- Confirmation of the trade from the Official Redskins Website. The article does not describe the terms in detail, but does outline briefly the careers of each Redskins running back. Lumsden is the last back mentioned in the article, although this trade essentially eliminates any chance he had at making the roster.
- Michael Fabiano, the "Fantasy Expert" over at NFL.com had this to say about the fantasy implications of the Duckett trade:
I agree with the assessment. Portis' fantasy stock drops a good amount, not only because we don't know about the shoulder injury but also because Duckett is sure to see some goal line looks. Still, I think Portis has the potential to be a 1st round Fantasy RB and would not pass him up with the 8th or 9th pick.
- Reader zknower has the running back reactions from the WaPo in his most recent diary entry. Cartwright sounds concerned, Betts shocked, and Sellers flustered. I think all these guys have good reasons to be a bit ungratified with the trade. For Betts (whose contract is up this year) it calls into question his ongoing talks with the team. For Sellers it spells the end of his goal line and short yardage looks, despite him being a productive runner in preseason. For Cartwright it seriously calls into question his place on the team, though I think he's too valuable on our ST coverage unit for the Redskins to let him go. From the WaPo article, Gibbs assures us that Betts, Cartwright, and Sellers are "...going to be on the football team." I hope so. This is not an easy scenario for a coach to manage, though if anyone can do it, it would be Saint Joe.
- Catch Joe Gibbs comments to the media at Redskins.com (in the middle of the screen you can watch both Gibbs and Duckett's reaction to the trade).
Clinton Portis is still the starter and will remain the starter. As Coach expressed in the interview, he's ahead of schedule on recovering from the shoulder injury and hopefully will be ready to play against Minnesota.
Ladell Betts is an excellent runner and is still the backup RB of this team. He is a more complete back than TJ and would be the premier guy should Portis go down again. In goal line and short yardage situations Duckett is a better back, but Ladell wouldn't see those carries anyways.
Rock Cartwright is a special teams ace and, if our game against the Jets was any indication, we cannot afford to lose him in that role. Coach Gibbs spoke with Rock and made it abundantly clear that he had a position on this football team.
FB Mike Sellers had an excellent year in 2005 and looked ready to take on more carries. The addition of Duckett threatens that. Still, Sellers has had a phenomenal offseason and Coach Gibbs acknowledged that if Sellers continues to run productively he would continue to see carries. Sellers is also a starter on special teams.
As a fan I hope the coaching staff can find a position for all these guys because 1) they've contributed to the success of the Football team or, in Duckett's case, will contribute in the future and 2) I really believe they all have individual value that could be put to good use immediately. Betts is still an excellent running back. Sellers is still a touchdown machine and a massive body to run behind. Cartwright is still a special teams ace in a unit that is horrid without him.
I have tried to draw the paraellels to our '91 Superbowl team. Portis is the main back, much like Earnest Byner was. Betts would be our 3rd down receiving back, represented by Ricky Ervins in 1991. And TJ Duckett finally fufills the Gerald Riggs, pound it in short yardage running back that Gibbs has lacked for so many years. As a unit I think they will be unstoppable.
I'd love to hear our reader's thoughts on the implications this trade has for Portis (if any), Betts, Cartwright, or Sellers. I feel they all still make the team, but does anyone disagree? What about Betts and Duckett in the future? Both players' contracts are up at the end of this football season... do you see us keeping one of them? Any of them? Both?