- I feel like the world is littered with reactions and overreactions to what is going on in Washington these days, so instead of a long and drawn out Sixpack today, I thought I would pose a handful of questions and see if we can’t constructively discuss a path forward without things spiraling into animosity and vitriol. I am confident that the performance yesterday in Los Angeles has left many Redskins fans like me: quasi-emotionally detached to the 2017 campaign, with a lot of hope at least for the young players getting invaluable experience right now. I’ll do a roundup of our discussion here and on The Audible tomorrow night.
- Where do you stand on the Gruden Era? I am still not one who thinks Jay Gruden should be fired. I think giving a head coach five years to build something in Washington is almost the only thing we haven’t tried yet. My biggest fear is that Dan Snyder blows it up—not because he has a better idea on how to move forward, but because he wants to sell a clean slate to the fanbase. That is something we have seen and done already.
- Forget what you think the Redskins SHOULD do...what do you think they WILL do about Kirk Cousins? I feel like we have all been digging in our heels on our Kirk perspectives for the last few years. This is simply a prediction of what you think will happen, and not what you WANT to happen. Feel free to indicate that your prediction is either with or against your heart. I am of course a Kirk guy, and I am predicting a franchise tag is placed on our man. If I stand here completely emotionless, I feel like I can see the Redskins trading him after they do that, and it does not give me any great pleasure to think that.
- Let’s keep the tough topics coming. Do you see Josh Norman in a Redskins jersey next season? His contract is written in a way that makes the 2018 offseason a spot where moves can be made. I think we are far better with him on our team than with him anywhere else, but one could make the argument that a post-June 1st trade would net the team $14 million in 2018 cap savings, which provides some crucial pre-July 15th space for...you-know-who (plus you never know who you might be able to get in a trade). I would really hate to be the team that trades away top cornerback talent, and Josh Norman is a beast that I want on my team. I do see him here next season, but none of us should expect that ride to be smooth.
- At the risk of poking the bear too much, I thought I would ask a quick-hitter: If Kirk Cousins is not on the roster for the 2018 Redskins, who is the starting quarterback in week one? Just to show I can play the game in good faith, allow me to offer a name: Baker Mayfield. (Classic Snyder move.)
- I’ll go out on a draft-related question. Assuming for a moment that a “best player available” existed and was available at the position, which position would you advocate for focusing on in the first round of the 2018 Draft, based on what we know NOW (now what we may or may not know in a couple months)? I am not going to surprise anyone here—give me that blue-chip center all day long!
I hope we can center the discussion here today on these thoughts, and save some of the more heated conversations for another day...preferably in early February.