 or 3 individuals whom are supposed to be 'top of their game'. But along with that comes BIG EGO's, even though it may not show at first, or even to the public. But somewhere, something has to give. It happens everywhre, every level. Be it in sports or the corporate world, school, amongst kids playing sandlot ball. You can't avoid it.

Since they may have cap room problems and can't get the top players anymore, as stated before, he'll try coaches. I'll take the JJ & BP approach, get good quality players, but not necessarily the best, but the best for the value, and a 'decent ' coaching staff.

OR....another way to say it....better players, make better coaches

 

[Alexander]

So, 2 years after Gregg Williams, defensive guru, leaves Buffalo, the defense falls completely apart... even though it did not undergo any radical changes in personnel...

Losing Takeo Spikes had a huge impact on their production last season.

Gray is an excellent coach. But continue believing this if it helps you sleep better at night.

 

[Smashmouth24]

The only Commander coach that's shown he's worth a damn to that team is Greg Williams. I was very disappointed when Williams didn't take a head coaching job somewhere else.

Until these other overpaid stiffs, including Gibbs, prove differently I'm not going to lose sleep over another Danny Snyder run at the off-season championship.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

The thing to consider here is that Gray worked under Williams....so there should not be any working problems considering they have worked together and should know each other well.

 

[silverbear]

It's a good move for the skins.

If the rest of their offseason can match the coaching moves, they are in good shape.

I'll give Danny some credit here. In this day an age of the salary cap, coaching is what seperates a lot of teams. Danny seems to understand that.

ROTFLMAO... that's just Danny doing what he's always done-- throw money at the situation...