THE WASHINGTON
You'd have to search diligently to find somebody who liked those signings more than I did. But I feel Vinny Cerrato and Dan Snyder have dropped the ball in the week since.
Two of the four defensive ends the Redskins used most frequently last year are now gone. Jason Taylor was released on Tuesday, and Demetric Evans signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday. Each started games opposite Andre Carter last year.
Taylor was largely unproductive in his only season in D.C., but the Redskins gave up a lot to get him. Cutting Taylor barely six months after Washington gave up second- and sixth-round draft picks to acquire him seems silly--especially considering that defensive end is a weak spot,
Taylor's 3 sacks last year weren't the return on their investment Cerrato and Snyder were hoping for. But the guy was battling through serious calf and knee injuries. And it wasn't as if Taylor had an Albert Haynesworth next to him
Evans' departure should frustrate Redskins fans even more. Unlike Taylor, Evans didn't come with a large price tag. He's also coming off a season in which he exceeded expectations.
"It's going to be tough leaving people and home behind," Evans said via text message this week. "But I think the change is going to work out for the best."
I file Evans in the same category as Antonio Pierce and Ryan Clark. He was a "core Redskin" (as Joe Gibbs would've called him) who wasn't re-signed because Washington was busy looking for bigger-name (and higher-priced) guys.
Pierce helped the Giants win the Super Bowl last year. Clark helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl this year.
Evans probably won't appear in a Pro Bowl. But he's a stout option and the kind of guy you don't have to worry about at a position where the Redskins have been doing nothing but worrying.
He plays hard, and he's also a wonderful individual. He's the kind of guy you can't have enough of on your team--which also seems to be the caliber of person the Redskins let get away all too often.
Anthony Montgomery and Kedric Golston are examples of that type of player as well. They are both steady options who get little ink. Like Evans, each could be playing with a new team next season.
Two of Washington's top defensive tackles, both Montgomery and Golston are restricted free agents. That means the Redskins can match any offer for their services. And they'd better.
Haynesworth is a heck of a player. But just because he can take on two blockers at once doesn't mean he can play two positions at once.
The Redskins need depth on the defensive line, and to this point the club has lost two defensive ends. Losing two solid defensive tackles would be a major setback.
Montgomery and Golston are reliable performers. They're also young, and neither is demanding a monster contract. Each is the type of player the Redskins need to keep around.
Grant Paulsen can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401 or by fax at 540/373-8455.