Zorn Speaks at the Combine

by KevinE on Feb 19, 2009 4:59 PM EST Comment 28 comments

Ryan O'Halloran from the Washington Times is in Indy covering the combine and was there to hear Zorn's updates on the Redskins.

[Randy] Thomas is experiencing some numbness. Our guess is that a disk was pinching against the spine.

Yikes. O-Line draft picks it is!

Zorn doesn’t expect cornerback DeAngelo Hall or left guard Pete Kendall to be re-signed before they become unrestricted free agents on Feb. 27 but said the Redskins want to bring both players back.

I wish we had a little more info here. It was evident #23 loves playing for his hometown Skins, and the Redskins have been vocal about how much they appreciate him. So why isn't this deal happening? How much money are we talking about here? Smoot left for Minnesota, from what I recall, the same amount signing bonus and a slightly higher annual salary then the Skins offered. As we all know, Fred was miserable in Minnesota. Many players in the NFL take a slightly lower salary to stick with their city/team. So what's the problem? Knowing Snyder's reputation, Hall knows he can get the total amount anyway, so I guess that answers that.

Zorn ruled out drafting a punter for the second consecutive year.

Haha. Classic that this had to even be brought up.

Despite an $8 million salary and a bad 2008 season, Jason Taylor might be back. “We hope to have him back,” Zorn said.

I seem to be the only one OK with Jason Taylor staying. We gave up a 2nd round pick for this guy and a 6th next year. If he avoids never-heard-before calf injuries, perhaps he can contribute like we thought. He finished the season strong after all. If we draft a stud DE, what better mentor for him to have his first year than Jason Taylor?

Zorn also stated Campbell's contract extension will not be a distraction for the QB. If Campbell is already vocal about wanting one, how can it not be a distraction?There's no doubt he puts in a lot of extra time, but I have to agree with Vinny on this one. Campbell has never showed he can carry the team to a win like so many elite QBs do. If Campbell has a solid first half of the season, Snyder will show him the money.

Receiver Malcolm Kelly underwent knee surgery after the season and Zorn hopes to have him back for OTAs...

Malcolm Kelly reminds me too much of Gil. I'm not going to keep my hopes up on him anymore.

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"Campbell has never showed he can carry the team to a win like so many elite QBs do."

Just so I have some context, which elite QBs do this?

by artmonk4ever on Feb 19, 2009 3:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1

Quarterbacks don’t win games.

Who's world is it? It's yours.

by BlackOps on Feb 20, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What about...

John Elway in the Super Bowl…
Vince Young in the National Championship game…
etc…

Obviously the O-line and everyone plays apart, but lets be real….QB is the most important position on the field. Jason Campbell keeps it too “medium”…almost like he’s playing scared. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all saying he’s not our guy. I have faith he is good, but it’s been 4 years now and we’re still waiting.

by KevinE on Feb 20, 2009 1:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

John Elway in the Super Bowl…

Elway? Really??

You mean the last two SBs that Terrell Davis won, or the first three that John Elway lost?

We are truly in the presense of greatness here…-- unnamedDBacksfan

by DbacksSkins on Feb 20, 2009 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Did you watch the same game as me? That infamous drive...

But it is as sure a fact as this: When the game was truly on the line, when it was be clutch or be crushed, no one the game has produced has been better than John Albert Elway.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/1999/elway/retire/

by KevinE on Feb 20, 2009 9:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

this guy lol

he doesnt even belong watching the sport lol

by psamoleski on Feb 25, 2009 6:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Were you

referring to me?

We are truly in the presense of greatness here…-- unnamedDBacksfan

by DbacksSkins on Feb 25, 2009 7:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know

I just don’t buy the idea that one guy is born with more clutch than another. I think that if Campbell gets as comfortable with this system as Manning is in Indy or Brady is in New England, then he can make the same game-winning drives they do… I’m not sure any QB can ever be comfortable in this system, though. The 5-10 yard slant offense is just begging to make a guy way too conservative.

Who's world is it? It's yours.

by BlackOps on Feb 20, 2009 9:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

jason campbell

to be honest is a dissappointment

by psamoleski on Feb 25, 2009 6:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yo

you need to get your head out of your ass cause quarterbacks win games and defense

by psamoleski on Feb 25, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Second grade English.

Who's world is it? It's yours.

by BlackOps on Feb 26, 2009 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

2 words for you

JOE MONTANA

by psamoleski on Feb 25, 2009 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Totally

He threw, ran, caught the ball, and blocked for himself all at the same time!

Who's world is it? It's yours.

by BlackOps on Feb 26, 2009 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Basically everybody else...

McNabb, Brady, Favre, Romo (non-playoffs), Kurt Warner, Big Ben, Drew Brees, Jay Cutler…

My point is, 3 of the Skins losses were within one score, 2 losses were within 2 scores. When Campbell is playing from behind, I’m not seeing a QB that can make the plays to will that win. Some of that blame falls to the coaches…like when we didn’t run the no-huddle with under 2 minutes to play and we were still on our side of the field. Although an elite QB would probably take it upon himself to do that. I know JC is in his 4th offensive playbook, but back to my point, I don’t see the hurry in extending him to a contract just yet. If we do, we set ourselves up for an internal QB controversy. Lets see a few games than make a decision.

by KevinE on Feb 19, 2009 3:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

internal...meant to say *eternal

by KevinE on Feb 19, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

First of all, I love how you left Peyton Manning off your list...

…because he’s probably the QB who has the most to do with whether or not his team scores points on offense.

I applaud you for at least mentioning that Campbell is working his 4th (I thought it was his 3rd) offensive playbook. I don’t think he has ever used that as an excuse when his performance has been less than stellar. One other mitigating factor that I think bears mentioning is that all of the QBs on your list — except Roethlisberger (and of course, Brady) — threw the ball more than Campbell last year. Some a lot more.

From the list of QBs you’ve provided above, several are definite or likely Hall-of-Famers (Brady, Favre, Roethlisberger, Warner, McNabb). Romo is not, but doesn’t win games in December. Drew Brees is very good. But Jay Cutler? Really? Cutler’s career win-loss record is 17-20; Campbell’s is 16-20.

There’s no reason not to extend Campbell before the season begins. What’s the worst case scenario? He proves himself to be an inadequate starter, and we have a capable back-up (okay, overpaid…which I’m pretty sure is what we have now) who’s not in his late 30s.

by artmonk4ever on Feb 20, 2009 7:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You sound like my girlfriend...

Ok, I left off Peyton. I didn’t realize throwing out some examples would get me bashed. As for Cutler, he does nothing but march his team down the field and score. The Broncos defense was HORRENDOUS this year, and they had ZERO running backs. At one point they had to start their backup, white full-back as their tailback and they had no one else suited up. Yet, Cutler still found ways to move the chains despite teams playing the pass EVERY play.

As for signing Campbell now. Come on Billy. The Skins need to find a QB that can definitely be our guy. If we sing JC to a 5-year deal now, and he continues at this level, and QB we start over him that has a couple bad games, blogosphere will be screaming to put JC back in and we’ll have the QB revolving door all over again. Let’s get it right.

by KevinE on Feb 20, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It seems like we already have/will always have the QB controversy...

…if the clowns shouting for Colt Brennan at the end of the season are any indication.

Look, Campbell has made progress each season he’s played even though he’s had to learn new playbooks each time. Physically, he’s the real deal and even showed he’s more elusive than anyone thought this past year. Plus, if anyone had asked you right before the Steelers game, you would have jumped at the chance of extending him. Sure, Cutler put points on the Board, but he had a veteran offensive line protecting him each play, a Pro Bowl WR (Marshall), and a rookie WR who caught passes (Royal). It seems the height of hypocrisy to me to acknowledge the Redskins’ shortcomings on offense, particular to the passing game — protection, lack of a legit #1 or #2 WR — and then in the same breath suggest that Campbell is part of the problem. What has Campbell not shown that he needs to in order to be the guy? What has he shown that suggests he’s not the guy? This is a team sport. A QB can’t throw passes to WRs who can’t get open.

I mentioned your omission of Manning only because he’s clearly the QB who influences his team the most in the NFL.

And I can’t believe you used my real name, Kevin.

by artmonk4ever on Feb 20, 2009 9:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Haha

You have a picture of yourself, what’s the difference? We all recognize you from your soft porn days anyway.
I would have thrown Peyton in for sure, I typed that comment in like 2 minutes. I should have just left Cutler off, but since we’re there anyway, lets roll with it. What if Cutler did start for the Skins? Our offense would average more than 16 points a game. Campbell missed some open wide receivers..that was evident. I agree he’s improving, I agree the O-line sucks, but why buy the car when the lease isn’t up for another year? If we extend him now for a mid-range contract and he has a pro-bowl year, you know he’s gonna get disgruntled for more $$.

by KevinE on Feb 20, 2009 10:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No way Cutler puts up the points he did in Denver with our offensive line and WRs. No way.

by artmonk4ever on Feb 20, 2009 10:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess we'll agree to disagree

Cutler showed great mobility and ways to create plays. Name a time Campbell created a play out of nothing. There were a few scrambles, but thats it. The reason he was first in INTs thrown is because he doesn’t take ANY risks, which is why our O was so stagnant. We had a great D…it’s OK to take some risk when its 1-1 coverage.

by KevinE on Feb 20, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The reason he was first in INTs thrown is because he doesn’t take ANY risks, which is why our O was so stagnant.

Holdover mindset from the Gibbs days, I suppose.

We are truly in the presense of greatness here…-- unnamedDBacksfan

by DbacksSkins on Feb 20, 2009 9:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

At one point they had to start their backup, white full-back as their tailback and they had no one else suited up.

Yeah, but that also led to rookie Spencer Larsen (and former Arizona Wildcat, thank you very much) starting on offense, defense, and special teams — which is just awesome.

We are truly in the presense of greatness here…-- unnamedDBacksfan

by DbacksSkins on Feb 20, 2009 9:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

WaPost has some coverage as well....

Better details on Randy Thomas and Free agency. http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/nflnewsfeed/2009/02/zorn-at-the-combine.html

by KevinE on Feb 19, 2009 4:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Taylor and other thoughts

I’m with the “Keep Taylor” crowd but sorta think a release and resign because 8M seems high based on 2008 performance.
Campbell needs to show leadership this year, Vinny has stated the Redskins were going to let players complete their intial contracts, so no issue with not providing an extension until after this year
Zorn, remained himself…You’ve got to worry about Kelly…How come a coach has to inform the media about surgery to key players where’s the “Redskin insider” or another beat reporter, maybe spending more time reporting and less time trying to figure how to bash the front office might be an idea

by dr WNC on Feb 19, 2009 6:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs