Rotoworld put out a report today quoting a source who tells them the Redskins have 'reached out' to tight end Fred Davis over the possibility of a long-term contract. Davis was franchised tagged by the Redskins this offseason after a promising season on the field, but a troubling one off it. Davis managed 59 receptions for 796 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games this year, before missing the final four games due to suspension.
Davis joined left tackle Trent Williams on the sidelines after the two were both suspended for a violation of the NFL's drug policy. They are both one infraction away from being suspended for a full season. This lead the Redskins to franchise tag him instead of giving him a long-term contract, allowing Davis the opportunity to redeem himself without such a high risk for the Redskins.
But the reports today suggest that the Redskins are looking into tying Davis down for the foreseeable future. Which begs the question, should they?
Obviously, the original answer to that question was no, made clear by the Redskins opting for the franchise tag. The other side of this argument is that the timing is all wrong. Surely Davis shouldn't be rewarded with a big contract when he spent the last four games on the sidelines because of a drugs suspension? That goes against everything Mike Shanahan has attempted to bring to this franchise. But let's take a step back for a second.
More after the jump.
The Redskins were aware last September Davis and Williams were going to be suspended at some point during the season. The infractions came before the season began, but no action could be taken during the lockout. Despite this, Davis played to his full ability as one of the few Redskins offensive play-makers. Maybe one could argue that Davis has already redeemed himself with his performances during the season and taking full responsibility for his actions since the incident. If you take that view, which potentially the Redskins have, then this is the perfect time to give him a long-term deal.
Think about it, when are you going to get better value over the life of the contract than right now? Davis has very little leverage after the drugs suspension, which means the Redskins could tie down their top tight end on the cheap for the next four to five years, giving Robert Griffin III a consistent go-to guy as he begins his NFL career.
With the tight end position becoming more and more involved in NFL offenses, to get an extremely talented guy for below market value would be huge for the Redskins, especially given the Redskins salary cap restrictions over the next few years. What do you think, should the Redskins get him signed? Or does Davis need to redeem himself first with solid play this season? Let us know your view in the comments below.