Oh, snap! Gruden: We’re better at QB without Cousins

thats pretty damn weerd.

What is he supposed to say?  But I'm also unsure that Kirk is a true franchise QB.  Alex Smith has a winning record and his team's weren't  much better if at all than the Redskins.  I'm still concerned Kirk is all stats no "IT" factor that true franchise QBs have to win when maybe they shouldn't .

Of course he is going to say that. He's not going to say gee we really suck now lol. 

pretty sure smiths cap figures were higher this yr as well.

I like to imagine he's Case Keenum in an alternate reality. One where we put the franchise tag on him and ended the fan honeymoon as we struggled to repeat the prior season while Keenum's stats improved.

Kirk took over an overhyped team filled with the hot air promise of a 1st round QB. He stepped in and their organization didnt miss a beat at the position. But the bar was incredibly high; the Redskins had been running on fumes in their efforts to win after the RG3 failure. When the team needed to franchise him, the fanfare of lucking out on even drafting him faded; that price tag meant championship or bust. ... they reluctantly franchised him again...

They werent really built for him. They couldnt get him weapons as fast as he lost the ones he had.

He got paid alot, the fans had a lot of reasons to sit back and question his pedigree while crying about losing. But, we always compliment Keenum's targets in challenging his success, how often did we hear about how awesome Washington's recievers are? Kirk was always an overachiever first. The Redskins failed to extend him, and they failed to build around him. After that franchise tag, a promising late round QB suddenly had it all on him. ... any team or fan base in the league expects instant results when you pay a QB that kind of money.

I guess I feel like theres some similarity between Kirk early in his starting days and Keenum. Only, we really embraced Keenum when he found success. We came off of some crazy misfortune and we felt pretty fortunate Keenum found success in our system. Washington was in a mad scramble over RG3 failing. In some eyes, Cousins didnt prove shit execpt that they screwed up. They didnt franchise tag him as a congratulations, they did it because he was a flash in the pan; a charred black pan. 

There is an article here about the bar being raised too high with Cousin's here and his price tag. There was talk about "overpaying" Keenum and how paying him that much means we better win a Super Bowl or "that contract is stupid."

Quite frankly, Cousins came outta nowhere and played at a very high level. Unlike the Vikes, the Redskins didn't have a "Kirk Cousins" to turn to. Kirk turned a nightmare (and behind the scenes circus) situation into a glimmer of hope. His contract situation changed expectations and blinded many to his accomplishments and ability. They went from developing and building around their QB to waiting for the cashout on their return...

Keenum, as an overall package, is a young guy who keeps growing as a player; he built himself up all season long and probably should continue to grow - but Denver doesnt give much of a shit about that now, right? They paid him to win, not develop. After Washington Franchised Kirk, I think they lost sight of that. It became win now or bust.

@"NodakViking" said: What is he supposed to say?  But I'm also unsure that Kirk is a true franchise QB.  Alex Smith has a winning record and his team's weren't  much better if at all than the Redskins.  I'm still concerned Kirk is all stats no "IT" factor that true franchise QBs have to win when maybe they shouldn't .

KC has had a much better team surrounding Alex then the Redskins ever had in the 3 years of Cousins starting.  Much better Defenses all 3 years, much better run game all 3 years, much better OL (especially with injuries) all 3 years, and Alex had one of the best TE's in Kelce while Reed from the redskins is always hurt.  Cousins had the one year with Jackson, garcon and rookie crowther and he put up huge stats to the WR core....the following year the Redskins let both Garcon and Jackson go.

The Redskins surrounding team is going to be a huge downgrade from what Alex had in KC.

@"NodakViking" said: What is he supposed to say?

1. Nothing. 2. We wish Kirk the best. 3. We have decided to go in a different direction. 4. We thank Kirk .... Instead, they keep criticising a guy who is not even on their team anymore. (Anti-tampering?) After franchising him twice and trying unsuccessfully to sign him to long term deals, they keep coming out to say that he is not very good. So why franchise him twice? Why offer him a lot of money to be your long term QB?

The Redskins sound like a bitter, immature, jilted lover. "I have a new girlfriend. Have you seen my new girlfriend? Her name is Alex. And she is so much prettier than my old girlfriend. No, she really is. Well, I think she is and that's all that matters. I didn't even really like my old girlfriend. I was never really serious about her. I'm much happier now. ... Does anyone know if my old girlfriend is seeing anyone? If you see her tell her what I just said, ok?"

Grow up, Redskins. Move on. Just go back to your old routines. You will get over it in no time. You'll see. 

@"dadevike" said:

@"NodakViking" said: What is he supposed to say?

1. Nothing. 2. We wish Kirk the best. 3. We have decided to go in a different direction. 4. We thank Kirk .... Instead, they keep criticising a guy who is not even on their team anymore. (Anti-tampering?) After franchising him twice and trying unsuccessfully to sign him to long term deals, they keep coming out to say that he is not very good. So why franchise him twice? Why offer him a lot of money to be your long term QB?

The Redskins sound like a bitter, immature, jilted lover. "I have a new girlfriend. Have you seen my new girlfriend? Her name is Alex. And she is so much prettier than my old girlfriend. No, she really is. Well, I think she is and that's all that matters. I didn't even really like my old girlfriend. I was never really serious about her. I'm much happier now. ... Does anyone know if my old girlfriend is seeing anyone? If you see her tell her what I just said, ok?"

Grow up, Redskins. Move on. Just go back to your old routines. You will get over it in no time. You'll see. 

@"Poiple" said: thats pretty damn weerd.

Well, he is a Gruden after all... ;)

I think Smith is a pretty lateral move from Cousins.  Neither are elite QBs, but both are high functioning regular season QBs that still need good teams around them.  Cousins is more productive, but turns the ball over way more often.  I think it comes down more to the Redskins and Cousins relationship not working out than it does to upgrading our downgrading.

While it would have been fun for him to say, "The second biggest mistake I made was letting Kirk walk.  The first? Answering the phone when Snyder called.", that wasn't going to happen.  If you're a head coach and someone asks you if you're better off now at a certain position, even if the predecessor has retired you kinda have to say yes. 

1. The Redskins traded away a CB and a 3rd round pick for a QB 4 years older than Cousins.  They're in damage-control mode with their fans.

2.  The Skins treated Cousins like they'd be happier if he failed when he was still on the team.  Doug Williams, now a team VP, took a parting shot at Cousins right before FA started.

@"RS Express" said: 1. The Redskins traded away a CB and a 3rd round pick for a QB 4 years older than Cousins.  They're in damage-control mode with their fans.

2.  The Skins treated Cousins like they'd be happier if he failed when he was still on the team.  Doug Williams, now a team VP, took a parting shot at Cousins right before FA started.

Yea, it is a real shitshow in DC right now.  Snyder the owner is a dope, Williams is clueless and the team President has been calling Kirk - Kurt - all the years he has been there.  The Redskins are going to suck next year and the immediate future. For them to try and portray Smith as an upgrade is laughable.  Can't wait to see the results, it will be too predictable.  Between them and the rebuilding Giants for the cellar dwellers.  

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/13/washington-v-p-of-player-personnel-doug-williams-nitpicks-kirk-cousins-on-his-way-out-the-door/

you really have to wonder why....

@"Poiple" said: you really have to wonder why....

You mean why the Redskins are so dysfunctional?  Starts with the owner in Snyder and trickles right down to President, Willimas and the coach Gruden who is lucky to keep his job.  Shanahan was the guy who was brought in to groom RGIII and the late pick Cousins.  He came to realize that Cousins was the franchise QB and said told the Redskins brass on his way out but they didn't listen of course and butchered the situation with incompetence.  Shanahan wanted the 49'ers to wait for Cousins and sign him with the 49'ers but Lynch couldn't wait for the offseason and pulled the trade for Garrapolo....who has started 6 games and rec'd the highest QB contract before Cousins.   I'll take a proven 3 year Top 10 performing QB as my franchise guy over a guy who started 6 games last year.  

////////////over under 6 wins for  smith this year

What I find funny is that Jay Gruden and the Redskins front office are the only ones with negative things to say about Kirk...

Here's what Zimmer was told by Kirk's former offensive coordinators:

"He’s a very smart
kid. He’s very, very detailed. I talked to (former Redskins offensive
coordinators) Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan. These guys just rave about him.
So I don’t think the learning curve will be big. But it’s important for
us as coaches to do what he does best. You don’t pay a guy that much
money to put him in a square hole.

His former Head Coach, Mike Shanahan, loved him too...  he told Kirk early in his career that he thought he could have a Drew Brees-type career.

  Every time I see Jay Gruden I'm somehow reminded of 
Robin Hood Men in Tights.

@"BlackMagic7" said: I like to imagine he's Case Keenum in an alternate reality. One where we put the franchise tag on him and ended the fan honeymoon as we struggled to repeat the prior season while Keenum's stats improved.

Kirk took over an overhyped team filled with the hot air promise of a 1st round QB. He stepped in and their organization didnt miss a beat at the position. But the bar was incredibly high; the Redskins had been running on fumes in their efforts to win after the RG3 failure. When the team needed to franchise him, the fanfare of lucking out on even drafting him faded; that price tag meant championship or bust. ... they reluctantly franchised him again...

They werent really built for him. They couldnt get him weapons as fast as he lost the ones he had.

He got paid alot, the fans had a lot of reasons to sit back and question his pedigree while crying about losing. But, we always compliment Keenum's targets in challenging his success, how often did we hear about how awesome Washington's recievers are? Kirk was always an overachiever first. The Redskins failed to extend him, and they failed to build around him. After that franchise tag, a promising late round QB suddenly had it all on him. ... any team or fan base in the league expects instant results when you pay a QB that kind of money.

You really hit on it IMO.  They had a 4th round hit at QB and pissed it away.  He rescued their team from the debacle that was RGIII.  And the Redskins failed to build around him. 

Not sure he is the savior here, that remains to be seen.  But the failure in DC wasn't on Cousins.