The National Football League's free agency is right around the corner. It is the time of year for teams to add pieces to their rosters with the hopes of improving for next season. The Redskins have several holes to fill, but are they prepared to make a big splash? Or should they sit back quietly and a make a few shrewd moves?
Among the spots requiring upgrade are both offensive and defensive lines, outside linebacker, running back, as well as adding depth to the secondary. That is several positions to upgrade in one offseason, especially since the Redskins currently find themselves $4 million over the salary cap limit.
This is where members of the front office will have to make the tough decisions. They must decide whether they should continue their annual game of restructuring contracts, or continue with their move towards youth, and cut veterans that are no longer contributing.
There are several big names in this offseason, including DT Albert Haynesworth, OT Jordan Gross, and OLB/DE Terrel Suggs, all of whom could be intriguing to the Redskins. They have been known in the past for their desires for a fantasy football team, and could easily revert to old ways. This would not be wise.
If the Redskins want to improve long term, they better start cutting ties with players that haven't showed up on the field in recent years, either because of injury or performance. Players like Marcus Washington and Cornelius Griffin need to be out the door. Even though they are good players, they have large salaries, and often are on the injured list. Even a player like Ladell Betts could find himself on the outside looking in. He hasn't produced much lately, and the Redskins need a quicker, more elusive back to compliment Clinton Portis.
Depending on how much cap space they can clear and who they cut, the Redskins could have an interesting offseason ahead of them. They have been planning for weeks, and it's about time to put that plan in to action.
Let's just hope the plan doesn't include wasting tons of cap space on old players, or trading draft picks away senselessly. The plan has to be to continue drafting to fit their system. Through free agency they must try to find role players and maybe, maybe go after a big time player. Let's hope they make the right decisions.
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