Interesting quote from Vinny over at Covering the Redskins regarding how much action we'll see during this free agency at linebacker:
As for Briggs, who was a target last off-season, that ship appears to have sailed.. Briggs is expected to land a huge deal and as Cerrato put it, "I can't talk specifically about certain free agents but let me put it this way, we like our linebackers."
I'm kind of a big fan too; London Fletcher is the leader on this defense, Marcus Washington still has it as far as I'm concerned and Rocky McIntosh had a phenomenal year. The post identifies our team needs at offensive line (which Bram says Vinny says we'll deal with in the draft) and receiver. More on this quiet offseason:
Cerrato was calling the money that will be put out there with numerous teams well under the cap "crazy." Ironic coming from the Redskins point of view that others will pay "crazy" money but the Skins have been at the forefront of large bonus/back-loaded deals, so this off-season, the bills have come due in terms of ability to be a major shopper.. That said, the team has been consistent in their belief that the pool of candidates is shallow..
Crazy money defined, though slightly dated. As of Feb. 22nd, there were 19 teams over 20M under the cap, 10 of them over 30M under the cap, and 5 over 35M under the cap. The team that couldn't outbid us for Todd Collins, the Jags, had over 46M dollars to spend.
I am starting to believe that we will actually have a quiet offseason. There is a perfect storm brewing (metaphor inadvertently stolen from John Kleim). The annual increase in the salary cap + a relatively weak field of talent, at least per Vinny's evaluation + many teams with huge, huge salary cap spending space + Redskins not being one of those teams = sitting on a roster that was good enough to make the playoffs last year. I can get behind that.