There goes the neighborhood.
We have been waiting for the shoe to drop, and there it is. News broke tonight the St. Louis Rams made away like bandits as they fleeced the Washington Redskins to the tune of three first-round draft picks and a second round draft pick. All of this of course in return for the second overall pick in the draft.
All of this for RGIII.
Dan Snyder and Mike Shannahan have committed themselves in a way that only they can. Overpaying for an asset that is no sure thing, and adding them to a roster full of malcontents and misfits. While RGIII will surely put on his colorful socks and do his best to take over DC, the offensive assets quite simply are not there on the Redskins, and this could turn into another collossal Snyder disaster.
You thought that the Falcons overpaid last year to move up and pick Julio Jones? Well we now know what the going rate is for a franchise quarterback. The Redskins are taking themselves out of the first round for the next three drafts in return for a player with one year of college success under his belt.
Three first-round picks and a second-round pick to move up for sixth overall to second overall. That is the perceived drop off and the obvious desperation of a franchise struggling to remain relevant. This move reeks of the obvious meddling of ‘Skins owner Dan Snyder, as he once again justifies bargaining against himself. While the Browns had always been rumored to be in the game, they appeared to balk at paying the price necessary to swing the deal.
What does this mean for the Rams? They have now loaded up on picks, and for a team looking to turn it around quickly, Jeff Fisher may have the weapons to do that in short order. A franchise player will still be at six, and if the second round pick is this year, they could end up with three picks of the first 39 off the board.
Does RGIII fit into the Redskins system? Not exactly. Will they force the issue? Absolutely. Roy Helu has some potential as an emerging back. Fred Davis and Trent Williams, bong issues aside, are franchise players.
There are a few big fish wide receivers on the market in a few days, and be sure that Washington will be making a run at some of them, with plenty of cap room to spend. Mike Wallace? Vincent Jackson? Price is clearly no issue with this team, so this might not be the last splash of the off-season for the team.
Who will the Rams target at six? Morris Claiborne could turn his half of the field into an island. Trent Richardson could supplant Steven Jackson someday. Quinton Coples off one end with Chris Long off the other? Could be dangerous. The options will be plentiful for the new Rams front office, as they laugh all the way to the bank and send notice to the 49ers that they may soon have competition for the NFC West crown.
