RG Keep: What Could GM Scot McCloughan be Thinking?

By Anthony McCree II

Two things happened yesterday surrounding Robert Griffin III and Washington that could be described as unexpected to many people. First, when the teams final 53 man roster was announced...Robert Griffin III was actually on it! Secondly, The former NFL Rookie of the Year is expected to not even be the second string quarterback, not only, is he behind Kirk Cousins but he's also behind Colt McCoy on the depth chart.

Clearly, this further increases the likelihood that Skins fans won't see Rg3 play at all this season. Most would say, that this is a clear indictment on the ability of Robert Griffin to consistently succeed within their offense or any other.

Many others, may even say that it's now more clearer than ever that the relationship between Head Coach Jay Gruden and the young quarterback is strained. That everyone within the organization has most likely "had it" with Robert and for the good of the franchise....it's just best to move on. "Cut him, trade him, whatever you do...get him outta here!" Has been a popular sentiment among fans and non-fans alike.

All those things could be true. These actions by the franchise could be a sign of things to come and at this juncture... how can anyone see this situation differently?

I really don't know, but, that's exactly what I intend to do in this piece, examine this situation between the franchise and quarterback from a completely different angle than most people may be taking at this point and time.

Let's consider the biggest change of the off-season in DC. Scot McCloughan, former VP of Player Personnel and General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers from 2005-2009, former Seattle Seahawks Senior Personnel Executive from 2010-2013...is now the General Manager in Washington.

First of all, The 49ers and Seahawks became like two twin brothers constantly battling for a mother's love and attention. Even if they are fraternal...it's very easy to see, at least on the surface, that these two teams were related. Both teams, built on the concepts of having great defenses that are extremely tough to run on, extremely tough pass on, and will run the football down the other teams throat, with quarterbacks who will rarely "lose the game for you."

With that being said...what is the likelihood that Scot McCloughan is building the roster of the team he's currently working for in the same fashion? If you really think about it...How would you answer that question? I know right, easy money...it's like a 99.9 percent chance that's he's doing exactly that!

Just look at what has happened early on in his tenure with Washington:

• Bill Callahan, former Offensive Coordinator and Offensive line Coach of the Dallas Cowboys was brought over as the Offensive Line Coach and to have great influence on the offensive scheme and play calling. His blueprint is growth of an Offensive Line and running the football as Dallas did with Demarco Murray last year. Sounds familiar...

• Joe Barry, was brought over from the San Diego Chargers to be the Defensive Coordinator in Washington. Barry's goal was to go from a more traditional two-gap version of the 3-4 defense, to now, the increasingly popular one-gap hybrid defense that allows more guys on the defensive front to attacker the passer, while also, using more cover 3 coverage. Similar to whom? Seattle Seahawks are the first team that come to mind.

To go along with the coaches I mentioned, let's look at the acquisition of a players:

• Defensive End Ricky Jean-Francois, Safety Jeron Johnson, Corner back Chris Culliver, were all signed as free agents. Saftey Dashon Goldston was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay. All of these players share a common bond... they all have roots that tie them to Scot McCloughan from either the 49ers or Seahawks.

• Let's look at the 2015 NFL Draft, Washington selected 10 Players, 7 of which could have an impact in the near or late future on the offensive or defense. Most notably, being Brandon Schreff a Rt/G Prospect in the first round, 5th overall. Then, there is Preston smith, a versatile OLB/DE selected in the second round...increasing the emphasis of impact players in the trenches. They even drafted Matt Jones, RB, in the third round, a guy many compare to Marshawn Lynch of ....the Seattle Seahawks... Scot McCloughan included.....you see this right?

Okay, there's a pattern that you may or may not have noticed that has seemed to develop here. So I'm just going to ask...If Scot McCloughan has up to this point attempted to build the football team with so many similarities from coaching philosophies, players signed as free agents, to the type of players drafted...why wouldn't he be thinking similarly in terms of the Quarterback position?

Between the 49ers and Seahawks there have been three Starting Quarterbacks that Scot McCloughan has a direct or indirect hand in drafting. 

First, Alex Smith, drafted by San Fran when Scot was VP of Personnel. Then, there's Russell Wilson, Drafted while McCloughan was the Senior Personnel Executive in Seattle. Then even, Colin Kapernick, whom the 49ers drafted almost a year after McCloughan's departure, could also be considered a result of McCloughan's influence, even if just slightly, because of Scot's history with 49ers GM Trent Baalke, who originally joined that team as a Western Regional Scout in 2005. Obviously, He had to learn something from his GM who was Scot McCloughan at the time.

All these Quarterbacks, share similarities and have their differences as well, but all three share some vital traits that help a team greatly when they are "on top of their game". They all fit the mold of a quarterback that can make a play with his arms, his legs, and can at the least be a teams "game manager".

When you look at Washington's roster, which Quarterback that is currently on the final 53 most closely resembles that type of player? Is it 1st stringer Kirk Cousins, 2nd stringer Colt McCoy, or third stringer Robert Griffin III aka Rg3? 

I don't know about you, but I'd have to say that's Rg3. With that being the case, I'd also have to thinks it's possible that maybe GM Scot McCloughan could value Robert Griffin III more than even the current coaching staff. 

The Quarterbacks currently ahead of Rg3 are seemingly more suited to run a system that does not exactly highlight Rg3's strengths but gives both men, especially, current starter Kirk Cousins a more likely chance of success than it does Robert Griffin. This is a direct influence of 2nd year Head Coach Jay Gruden, which is fine, that is his right to coach what he may personally feel gives them the best chance of success.

The thing is though, there is no guarantee that Scot McCloughan is in fact "sold" on Gruden. He wasn't here when Jay Gruden was hired, he may not necessarily completely embrace the belief that Gruden's more risky, more pass happy approach to the offense is better than what he's seen lead to multiple Superbowl appearances, multiple Conference Championship appearances, between two franchises that he himself help engineer and build.

I think it's highly possible that Scot signed off on this move of Griffin not only being removed as starter, but demoted all the way third string for a few reasons that maybe some don't realize are possible. I think, he may view this as being best for the franchise to see what Gruden can do now with the Quarterback that he's most comfortable with, and if it doesn't work out...Scot can just replace Gruden and even Kirk Cousins if he feels the need.

He can bring in a  head coach that may fit his philosophy better and at the same time, could represent a stock increase for Rg3. Not only, because the offense could be better suited for him, but because he's been off the field for a whole season, he's had a year to learn and improve under tutelage of QB Coach Matt Cavanaugh, and he's not risking his body as much, playing behind an offensive line who should be improving but isn't exactly a perfect, while also having struggles within a system that he isn't yet prepared to lead to it's peak.

Time will tell, we'll see how this season plays out for Washington, but it is possible that what most view as a great negative for this franchise and Robert Griffin III right now. Could actually be a great positive in hiding, and something that Scot McCloughan knows he can turn to should he not see what he wants this season.

Wristy Buisness: It's win or go home for Wall and the Wizards

By Anthony McCree II and Kelvin Cash

Tonight, The Wizards come back home for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. They do so after back to back loses for the first time in this playoff, both loses were close, but Game 5 being the biggest heart break of all for Wizards fans, considering they had a one point lead with 8.3 seconds to go and lose on an Al Horford rebound and put back because quite obviously....they failed to block him out.


The difference in them was obvious with John on the court, He just changes things for them, gets everyone in the right places, and is just a blur on the offensive end, and he had a great impact on the other end as well.

Atlanta's combo of Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder at Point Guard for did not as easily drive past the Wizards guards like they did the previous two games without Wall on the court. They actually had 11 turnovers between the two Teague (7) Schroder (4) and 23 total as a team.

Turnovers were a problem for the Wizards again in Game 5 as well, Wall (6) Beal (5) , but they actually won the turnover battle ending up with 4 less than their opponent as a team (19).

The failed box out, the high turnover number, and failure to connect from distance with them going 4-17 from 3 are all great reasons to point to for the lose, it doesn't all hinge one play or one thing, but in the NBA playoffs, if you hold the other team to 81 points and still lose, chances are.....You did something exceptionally wrong lol.

With them coming home tonight, I'll give my take on things based on last game, and Kelvin will speak on his X-factors, and what he would like to see in Game 6 as well.

Who's Hot

John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat

As mentioned previously, John Wall really gave the Wizards a spark on both ends of the court, He even played exceptional defense on Schroder on the last play, that could have won it for them, if someone had put a body on Horford.

Bradley Beal, had another good performance in this playoff, he scored 23 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, he, like John, could stand to bring his turnover total down, but I love his effort and aggressiveness on both ends.

Marcin Gortat, was 7-10 shooting in Game 5, with 14 points, and 8 rebounds, some even suggest that if it was he instead of NeNe on the floor at the end of the game maybe, Just maybe.....they go into this game on the edge of victory instead of elimination.

Who's Not

Otto Porter and Drew Gooden

Otto Porter, has been great this playoff, He's done many different things for them on both ends of the court, and Game 5 was no different. He had 10 rebounds, 5 on defense and 5 on the offensive end, and again played very good defense.

So Why is he on this list?....Because he shot was simply off, He went 3-13 in the game and missed both his 3 point attempts, it could have been worse, I commend him for his efforts, but he's has to shoot better tonight.

Drew Gooden, like Porter, I've enjoyed his play for much of this playoff, but Game 5....I found myself wondering why he was playing, and Kris Humphries and Seraphin were not. 0-4 from the field, 0 points in 11:56 minutes.

The Truth

Paul Pierce

Paul has been great for them, He's been clutch the entire playoff, and made a game winner in Game 3, in Game 4, he got a good look from distance that would have tied and just missed it, in Game 5, he hit a 3 point shot with 8.3 left to give them a one point lead. He was also the only Wizard in the game to shoot well from the arc, going 3-6 in the game.


Rebounding

The team actually did a pretty good job rebounding in the game, they did lose the battle on the boards by 4 ( 46 to 50) but that wasn't due to lack of trying. The Wizards had 13 offensive rebounds in the game which is really good. Problem is....they were equally bad at stopping offensive rebounds on the other end as Atlanta also had 13. The last heartbreaking score by Atlanta can easily tell the tale on why they need to improve on securing defensive boards in game five.

They have only lost the rebounding battle twice in this series, Game 2 and Game 5, both loses, and both games where they allowed Atlanta to do work on the offensive glass (16 in game 2).

Along with the very good defensive effort, they'll need to secure defensive rebounds in Game 6, to get this back to Atlanta at 3-3.

 Maybe, Kris Humphries, a guy who is known to be a really good rebounder, could help assure that if he gets some clock in this game.

X-Factor

NeNe Hilario

Will the Real NeNe Hilario please stand up! The "Big Brazilian" has been lucklaster in the post season to say the least and even still that may be a reach. The Atlanta Hawks' bigs only pose on threat...ATHLETICISM. As many of you may know, that seems to be the achilles heal of the Washington Wizards front court.

That's a key reason many didn't have them beating The Toronto Raptors in the fashion that they did. NeNe, must be more involved and focused. The Big Fella or whomever may be his replacement tonight will need to bring their A game!

Key Matchup

Wall Vs Elimination 

Over the years we've seen Wall blossom into one of the leagues best point guards, He is the catalyst for the Wizards. However, he doesn't get the credit or recognition he deserves. What better way to silence the hecklers and critics than to show up facing elimination and put the team and the city on his back (less than 100% as well).

Last game he torched Jeff Teague and he will have to replicate that effort today because just like the Wizards, Atlanta goes how their guard goes. Look for Wall to have his hands on this game literally!

Wrist Factors: Can We Honestly Expect to See John Wall Play Soon?

By Anthony McCree II

I'm very proud of the Wizards this playoff, I think they play with a poise and a confidence we haven't seen from them in quite sometime, even last year was different from this year, in 2014 they played like wanted to prove they "belonged", in 2015, they play like they know they belong.

They won the first 5 games they played this playoff, sweeping the Raptors, and going up 1-0 against the one seed Atlanta Hawks. They even made history in the process, winning 4 straight game 1's on the road...never been done until them. They had been playing with the consistency that you see from championship teams, not just good teams, they were getting stops when they needed them, and hitting shots when they needed to, when you get up on them, they fight back, when they get up, they generally stay up, these are the things I mean.

Of course, Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, in the East are tough outs, but the Wizards are good enough when healthy to play with anyone I believe...thing is...they no longer have health on their side.

John Wall, is unlikely to play again in game 3 with non-displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand. They say he could play, if swelling comes down and pain could be tolerated and things of that nature, but I just don't see it being worth the risk.

I know it's Wall's decision to make, but it greatly risk long term effectiveness for a short term goal. It's said that his injury can take 6-8 weeks to heal, if he plays and it got worse, or the fractures become displaced, your talking a process that can take much longer, and be much more difficult to heal.

Pro Athletes often tend to heal quicker than the average person, but even so, logic tells you if he plays before the six week mark, it would be the NBA Finals, where reward can possibly be equal to risk.

John's injury happened May 3rd and was diagnosed on May 4th, even if they were to end up in a seven game series with Atlanta and won it... they would still only be about 2 weeks into the healing process (game 7 is scheduled for May 18th if needed)  with a few days of rest before facing either Cleveland or Chicago.

That just wouldn't be a good situation for John or the Wizards as a franchise, most likely, he'd be forced to at least miss the Eastern Conference Final despite his hunger to play. I want to see John Wall play, you want to see John Wall play, John Wall....wants to see John Wall play...but at what risk?

The Wizards still have a a very good team even without Wall on the court, Game 2 is a good indication of that, they lost the game by 16 but it was one of those games that was "closer than the score indicated".

If they can clean some things up, mainly, turnovers leading to easy buckets and open 3 pointers for Atlanta, they can still do this. Can they win this series or next without Wall? Will we see John Wall again in the Playoff at all?

We'll just have to wait and see I guess...

Wiz VS Hawks Game 2: Can they pull of the upset without Wall?

The Wizards go into game 2 in Atlanta with a 1-0 lead, that's after making history the game before with their 4th straight game 1 away win. They (just like me) will have to get over that success and win the next game.

Going up 2-0 would really leave the Wizards completely in the drivers seat and controlling their own fate coming home to Washington for games 3 and 4. For that to happen, I believe certain things will be key, The Wizards will be without Wall though, it will be a tough task, but it's possible, evidenced by the way the Clippers stepped and won without their best play and floor general CP3...who can help them get over the top? Let's look at that.



Who's Hot

Paul Pierce, Otto Porter, Bradley Beal

Pierce, didn't shoot a great percentage from beyond the arc in game 1 (3-9 for 33 percent) but he did go 7-15 in the game scoring 19 points. His all around effectiveness and versatility will be needed if they are to win Game 2.

Otto Porter, scored 10 points, grabbed 11 boards, and made two 3's in game 1 he also played excellent defense on the other end of the court, let's hope for a repeat.

Beal Played Great again in Game 1, scoring 28 points and grabbing 7 boards, he also played swarming defense on Atlanta's 3 point shooters, they'll need him tonight to help deal with the loss of Wall for the game.



Who's Not

NeNe Hilario and Kevin Seraphin

Each grabbed three rebounds in game 1, NeNe added in a steal, but both big men scored 0 points...needless to say, if they want minutes, they need to play much better than that.

X-Factors

Ramon Sessions, Garret Temple, and Otto Porter

With John Wall expected to miss the game, Ramon Sessions goes from a very vital role off the bench, to a very vital role in the starting lineup, are 18 points, 13 assist and 7 boards expected? I don't know if they can be, but he is a talent player, and will have to be a threat to create for himself and others on the offensive end if they are to have a chance without Wall tonight.

John Wall's back court mate, Bradley Beal, also sustained an injury in game 1, returning to the game after severely spraining his ankle, he did return to the game, but was very much a decoy toward the end of the game.

Beal will play, but if he's not effective, or cannot sustain a full work load, temple will most likely get the shot to fill in, He played pretty well in games that he got 30 minutes or more in the regular season in relief of Beal, he could be called upon again.

Otto Porter, Is on here once again, even though Sessions is expected to be in the lineup for Wall, and Temple maybe filling in at the 2, Otto Porter could actually get the start at 3 with Paul Pierce playing the 4 to start this game. doing so, could still give them a chance to matchup well with Atlanta's starting unit, even without Wall in the lineup.

Wizards Vs Hawks: Game 1 Recap

By Anthony McCree II

Yesterday, The Washington Wizards not only won the first game in a race to 4 against the number one seed Atlanta Hawks, but they also made history in the process. The Wizards, became the first team to win four straight game 1's on the road.....in the history of the league....that's right....IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE! Nobody else has done that, M.J.'s Bulls, Russell's Celtics, Magic's Lakers, etc, etc.....NOBODY ELSE HAS DONE IT!

I just wanted to point that out, it doesn't mean they've won the chip, or they don't have 3 more games to win against a very good team in The Atlanta Hawks, history just had to be noted, because that is very impressive.

The game itself was very good and competitive, Atlanta really came out strong, they had an 11 point lead after 1 qtr, and a ten point lead at the half, DeMarre Carroll was the key for the Hawks in the first half, he scored 21 of his 24 points in the game within the first two quarters.

In the second half, Washington locked in on the defensive end, holding Atlanta to only 25 percent shooting in the final half and 35 points total, while also nearly matching their point total from the first half (51) with their scoring in the second (53). They were the more consistent team on offense for the game.

Key Players 

John Wall and Bradley Beal

John Wall, was the MVP of the game for Washington, He scored 18 points, had 13 assist, 3 blocks and 1 steal, and he clearly lead the Wizards and was key factor in helping them control the pace of the game in the second half.

Bradley Beal, scored 28 points, grabbed 7 boards, and was much better on the defensive end in this game 1 than he was in the opening game against Toronto, he stayed glued to the Hawks sharp shooter Kyle Korver and was not easily deterred by Atlanta's screens that they often use to help get Korver open looks...He did sustain an ankle sprain in the fourth qtr, his health will be key for The Wizards the rest of the way.

 Beal is expected to play, but if cannot go in game 2 on Tuesday , Washington does have Garret Temple, who would most likely fill in the starting lineup, he played well in the role when filling in for Beal during the regular season.

X- Factors 

Otto Porter and Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce, once again, did a great job playing both the small forward and power forward positions, he scored 19 points in the game, and remained a threat from 3 point range through the whole contest, He also matches up well with most the players that Atlanta plays at the 4 spot, because they often play players who are "stretch 4's" who can spread the floor, that's a tough match for a traditional Power Forward like NeNe Hilario.

Otto Porter, had another strong showing this post season, He's appeared to have taken a step forward this post season, averaging 9.6 points, 8 rebounds, and shooting 43 percent from 3 in the playoffs. He did well yesterday, and hit those averages, he scored 10 points, had 11 rebounds, and is playing very well on the defensive end.

Defending the Arc

The Hawks offensive philosophy is greatly centered around the three-point shot, they came into yesterday's game leading all playoff teams in three-pointers attempted per game. Atlanta hasn't shot less than 30 three pointers in any playoff game so far and yesterday was no different, they shot the 3 ball 38 times, making 13, that's 34.2 Percent, for the Wizards to win this series, they need to continue to force Atlanta to miss at a similar rate, if The Hawks shoot within the high 30's or 40's in terms of percentage, they are much harder to beat.

Skins Draft Round Up: Grading What's Been Done, And Seeing Who's Left

By Anthony McCree II

Wow!!  The first days of the 2015 NFL draft have been eventful haven't they! Day 1 for Washington started with Brandon Schreff, a pick I graded out as an A despite the fact that ultimately the decision was made to skip over Leonard Williams, DE , USC and there are questions on whether Schreff should be drafted so high because he's going to play RT or Guard in the league.

The next day, started with the drafting of Preston Smith OLB/DE out of Mississippi State.

He's 6'5 271 lbs, they should be able to move him all along the defensive front, playing him as a 3-4 OLB, he can play 3-technique, 5-technique, and even played NT at times in College and was successful no matter where they played him.

Grade:A-

In the 3rd round, they traded out of the 5th spot in the 3rd round and received Seattle's 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th round picks...Hell of a deal, especially, given the fact they still landed a quality player at the end of the 3rd round.

They took Matt Jones, RB, out of Florida. He's big, fast for his size, and has some wiggle in the open field, he's also a good pass protector and can catch out of the back field, the main knock on him is fumbling, here's to hoping he gets coached up well.

Grade: B 

Today, will possibly feature 7 more picks barring anymore trades resulting in either more or less selections (lets hope for more). Let's check out who are some value players to consider at key positions of need the rest of the way.

Wide Receiver 

Darren Waller, Georgia Tech, 6'6 235 lbs

A huge target who has the potential to develop as a very very good red zone threat, he has great body control, and can catch the football at it's highest point. At his size, he could even double as a move tight end.

Dezmin Lewis, Central Arkansas, 6'4 214 lbs

Another big target can go up and get the ball at it's highest point, He played well at the Senior Bowl, and has decent speed, proving so running a 4.46 at his Pro-day.

Inside linebacker

Ramik Wilson, Georgia, 6'2 237 lbs

An athletic linebacker who can play inside in a 3-4 defense or in a 4-3, good speed running a 4.62 40 at his Pro Day. He moves fluidly from side to side and was very productive against good competition in the SEC.

Center

This is a position that I thinks has some of the best prospects in the latter half of the draft at a position of need for the Skins. All these guys are

B.J. Finney, Kansas State, 6'4 318 lbs

One of the best Center prospects in the draft as a whole, plays with very good technique and leverage and is good with his hands.

Max Garcia, Florida, 6'4 309 lbs

Has natural power and upper body strength, can move defenders while also being difficult to move in the process. Is also extremely versatile, having also played Left guard and Left Tackle as well.

Shaquille Mason, Georgia Tech, 6'1 300 lbs

Power, Power, Power! One of the best drive blockers in the class. If he had the prototypical size of many who went before him already....he would have have gone before many of them. He played Guard in college, but again, his size will most likely dictate that he plays center, but I'd love to have him, he has some of the same traits as our first pick in the draft Brandon Schreff, he plays nasty, and wants

to "finish" the man in front of him.

Offensive Guard

Tre' Jackson, Florida State, 6'4 330 lbs

Daryl Williams, Oklahoma, 6'5 327 lbs

Mark Glowinski, West Virginia, 6'4 307

Tayo Fabuluje, TCU, 6'6 353

Jose Matias, Florida State, 6'5 309

Robert Myers, Tennessee State, 6'4 326


Defensive Backs

Josh Shaw, USC, 6'0 201 lbs, CB/S

Doran Grant, Ohio State, 5'10 200 lbs, CB

Durrell Eskridge, Syracuse, 6'3 208 lbs, FS

Deron Smith, Fresno State, 5'10 200 lbs, FS

Adrian Amos, Penn State, 6'0 218 lbs, FS

Ladarius Gunter, Miami, 6'1 215 lbs, SS/CB

Gerod Holliman, Louisville, 6'0 218lbs, FS

Rounds 2 and 3 Wrap Up: Live Grades and Reaction

Hello readers, Welcome to the Round 2 Wrap Up. This is where the Area 51 Sports team gives live reactions to the picks made by Washington. Those members are myself Ant "MD" McCree (represented as MD), Kelvin Cash (Cash) and Trent Wright (Trent) We'll all give are take and chime in on moves made during the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the draft.

Round 2

The Giants started off the second round by trading up with Titans and royally pissing off many Skins fans and selecting Landon Collins, But there was still some really good talent available by time they picked.


Who would this pick be for the Skins? Randy Gregory is available, Eli Harold is available, Dorial Green-Beckham is available, as is, A.J. Cann, Jay Ajayi, Duke Johnson, so many directions they could go....AND THEY GO TO COMMERCIAL!!! LOL...that's just so damn great.... I have no Idea why they do this to people lol.

Preston Smith!! Okay!! Not Randy Gregory or DGB but I'll take it, he fills a legit need, and at 6'5 271 lbs can be versatile in our scheme and that's what they need...this could end up paying dividends down the line, I like it.

 MD Ant Grade: A-


Cash: Hell No Bruh! No! No! No! I do not agree. I do not think he was the best player available, why pick a pass rusher and have it not be Randy Gregory! You cannot justify this! It's horrible, I can't take it.

Cash Grade: F...F...F! All F's


MD: Hahaha  I can understand that, but I honestly see reasons to like this, a big guy like that, who can move, and play standing up and with his hand in the ground, you don't see many like in the league...Legit threat to rush and stop the run.

Cash: I have to be honest, I feel like Scott McCloughan promised us dimes and we got two nickles instead...I guess that's one dime lol.

Trent: I can't take this right now, I'm reserving my thoughts for the third round.

Round 3

Cash: We Traded our pick...WTF?

MD: Bet! I wonder what we get in return.

Trent: That trade backed saved Scott McCloughan until tomorrow, we get an extra 4th , 5th , and 6th round pick from Seattle, and pick number 95 (round 3 pick 31). Great Job Scott!

Cash: Bruh! I'll take it! Seattle just did use a favor lol

MD: Agreed! We got over lol.

Cash: If these picks work out I will NEVER question him again! lol

We Are Currently on the Clock...The pick is.....

Matt Jones /RB/ Florida

He's not the more popular Jay Ajayi or Jeremy Langford, but Matt Jones has got very good downhill potential with his running style, and runs past defenders in the open field, He's also a good pass protector, which means he's got a chance to be used on 3rd downs if he can be used regularly as a pass catcher. He does have an issue with protecting the football, so that knocks him down, but he'll have to clean that up going forward.

MD Grade: B

My grade for pick it self is a B...but the round as a whole get's an A+ because the trade of pick 5 in the round resulted with the swap and 3 extra picks, gotta love that..we'll see how it goes tomorrow.


Cash: I don't like the pick, regardless of how well he can pass protect, he'll be a liability if he cannot protect the football, fumbles never help a football team. He's not an upgrade, he's more of a poor man Alfred Morris than anything.

Trent: I see that as more of a luxury pick, with McCloughan having two picks in the 4th round to work with, we'll see what he does tomorrow. I'm not really worried about him passing on Ayayi at this point, because he has red flags with injury concerns, I'm fine with them passing.


So, that's it until tomorrow, We You've seen our take what's yours? Comment, let us know how you feel.



area50onedmv.blogspot.com

Draft Day 2, Rounds 2&3: Which Direction could Washington go

By Anthony McCree II

The first round of the 2015 NFL Draft is done and the Skins decided to go with Brandon Schreff out of Iowa in an attempt to bolster their offensive front for years to come.

Making A Mockery. Draft Day

Today is a big day for NFL fans.  This day should be a national holiday.  The second best event of the league is fast approaching.  We are less than two hours away from the 2015 NFL Draft and in true Draft Day fashion I have composed a mock draft.  Rounds 1-3 will have insight on picks.

YOU ARE ON THE CLOCK!

MOCK DRAFT 1.0

Round 1 Pick 7:  Traded back from 5 to acquire the Bears 7th pick in Round 1 and 7th pick in Round 2.  With this pick I selected Alvin Dupree (DE/OLB, Kentucky).  As you know we've be lackluster on the defensive side of the ball.  More specifically we lack quality rushers.  Dupree is a physical specimen at 6'4 and 270 pounds he has the body you want in the pros add in a 4.56 second 40 and you  can see just how freakish of an athlete he is.  Some even had Dupree going top 5 so the fact that he slipped to 7 is great not to mention adding another pick and you've already placed yourself in an ideal situation to fill another hole

Grade:  A


Round 2 Pick 6:  With this pick I selected Dorial Green-Beckham (WR.Missouri).  By trading back and missing out on Cooper/White I chose to go with the WR many believe could wreak havoc in the NFL.  The Redskins lack a redzone threat and DGB certainly can fill that void.  Green-Beckham is 6'5 and 237.  Again, he's another big body that ran an unreal 4.36 in the 40 yard dash.  Also,  add in his 33 inch vertical and that's a wide catch radius which bodes well in the pros.  DGB is considered 1st round talent even though he is raw but some draft boards have him gone somewhere in the second round due to off-field issues.

Grade:  A-

Round 2 Pick 7: This is the additional pick gained from the trade in the first round.  With this pick I selected Landon Collins (SS.Alabama).  As we all know in Redskin Nation we've lacked a solid safety since the loss of Sean Taylor.  While Landon isn't the same mold of Taylor he is the highest rated safety on the board and for him to slide into Round 2 is a gift.  Collins doesn't wow you with speed but he is a solid tackler and brings a ton of physicality.  Collins is 6'0 and 228 pounds.  He also saw snaps at FS as well and the fact that he can be utilized at both safety spots is a plus for Washington.

Grade:  A+

Round 3 Pick 21:  I traded back with Cincinnati and acquired two additional picks.  With this pick I selected Hau'oli Kikaha (OLB,DE,Washington).  Kikaha displays the type of motor you want to see at the linebacker/defensive end position in the pros.  Touted as the most accomplished pass rusher in this draft and with a projection of going between the second or third round him sitting at the back end of the 3rd again is a gift.  Kikaha is 6'2 and 253 pounds and can play LB and/or DE which gives the Redskins another threat on the defensive line.

Grade:  B

Round 3 Pick 25:  With this pick I selected Tre McBride (WR,William & Mary).  McBride was one of those guys who saw his stock rise due to a great showing at the combine.  He wowed a lot of analyst and scouts.  This doesn't mean that he will translate well into the pros but at this pick he's just to talented to pass up.  Also, the fact that this is an additional pick he's a low risk-high reward player. At 6'0 and 210 pounds McBride can be a decent threat in the slot.  McBride ran a 4.41 40 but he did wow in the 20 yard shuttle at the combine as one of the top performers in that drill with a time of 4.08 seconds.  Add a 38 inch vertical and a 122 inch broad jump and you have quite a threat at the wideout position.

Grade:  A


Round 4 Pick 21: from Cincinnati Gabe Wright (DT,Auburn)

Grade:  A-


Round 5 Pick 5:  Shaquille Riddick (DE/OLB,West Virginia)

Grade:  C


Round 5 Pick 21: from Cincinnati Xzavier Dickson (OLB,Alabama)

Grade:  A-


Round 6 Pick 6:  Laurence Gibson (OT,Virginia Tech)

Grade:  B


Round 7 Pick 5:  Martrell Spaight (OLB,Arkansas)

Grade:  B+

Mad Scientist 4.0: One Mo' Gin, Before The Show Begins

By Anthony McCree II

With the draft right around the corner at 8pm today, I had to do this one more time. I couldn't resist to be honest. So Mad Scientist 4.0 it is, expect more to come after the 1st round gets all hashed out tonight.

This time around was no different than the last, We start with the 5th pick in the first round and then proceeded to trade back until I was comfortable, unlike the previous piece , I chose not to accept every deal offered, because the possibly of your favorite team drafting 23 players in one draft is quite awesome, but it's just also highly unlikely.

So this time, I traded back with 5 different teams and acquired 7 more picks to along with the 7 we started with leaving the franchise with a grand total of 14. That somehow seems slightly more realistic, especially since it's only two from the total number of players brought in during the 2011 draft class (12). That coincidentally happens to be the teams record for most players drafted since the NFL draft was given a 7-round limit.

So, Yea, I'm still hoping my team breaks one of their records in a sense, but just not in such an absurd fashion I guess you could say. But here we go folks....Round 1.....

Round 1 Pick 9 (NYG)

Amari Cooper, WR , Alabama

Round 2 Pick 7 (CHI)

D.J. Humphries, OT , Florida

Round 2 Pick 8 (NYG)

Landon Collins, SS , Alabama

Round 2 Pick 17 (K.C.)

A.J. Cann, OG , South Carolina

Round 3 Pick 5

Jay Ajayi, RB , Boise State

Round 3 Pick 7 (CHI)

Adrian Amos, FS , Penn State

Round 3 Pick 16 (K.C.)

Stephone Anthony, ILB , Clemson

Round 4 Pick 6

Hau'oli Kikaha, OLB/DE , Washington

Round 4 Pick 24 (ARI)

Gabe Wright, DT/DE , Auburn

Round 5 Pick 5

Alani Fua, OLB , Brigham Young

Round 5 Pick 23 (ARI)

Andy Gallik, C , Boston College

Round 6 Pick 6

Darren Waller, WR/TE , Georgia Tech

Round 7 Pick 11

Chris Bonner, QB , CSU-Pueblo

Round 7 Pick 15

Justin Coleman, CB , Tennessee

Overview

This time around, there was a bit of change in philosophy from the previous draft, I neglected the urge to trade out of the first round, instead only trading back a few times in the first round (once with Chicgao as well) and settling with our division rival New York Giants 9th pick. That Pick was then used to select Alabama's Amara Cooper, I think he provides more instant "bang for your buck" than any other receiver in this draft, and doesn't have some of off the field issues of a guy like Dorial Green-Beckham.

Because of the trading back, the second round was also key and plentiful this go around as well. I took D.J. Humpries, Landon Collins and A.J. Cann in the round, helping out two of the Skins most problem areas in  terms of depth in one round, with guys that I believe could easily be considered "first round talent".

In the third round, also feature some similar philosophy and a name you may recall, I again took Adrian Amos, one of the best cover safeties in the class in the round, and targeted a ILB prospect, I got that answer in Stephone Anthony, one of the most athletic players at the position in this class.

Still needing to address the OLB depth with Orakpo leaving, Trent Murphy presuming keeping his starting role, someone will need to step up in nickle situations, one guy that will get that opportunity, is Hau'oli Kikaha, a versatile pass rusher out of Washington (State), He's played linebacker and DE, that could come in handy in this one-gap defense.

A few other guys that I could not ignore for defensive depth this time around either were Gabe Wright, DT/DE and Alani Fua, for the same reasons one would add any possible pass rushing threat to a roster...getting to the QB is key.

Andy Gallick, rounds out the offensive line prospects, he's one of the better Centers in this class, and to get him toward the back of the 5th is a win in my book, that's now Tackle, Guard, and Center that have a comp boost in camp. Darren Waller, becoming a favorite among "sleeper picks" has solid potential, may at least become a very good red zone threat, Chris Bonner, taken again as well, is a prospect with good potential, if we end up grooming a new QB next year, and the corner depth was added to with tough minded press corner Justin Coleman.

Thanks again for reading, look out for more from the Area 51 team, mocks included. Comment let us know what you think.


*All picks made with first-pick.com


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Mad Scientist: On The Clock and Trading A lot

By Anthony McCree II

What up!! Are you ready for the NFL Draft?! I would hope so, it is tomorrow after all, in the sports

Wizards Vs Raptors: Game 3 Pregame

Tonight, The Wizards play their first home game of the 2015 NBA playoffs, they do so, with a two game lead, after beating Toronto on their home floor twice already to start the series off. They are the only team in the league to have won both games on their opponents home floor this postseason.

Time to get those brooms out, it's over. You might want to consider not even watching this one. No way they can lose, right? We would all hope so, teams that go up 2-0 in an NBA series to usually come out the victor, but the Wizards lost nearly every home playoff game they played last postseason, only winning one out of the five games they played at the Verizon Center.

This isn't over just yet, they still need to win a few more games obviously, but I think it's reason to be confident that this team won't repeat the mistakes of last years squad. Let's look at some key points going in to game 3 for now.

Who's Hot

John Wall and Bradley Beal

The combo of John Wall and Bradley Beal played great in game 2, Beal scored 28 points in the game going 12-21 shooting, 2-5 from the free throw line, and completely took over first half by scoring 20 of his total in the first two quarters.

John Wall, was even more impressive in my opinion, not only scoring 26 points on 8-16 shooting, but also distributed at a high level as he normally would, leading the team with 17 assist.

When Washington gets this type of production out of their young back court, their very hard to beat, hopefully it continues.

Who's Not

Drew Gooden

Gooden gave good and consistent effort off the bench, he grabbed 6 rebounds in the game, you really can't be mad at him in that department, but he only went 1-6 from the field. It would be good to see a more consistent shooting performance from him tonight.


Key Matchup 

• "The Truth vs. Toronto"

He's stated that he thrives off of the energy in Toronto.  There's one thing... We're back home and if he needs a hostile territory to play up to the competition then he won't get much of that at the "Phone Booth".  However, we need the Paul Pierce from game one and game two to show up.  In this series he has seen an enhanced role at the Power Forward position and quite frankly he's been exciting to watch.  During the season series in which Toronto swept the Wizards were bullied on the glass and exploited by the Raptors bigs.  They looked more athletic in the post which created big problems for the Wizards.  However, this series they just can't handle "The Truth".

X-Factor

• Bradley Beal

Over the duration of his tenure I've been really hard on Beal because there's talent there but oft times he looks timid.  If the Wizards want to take that next leap forward and if Bradley wants to jump into that next tier to superstardom he's going to have to piece together more games like Game 2.  He simply could not be stopped.  Not settling for threes but driving to the lane and drawing contact; a facet of his game that we haven't seen often.  Beal played more physical and forced Toronto to match that intensity which they simply couldn't.  Beal finished Game 2 with 28 points in 42 minutes on 12/21 shooting.

Wizards Vs Raptors : Game 2 pregame

The Wizards are going to face the Toronto Raptors tonight. The first game was tough, but when the smoke cleared Washington emerged as the victor. Once again, they will face a very good team in a hostile environment , "behind enemy lines" as some say. One has to wonder what can the Wizards do to assure that they don't come out on the losing end this time around. As we go through certain things, maybe we can get that question answered.

Who's Hot

Paul Pierce

In game 1, the presence of the truth was vital, not only for his play on the court, but also, for his leadership, poise and attitude off of it. He was quoted as saying the Raptors just didn't have "it" and he played as if he wanted to prove that. Scoring 20 points total in the game, hitting big shots when they needed and being versatile enough to play the PF spot.

Who's Not

Bradley Beal

16 points, 6 assist, 9 rebounds, 1 steal in game 1. That's a pretty good stat line, shows very good versatility......But damn man! My guy Beal went 6-23 from the field and 1-7 from the 3pt line, that has got to improve! He was our X-factor before Game 1 and will still continue to play a vital role going forward. He will have to improve his shooting if they are going to win this time around, I do like his aggressiveness, along with the long ball, he was also going to rack, but he's got to be successful when doing so.

X-Factor

Marcin Gortat and NeNe Hilario

It was so tough to choose, I couldn't go with just one. Game 2's X -factor is both NeNe and Marcin Gortat. Here's why I believe so. In game one, NeNe recorded a double-double, 12 points, 13 rebounds, His aggressiveness on both ends will be key once again.

For Marcin, He didn't have that overall stat line, with him only recording 8 points and 8 rebounds in comparison, but his involvement in screen and roles on the offensive end is very important for the offense, in the regular season, Gortat was none existent in most of the games, to the point where the Raptors didn't have to account for him as much because he wasn't involved, making it easier to guard everyone else on the floor.

Key Match up to Watch

John Wall Vs Kyle Lowry

This is a repeat of some sorts in terms on game one's pick in this area, but during the season, these two teams generally go, as their floor leaders went, and game 1 was no different. John Wall, didn't shoot the ball very well going 5-18 from the field, he needs to improve upon that similar to Beal, but his 10 points and 8 assist, are still better than Lowy's 7 points and 4 assist...If Lowry repeats that performance, they may not be able to keep the Wizards from the winners circle

Wizards Vs Raptors Game 1: Paul Pierce and NeNe lead the way

By Anthony McCree II

Today, the Washington Wizards kicked off their 2015 playoff run with a victory in rival territory. They took game 1 in Toronto from the Raptors, a team that they haven't defeated all season, they faced a very tough crowd with high energy, against a team that can blow you out at home you're not careful.

The ended the first quarter down by four, it could have been even worse, as they didn't score their first field goal until over 2 minutes had passed in the game, Gortat was forced to leave the quarter early due to picking up a second foul with 6:48 left, and they gave up open looks that Toronto did not fully capitalize on.

They cleaned some of those defensive woes in the second quarter, and that seemed to be a key ingredient to them winning the quarter and going into the half with a 4 point lead.

After the half, the Wizards continued to look like the better team, as they scored 19 and held the Raptors to only 14 points, expanding the lead 9. This continued through the 4th quarter, where they were up by 15 points with about 9 minutes remaining in the game. Easy win right?....Wrong! 

The Raptors stormed back as the Wizards struggled to execute offensively in the 4th quarter, they stayed in it, and kept creeping back into the game until former University of Maryland star point guard Greivis Vasquez made the comeback official with a three pointer with 25.9 seconds left.

The Wizards, then called time out and drew up a great play, where John Wall was isolated at the top of key, he dribbled the clock away, with barely no motion in the offense, no one attempting to pick or screen, and no one cutting to the basket, he tried to drive past Vasquez, and failed and was forced to settle for a jumper, which he missed....you can probably sense my sarcasm, because in my opinion, that was a horrible play to call, especially, coming out a timeout (face in palm) smh.

However, the lost lead did not stop the team on this day, they regrouped, stayed poise and made the clutch plays they need to make to win the game in the extra period, final score 93-86.

Key's To The Win

Rebounding

The Wizards out rebounded the Raptors 61-48 giving them the edge on the glass by 13. Nineteen of the rebounds were offensive boards, that's key in terms of second chance points, and keeping a team like Toronto from using their various skills in the open court, NeNe lead the way in the category with 13 rebounds in the game.

The Truth Will Set You Free

In true Paul Pierce fashion, he did not hold his tongue when asked about how he felt about facing Toronto in the first round, having not won a game against them in the regular season.

"We haven't performed particularly well against Toronto, but I don't feel they have "it" that makes you worried"

This he stated in an interview with ESPN. His statements of course had to become "bulletin board" material for Toronto. Nothing shows the effect Pierce's comments had on the franchise more than the reply from Raptors GM Masai Ujiri.

"We don't give a Sh-t about that"

Real easy to say you don't care when a GM of a team, is referencing it during a pep rally (I'm just saying).

Whether it bothered the Raptors or not, Pierces still had to step up and back up his statements, and that he did. Scoring 20 points in the game, and 10 points in the second quarter alone, after Randy Wittman decided to play him at the Power Forward spot, Pierce's experience and poise was also key as he scored 5 of his 20 in overtime.

If the Wizards are going to win 3 more games in this series, a repeat of some of the things they did well, may have to be in order.

DC Rising or Falling ?!

Playoff basketball is among us.  We already know the seedlings and match ups.  Our Wizards open up on the road in Toronto.  As most know Toronto has won all three meetings this season as well as 9 of the last 10 meetings so this isn't the ideal match up for the Wizards.  However if they play to the level they were playing at in the beginning of the season they can return to their role as the "dark horse" of the Eastern conference.  If they don't return to that form they can see a quick exit.  Both teams are polar opposites of each other one a solid defense, the other a formidable offense.  At one point the Wizards were in the top 5 in each category but could not regain that same tenacity post All-Star break.

If the Wizards want to make it out of this round they will need for superstar John Wall to be 100%,  Bradley Beal must find his shot and the bench must produce when the two aren't on the court.

The Achilles heel for them last year and parts of this year was bench production.  The trade for Ramon Sessions provides the Wizards with a point guard to match Wall's speed when he isn't on the court.  Another positive is that the Wizards do have Paul Pierce who has been successful against the Raptors.  Just last season his Nets found a way to beat a much more talented group in the Raptors.


In this post we'll be discussing some key match ups to watch as well as hot and cold players and x-factors for the Wizards and our picks for the game

GAME 1

Washington Wizards @ Toronto Raptors

Wizards
Going into game one both teams have a clean slate.  However, the regular season games did not bode well for Wall and co.  However, that Raptors team was healthy.  Not so much so right now.  If the Wizards plan to win they need to exploit those injuries.

HOT

JOHN WALL



John Wall has been playing some pretty good basketball.  The main thing going into this series is that he got some much needed rest. While periodically playing through injuries all season he still was effective.  Now with the rest over the last few games we may see Wall in another gear.  Wall had a season average of 17.6 PPG,  10 APG, and 4.6 RPG

COLD

BRADLEY BEAL



Bradley Beal has had some highs and some lows this season.  Already injured at the start of the season we saw Beal eased into the rotation.  He found time on lineups with mostly bench players giving them that extra push off the bench.  We saw his minutes increase and he got hurt again.  We had to watch the ease in process again.

X-Factor

Bradley Beal

He's had his highs and lows as you mentioned this season, much of which has been more of the same, because he's been in and out of lineup with various injuries since he first entered the league, but the fact of the matter is.....He also happens to the be the X-factor. With the Wizards facing a back court that features Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan, He and Wall will have to keep pace, Toronto has presented trouble for our bigs so their won't be room for guards to slack. Beal will have to play consistently well, being a threat that can get to rack but also knock down three pointers, if he's not, this one may be over early.

Key Matchup to Watch

John Wall Vs Kyle Lowry

Two of the best Point Guards in the NBA, and quite possibly the two best in the eastern conference face off in this series. They both averaging pretty good numbers against each other based on the regular season match up between the two teams, with Wall averaging 19 PPG and 9 assist, and Lowry averaging 16.3 PPG and 6.3 assist. The Wizards did lose each of the games, but the one game where Wall's production was greatly outdone by Lowry ended up being an easy victory for the Raptors. The way they perform against each other can greatly effect the chances each team has in game 1.

Up For Debate: To Trade or Not To Trade

Yesterday a question was posed by my fellow blogger Anthony McCree (Md Ant).  With all the recent QB woes in the last few years from the rise and fall of RG3, to Jay Gruden deeming him impotent of running his offense to the QB carousel that left us cheering on Colt McCoy in this previous season which ended prematurely due to Colt getting injured behind our porous OL (that's another story for another day).  With all this transpiring in the last 2-3 years we've become needy of a proven QB.  It has been noted in the football world that New Orleans (Drew Brees) and San Diego (Phillip Rivers) may possibly be on the trade block.  His question was Should we trade for one of them?

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last 7-8 years or have stayed away from fantasy football you would know these two QB's light up scoreboards.  Let's look at their numbers last year.

2014 Stats:

Drew Brees 

456/659 (completed/attempted)

69.2% (completion percentage)

4,592 yards

33 touchdowns

17 interceptions 

97% QBR

Phillip Rivers

379/570 (completed/attempted)

66.5% (completion percentage)

4,286 yards

31 touchdowns 

18 interceptions 

93.8% QBR

NFL.com published an article on December 3, 2013 "QB Index: Ranking the starters 1-32". Keep in mind that although this article is based of the 2013 season there may have been people who's play fell off after that 2013 season.  However, the point of this is to show who was deemed elite or in their words "top of the food chain".  According to the NFL post in 2013 Rivers and Brees were 2nd and 3rd respectively while in the company of Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers.  Not bad company to be in at all.  So what you realize is that the past two seasons alone they have been in the upper echelon of passers.

With that being said Anthony and I stand on two different sides of acquiring one of the two QB's.  

Before we get into our takes let's look at what we may have to give up to get one of them.  First, we know we would be shipping off our first round pick (5th overall).  Most people speculate that we wouldn't lose a first rounder we actually would acquire two.  With these two QB's being proven vets there is the argument that one of them alone would be considered first round talent.  Also, you have speculators that believe we would package another late pick for a late pick from either of those teams as well as getting their first rounder this year thus resulting in two picks and a player (from New Orleans or San Diego) for simply two picks.  

So let's look at acquiring Drew Brees.  With the Saints trade of Jimmy Graham they acquired an additional first round pick from Seattle.  Based on the NFL trade value chart our fifth pick is worth 1500 points and our 69th pick is worth 245 which totals 1745 points.  Meanwhile, the Saints 13th pick is worth 1150 points, 31st is worth 600, 140th is worth 36 and 146th is worth 33 points.  Let's look at some trades scenarios.

Scenario 1:

Say we chose to go after their 13th, 140th and Brees we know that the value for the picks alone is 1186 leaving 559 points on the table before factoring in Brees' value.  This seems to be the most sensible trade for the Redskins.

Scenario 2:

We go after their 31st, 140th and Brees.  This trade is more beneficial to the Saints with the point total for the picks being 636.  Still not including Brees' value.  Redskins can even ask for an additional pick(s).  If Washington chooses to do so again this trade can swing in favor of the Redskins if those picks pan out.

Keep in mind these are just scenarios that may be the most feasible. 

Now let's look at scenarios for Phillip Rivers.  San Diego owns the 17th pick in the first round, 117th in the fourth round and the 153rd in the fifth round.

Scenario 1:

17th, 117th and Rivers.  The value for 17th is 950 points,  117th is worth 60 totaling 1,010 points excluding Rivers value.  Much like scenario 1 for Drew Brees this scenario will be the best value for Washington.

Scenario 2:

Now let's keep the same pick and add the 153rd pick worth 30 more points.  Now the total is up to 1,040 points.  Not much more than the previous scenario but with the holes we have you can find a player you can groom or find a diamond.  Our new GM has struck gold in this round previously.

The reason for trying to acquire one of these signal callers is simple.  With one of these guys under center you instantly become better.  Secondly,  you believe that if you have either under center for 2-3 years that gives a QB on the depth chart or a QB that may be drafted time to learn from these All-Pro QB's.

Now with all the upside of these trades it's certainly a no-brainer to pull the trigger. Right?  Wrong!

My take on the matter is simple.  I simply feel that it's meaningless to trade for one of these guys although, they are proven here's why:

Age/Longevity

Neither are the ideal age.  you have Brees who's 36 and Rivers who's 33.  Who's to say they won't regress?  Also,  you have to consider not many QB's play at a high level in their 30's.

Money

- The salary the would command would hamper adding more players to fill roster holes.  As well as making extensions to Ryan Kerrigan, Alfred Morris, and Trent Williams unless the QB's restructure.

Mentoring

The one thing I continuously hear is "you can bring one in to help speed up the progression of a QB on our roster".  This is true.  However,  who's to say one of the signal callers on our depth chart will progress?  It's odd thinking that two guys who weren't mentored who were kind of thrown into the fray are expected to be able to teach.  I feel the best way to learn is film and gameday.

When you think of the top 5 QB's in the league which ones were mentored?  Brady... No!  How about Peyton?  Hmmmmm what about Aaron Rodgers!  Again the answer is no.  Also,  of the three I mentioned 2 sat for some games, Peyton was deemed day one starter and eventhough his first few years weren't prolific he's paved a nice career for himself without a veteran QB "grooming" him so did Brady.

Ask yourself.  Is it worth swapping picks to take a leap of faith on a 30+ year old with the sole purpose of just launching us back into relevancy?  Not even to be able to win the big game but just to be relevant rather than using this top 5 pick on someone we can mold.  Why do we encourage our team to do the same thing year in and year out?  Brees or Rivers won't make us contenders and that's the reality of it.  However,  as a fan base our standards aren't even high enough to want lofty goals because if they were we wouldn't want someone else's almost over the hill talent.  If we are going to right this ship we have to steer away from things we've done over the past decade.

I appreciate the argument proposed by my friend and fellow blogger Kelvin Cash. I believe he makes some great points. I'm sure many of the readers may even agree. However, I have a slightly different take on this. I would absolutely love to see either Phillip Rivers or Drew Brees in burgundy and gold. I've got more than a couple reasons why, but let me begin by approaching the subjects that Kelvin used in his argument against acquiring either guy.

Age/Longevity

Yes, both Drew Brees (age 36) and Phillip Rivers (age 33) are in their thirties, but in the NFL a rise in age does not always represent a decline in value. If you look at the top ten in a few key statistics for quarterbacks last year you can see a representation of what I speak of.

Most of the top 10 leaders in passing yards in 2014 share a common trait.....almost all of them are over the age of thirty. Only three people are younger, those players are Matt Ryan (age 29), Matthew Stafford (age 27) and Andrew Luck (age 25). Andrew Luck, is the only one in the group that most people would even consider "a young quarterback".

The top 10 in Quarterback Rating for 2014 is almost no different. Actually, there aren't even three QB's under the age of thirty in the top 10, only Andrew Luck (again) and Russell Wilson (age 26) are present. Every other quarterback is over the age the age of thirty.

I'm not worried about age, I'm worried about level of play. Former NFL greats like Warren Moon, Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Steve Young, and John Elway have all played well in later stages of their careers. Fellow vets of today's NFL like Tom Brady (37) and Peyton Manning (39) are examples of this as well.

There's no way to know exactly how long either of the two will play, before they decide to hang up their cleats, but let's say both Drew Brees and Philip Rivers final seasons would be played at age 41. That would mean that Skins fans get to enjoy 5 years of great quarterback play from Brees, and 8 years of a high level of play from Rivers.

I'd take that, especially, given the fact that we currently have two young QB on our roster in Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III who might not even be in the league at age 30.

Money

You are correct here, the addition of such salaries to a roster may call for some restructuring from a quarterback, but this is common. Good QB's do it all the time, Tom Brady seems to do so almost yearly. 

Each team has core guys that they value and players that they would prefer to keep, good franchises pay their core guys and also draft well to maintain and create new additions to a roster. I trust that our President Bruce Allen and New GM Scot McCloughan can get these things done. with Scot being one of the leagues best at talent evaluation and Bruce's strong point being cap management.

Mentoring

What exactly is that by the way? A mentor by definition can be a trusted counselor or guide, to me, by NFL standards...... those are Coaches, quarterbacks are notorious for not exactly mentoring other guys, they compete for their spot, and only one person can play. That's what QB coaches are for, and I'm glad someone in Washington was smart enough to acquire one this year. The mentoring job is now the responsibility of Matt Cavanaugh.

Though I do not believe in the general form of mentoring from the QB position, there is still, great value for other quarterbacks on a roster when you have someone who plays at a high level on a football team. A young QB, will get to see first hand what being a leader is like, how to conduct yourself as a leader and captain of a football team, what it takes to be great day in and day out, the work ethic that they have to posses in the film room and on the practice field, all these things, are examples of what a good young quarterback can learn before he even steps on the field in a regular season game. Many call it "learning from a distance".

Many quarterbacks have been through similar processes. Whether they sat behind a guy for years, a year, half a season, or even had stints with different teams before leading their own team and playing well, football fans have seen examples of this a good number of times:

• Steve Young backed up Joe Montana for 4 years.
• Aaron Rodgers backed up Bret Favre for 4 years.
• Tom Brady backed up Drew Bledsoe for 1 year.
• Brett Farve backed up Chris Miller for a year int ATL before landing in Green Bay.
• Eli Manning backed up Kurt Warner for about 9 games.
• Tony Romo sat behind Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe for 2 seasons.
• Philip Rivers sat behind....get this.....it's kinda funny given the topic....Drew Brees! For 2 years.

The fact is, Being a quarterback is hard! it's not easy. There are 32 teams in the NFL and about half of those teams did not have great or very good quarterback play last year. In Fact, our quarterbacks, the combination of Rg3, Kirk, and Colt threw 18 TD's and 18 Int's. That pales in comparison to Brees (33 TD's and 17 Int's) and Rivers (31 TD's and 18 Int's).

Every team is different, every season is different, the Saints didn't make it to the playoffs last year, the Chargers also did not make the playoffs, that does not mean that they are solely to blame, both those guys still played at a very high level, Rivers doing so in an extremely tough division.

Also, it is not fact that attaining either would not make us contenders, that is your opinion, which I respect. But I say, adding one of the leagues best QB's to the the leagues 13th best offense, would only enhance them, and make the team better, Brees and Rivers don't struggle with the phases of the game our quarterbacks are struggling to learn, and given the fact that many of the games they lost were largely due to poor quarterback play, I'd expect them to contend for the division crown and any team in the tourney is a threat to go all the way, just ask Eli Manning about that.

Is it worth swapping picks for a 30+ year old quarterback? Yes, it is, especially considering what our teams first round target could be. I seriously doubt it's a QB, but even so, if they drafted Marcus Mariota for example, wouldn't he benefit from watching Philip Rivers or Drew Brees for about 4 years? Isn't it better for him to sit anyway? Would you rather have him watching Colt McCoy, Kirk Cousins, maybe Rg3? I doubt that lol.

If the team is looking to add a pass rusher and not a quarterback, trading back to the 17th pick for Rivers, the 13th pick or even the 31st pick in the first round doesn't hurt them much in that scenario. They would still be in the running to pick up one of the drafts best pass rushers in a very deep and talented class. Even if they opted to go with another position like receiver or offensive line, they'd be in really good position there too. They would also, be in prime position to trade Robert Griffin for picks or player.

They would basically be gaining an Elite quarterback and still acquiring young talent that can enhance their team, that's not a loss, that's a "come up" and you explained in your scenarios that we would also get 4th round picks too!....What?! Thank you San Diego! Thank You New Orleans! That would be much appreciated, some people call that a "crack head deal"...I'll take it lol. That's like paying 20 dollars for an HD television.