Cut Chris Samuels

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

The left tackle is, aside from the quarterback, perhaps the most important player on any team. Samuels is a damn good left tackle (he allowed just one sack last season) and his sub-par 2003 season is mitigated by the fact that he had serious knee and ankle problems throughout the season. The guy isn't a top 5 tackle, but he can be dominant.

I do not believe that we can bank on Molinaro or Wilson filling in for Samuels. Yes, the Redskins have a keen eye for scouting offensive line talent, but that doesn't mean we should be ready to proclaim Molinaro or Wilson the next Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm. Mark Wilson was inactive for 14 games last year and Jim Molinaro didn't start (or get significant playing time in) a single game last season. Is anyone really ready to say one of these guys can start 16 games in lieu of Samuels?

While I don't want to see the Redskins overpay to keep Samuels, face it, left tackles don't come cheap. The Colts' lef tackle Ryan Diem just got a $12,000,000 signing bonus and a deal worth somewhere around $40,000,000. Samuels will argue that he should get a sweeter deal than Diem did and I would agree.

Given that cutting Samuels will cost us about $2,500,000 and we lack solid depth at tackle, I think we should wary of letting the guy go. Free agents of Samuels' caliber don't come around often and given Gibbs' system, we need the best offensive linemen we can afford.

So let's no break the bank, but let's also remember that Samuels IS an important player at a crucial position.

[tallestskinsfanever]

I say cut him and let Ray Brown play left tackle!! Seriously though, with the Coles situation we have now....i say we cut Samuels and get what we can for coles.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Ramseyfan

Given that cutting Samuels will cost us about $2,500,000 and we lack solid depth at tackle, I think we should wary of letting the guy go. Free agents of Samuels' caliber don't come around often and given Gibbs' system, we need the best offensive linemen we can afford.

According to my numbers, cutting Samuels would save around $4 million against this season's cap. You could surely fit Antonio Pierce into $4 million, and you would have some room to spare for use on a WR like Mason. If you were only saving $2.5 million by cutting him like you're suggesting, I'd agree with you, but I think it saves a bit more.

[sportscurmudgeon]

I don't think nearly as highly of Chris Samuels as others here do. He is a good LT but not outstanding. And in no way is he worth a cap number of $&M or more.


HOW-EVAH (as Stephen A. Smith would say), before you cut him you damned well be 100% sure that you have a COMPETENT replacement for him for the following reason:

Next year Patrick Ramsey will be the full time QB. Patrick Ramsey is right handed and so the LT guards his blind side AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, Patrick Ramsey is like a cigar store Indian back there. If the LT is getting beaten five times a game, Ramsey is not likely to make it to Thanksgiving.


So, the FO has itself an interesting sonundrum to solve here. But the key to all this is to have that replacement LT in hand before Chris Samuels is tossed overboard.

Oh, I forgot, the stud that the Skins signed who was going to be able to play every OL position and challenge for a starting job just got cut. The Vaughn Parker Era is over.

[celts32]

Samuels is more important to the Redskins long term success than Pierce. Pierce did a very nice job, but the biggest reason the Redskins defense was good is Greg Williams not any particular player. I am not ready to hope a 2nd year late round draft pick can start at LT which is the second most important position on the team. Samuels contract sucks, but he is a player I can not see the Redskins winning without next season. I would not release him under any circumstances. I would release Lavar Arrington before Samuels and Lavar is my favorite current player on the team.

I thought we were trying to rebuild and develop Ramsey here, yet we are talking about throwing an unproven player out there to protect his blind side? Come on now. The Redskins cap is not in great shape by any means, but Samuels is way to important to release.

[MTK]

I don't think anybody is questioning what Samuels brings to the table as a player, he's a top 10 player at his position, closer to top 5 when healthy and motivated.

BUT, and this is what it all boils down to, is he worth a $9M charge against the cap this season?

If anybody can justify that please feel free.

[Schneed10]

I think I have more faith in Molinaro than does the average bear.

We talk about having a good replacement in hand before tossing aside a guy like Samuels, but that kind of thinking subscribes to the very thinking that has plagued the Redskins ever since Dan Snyder took over. Dan Snyder wants the known commodity, he wants to make a splash and make sure he's got a good name at every position; because in Snyder-World, names win games.

If we're going to get past the acquisitive habits we've developed since Snyder took over, we have to be willing to develop players in-house. Truth is, we don't know what Molinaro is, because he's not a name. Only Gibbs & Bugel know if the dude has any promise.

So it comes down to that. How good is Molinaro? And nobody here can say he's no good, because they haven't seen enough of him. If you're writing him off without ever giving him a chance, then you're not getting any closer to doing things the way the Pats & Eagles do things.

All that said, I have no idea if Molinaro is any good. It will be up to Gibbs to decide if he's good enough. But I guess I'm just saying I have faith in Gibbs to develop players in-house a lot better than Norv, Marty, or Spurrier.

And as an aside, I think Pierce was the MVP of the defense this past season, with Griffin and Washington tied in a very close 2nd. But that's an argument for another thread.

[celts32]

The Redskins are not currently over the cap. The only reason they would cut him this year would be so that they have more money to sign other free agents. I don't see any free agents available including our own free agents that mean more to the Redskins success in 2005 than Chris Samuels does.

I know we all agree that Samuels is a real good player. I think we don't agree on just how important he is to the Redskins 2005 success. If Ramsey gets constant pressure from his blind side he simply will not develop as a QB, plain and simple. I am not willing to play lets hope games with the LT & QB positions. If the Redskins need cap room and can't get the restructuring done then they need to find it elsewhere not by cutting Samuels.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

And as an aside, I think Pierce was the MVP of the defense this past season, with Griffin and Washington tied in a very close 2nd. But that's an argument for another thread.

Like this one:

http://www.thewarpath.net/showthread...ight=defensive

[MTK]

We're not over the cap but we're not far under it right now either, and we have a list of guys we need to get signed. A couple million in cap room isn't going to cut it for the entire offseason.

[offiss]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Samuels is going to be eating over $9M in cap space this season unless he restructures. I don't care how great a player is, you can't have one guy taking up that much space.

If he doesn't restructure you have to release him and figure out a plan B. Hopefully Wilson or Molinaro will be ready, or you take a look at the available free agents, or you shuffle the line and perhaps move Jansen to LT.

That does it for me $9M I would cut him in a heart beat, if we look at Samuels objectivly and forget about where he was drafted it's a no brainer, if Samuels was a low draft pick nobody would be talking about him as a top tackle, but because he was drafted so high we all look at him as fullfilling that draft position, well he hasen't! We saw 2 season's ago a nobody named Brandon Whiney come in and do a better job than Samuel's, I say we have to put Wilson and Molinaro to work this season, they will have their problem's at times but so does Samuel's, Samuel's is not a fighter he's not aggresive he's the big daddy of offensive linemen, it sound's like these kid's are fighter's that's what we need up front.

We can take his $9M work out a deal with Cole's trade him off and still get what we need, I have no desire whatsover to bring Samuel's back for anything close to what he's been making

[celts32]

Originally Posted by offiss

That does it for me $9M I would cut him in a heart beat, if we look at Samuels objectivly and forget about where he was drafted it's a no brainer, if Samuels was a low draft pick nobody would be talking about him as a top tackle, but because he was drafted so high we all look at him as fullfilling that draft position, well he hasen't! We saw 2 season's ago a nobody named Brandon Whiney come in and do a better job than Samuel's, I say we have to put Wilson and Molinaro to work this season, they will have their problem's at times but so does Samuel's, Samuel's is not a fighter he's not aggresive he's the big daddy of offensive linemen, it sound's like these kid's are fighter's that's what we need up front.

We can take his $9M work out a deal with Cole's trade him off and still get what we need, I have no desire whatsover to bring Samuel's back for anything close to what he's been making

Samuels gave up like 1 sack all year. He's one of the best in the game. His name was rarely called during a ame which means he was doing his job. And check the salary charts because LT's get some of the biggest contracts in football after QB's.

Many people on this board would cut him for cap reasons which is one thing, but you are the first to actually question his ability as a player.

The Redskins need to buckle down and get this restructuring done. I am sure they are lowballing him and trying to get the hometown discount that they always expect from thier own players. Samuels is no dummy, he sees what other top LT's are getting and he is not going to do a deal unless it's fair to him. Samuels has no reason not to do a deal if they are offering him the right amount of money. He has already said he is open to a restructuring so obviously the Skins are just not getting it done.

[Monksdown]

I would caution against saying that Samuels should be cut. We spend money on some really mediocre talent. I dont see Samuels as being mediocre, and he is an anchor on our line.

Look at this way. Imagine that we didnt have him, that we had Jim Molinaro starting last season. And that Samuels name comes up on the free agent wire this offseason. You tell me how much Dan Snyder would pay to get him, I guarantee you its atleast what we are paying him now, before we re-structure.

Simply put, Chris Samuels will be our starting left tackle next year. Thats an easy bet.

[Schneed10]

I definitely wouldn't pay him what Walter Jones from Seattle got, 7 years 50 million. No way. I'd pay him about what Jansen got, plus a bit for inflation. Like 6 years $30 million.

You definitely overrate him, Celts. He's not one of the best in the game. He hasn't made a Pro Bowl in a few years now. Here's how I'd rate the LTs around the league:
1) Jonathan Ogden
2) Walter Jones
3) Orlando Pace
4) Willie Roaf
5) Tra Thomas
6) Tarik Glenn
7) Flozell Adams
8) Chris Samuels

Flozell Adams got 5 years, $25 million, with a $10 million signing bonus last year. I'd pay Samuels something comparable to that. Don't overrate him, or you'd just end up overpaying him.

[offiss]

Originally Posted by celts32

Samuels gave up like 1 sack all year. He's one of the best in the game. His name was rarely called during a ame which means he was doing his job. And check the salary charts because LT's get some of the biggest contracts in football after QB's.

Many people on this board would cut him for cap reasons which is one thing, but you are the first to actually question his ability as a player.

The Redskins need to buckle down and get this restructuring done. I am sure they are lowballing him and trying to get the hometown discount that they always expect from thier own players. Samuels is no dummy, he sees what other top LT's are getting and he is not going to do a deal unless it's fair to him. Samuels has no reason not to do a deal if they are offering him the right amount of money. He has already said he is open to a restructuring so obviously the Skins are just not getting it done.

Wrong, every person who say's he's not worth the money is questioning his ability. We threw wr screen's all year how do give up a sack with that? Then you have his run blocking I hope you noticed all year when we needed tough yard's we didn't run in his direction alway's the right side, not that we succeeded but that's where we tried to run.

I have no doubt Samuels will be easily replaced, that's our biggest problem as a team to many overvalued player's with fat paycheck's.