Our starting QB has a past missing major chunks of seasons and, though very serviceable (he's no Gabbert) he's not exactly lights out either. If he plays at an Alex Smith '11 level it will be amazing, and Alex (whom I actually like) is merely "good" at his best.
Hm. Better and worse than what expected. As in, he's still upright but he's pretty dreadful, in fact somewhat Gabbert-ish. Alex on the other hand is doing better than merely "good so far.
Let's call it a wash.
Our receivers are the same mix of "potential" plus one big name that we had the last season. Our projected tight ends don't even have that one big name - it's all "potential" and former busts.
I think I'm bang on here. Potential, sure, but also atrocious drops at back breaking moments, and low production all round.
Many of the former busts at TE have been already cut/traded.
Our OL hasn't been good for years; Staley is awesome, but he's also a year older from last season's disastrous campaign. The rest of the line MAY have gelled - or not. If it's "not" then I expect Hoyer to be in the IR by Week 6.
Mixed, but mostly right so far. Still on for Hoyer-in-the-IR-by-Week 6, if he doesn't get benched first.
Our running backs have "potential": a veteran that has shown flashes and never stays healthy; and the coach's personal draft crush who may be amazing, or a headcase, or merely serviceable. But who is DEFINITELY a rookie, therefore who knows?
Mostly right. Hyde has been excellent, but with his running style won't last long. Coach's Pet didn't even make the team - he got stashed in IR with a mild headache, or whatever spurious excuse we used to stash him.
On D we have a former All Pro who is coming back from his second career threatening injury. The other two LBs are an underperforming veteran and a rookie with an injury cloud over him. 3 top picks on the DL who are entirely unproven and who may not even be able to play together at the same time due to scheme (for the record, Buckner and Thomas were my own draft crushes, so I'm not against the players).
DLine has been good. We still don't have a pass-rush to speak of, but we are not being gashed for half miles on the ground any longer. Foster looked good for the 10 minutes he played, or whatever it was before a different injury got him. Bowman, thank heavens, is still healthy. I love the guy, but always fear the worst for his legs.
I'll admit I've been mostly wrong here.
Who else? Safety looks OK, though Tartt (another oddball pick, which I really, REALLY wanted to pan out, but hasn't so far) is still at "potential" level. Corners have "potential", though the one proven veteran (who was no hot shakes at that) was correctly fired for being a woman-beating bum.
Secondary has been good, though it's a moral victory - with no pass-rush worth the name they will get exposed. Ex-CB got cleared, but makes no difference to us.
Here the optimists can still hope with good cause.
And we finally have our managerial team. An owner who is a known meddler, messer-up and entitled silver spoon.
I'm cast-iron, 100% right here.
A CEO-type (whatever his title is this month) whose image the team are trying really hard to rehabilitate, but who has been accused of messing with management in the past to disastrous effect.
Ditto.
We have a rookie GM, who granted has been saying all the right things and seeming like he's actually doing the right things (I like the man!).
As you were. I still like the man and his draft picks look like they're producing (please! don't turn this into a Trubisky discussion too).
And we have another "genius" coach, to follow from our genius from last year, who followed (with a one year plumber-at-the-helm interlude) a "quarterback whisperer" (who did wonderfully but who was apparently an insufferable headcase), who followed a HOFer with vaunted motivational skills, who followed another "genius" (defensive variant) from a defensively storied franchise, who followed a college genius, who followed... hang on, we're back to Mariucci now, and I liked Mariucci!
I'm still waiting to see the genius. Benefit of the doubt, though I'm still cautious. I don't like "geniuses" not named Walsh. Win a championship with an innovative scheme, and then we talk. But it's early days, still.
Really, REALLY cautious about Our Lord and Saviour Kirk Cousins. He's a great story, and he seems like a good egg, but I just can't see how he can be this amazing solution for this otherwise very poor team in terms of talent. I listen to Tony K's show (podcast) for years now and I get rather more of the Washington fans' and reporters' take on him, and they confirm what I've always seen from him on the field: a sort of Alex Smith type of overall talent (and I liked Alex), seasoned with back breaking interceptions at the worst moment. He has cleaned up on these lately - as I said, I like the guy and he is a great story. But he will be paid like a couple of your more sybaritic kings next summer - unless he signs the Washington extension in which case we will see suicides here. Is he worth it? I don't think so. Sure, we have the cap space - NOW. But if we do start building up the rest of the team, they will want money too, and by that time the Cousins contract will be a millstone. I prefer going the boring veteran route (aka the Hoyer route) and keep drafting QBs. Perhaps one will stick.
Still insist on all the above. Cousins has been Cousinsy so far: some purple streaks, punctuated with some dreadful play. And he will command a tanker-load of money in the offseason. I still say draft QBs (I do mean it! I did not want us to draft Trubisky, so lay off the Trubisky comments please).
I hope we do ok, but I fear this will be another 4-12 or thereabouts season, with "potential" though.
In the PYMWYMI thread I actually predicted 7-9, being in truth an eternal optimist. 4-12 looks the likeliest to me at present.
