Saturday, March 28, 2009

Analysis of the Vinny Cerrato Interview with Doc Walker


Unfortunately, I could not listen to the entire five part interview as I promised due to other things I was doing. But I did listen to some parts and TheWarpath.Net has some good analysis on the interview that I would like to share some parts.

"The #1 thing Doc Walker wanted to know had to do with a crucial detail about our front office structure: Who has final say in personnel decisions. Vinny beat around the bush and wouldnt give a straight answer. He spoke of how Snyder, Zorn and himself go into the draft with a plan, build consensus, yada yada yada... so no one really has to make a final decision on everything, because theyve already made decisions together on what to do in any given scenario... riiiiiight. I interpretted this to mean Snyder has final say. And Cerrato specifically mentioned that Snyder doesnt watch tape or review film.

- In last years draft, the Skins "Plan A" was to draft Jarod Mayo. Since he wasnt available (alot of people were surprised New England took him so high), they went to Plan B - which was to trade down with Atlanta. Apparently, the teams had had some sort of discussion prior to the draft.

-Cerrato has hold Devin Thomas, Fred Davis, and Malcom Kelly that the team is relying on the three of them to improve the offense this year. I know I shouldnt read into it too much, but the way he said it, i got the feeling he was saying, "Look, were not doing another thing to improve our offense. Its all on you so so you're going to have to step up."

-Fred Davis is ahead of everyone else - he "got his clock fixed," he was working out at the park two weeks before everyone else, and told Cerrato he's committed to being a great player.

-If Vinny had to do it again, he would absolutely trade a 2nd and a 6th for Jason Taylor. He was a perennial pro-bowler a year past being the league MVP, and we lost two DEs on the first day of camp. We were a playoff team the previous year and had a real chance to compete in 2008. More importantly to Cerrato, when Daniels went down, the air went out of the team. Daniels was a stud, a leader, and it was like all the teams hopes shattered right there. Cerrato felt he had to do something to make the team believe again. He talked to the players (Shawn Springs, Phillip Daniels, etc.) and they said “go get him.” Doc and Cerrato both felt Taylor would have been a key contributor if he had not been hurt.

The team wanted Jason Taylor back this year and the plan was for him to play 1st and 2nd down at SAM linebacker. On 3rd down, he was going to rush the passer from all over. From Cerratos perspective, they would have really been hurting capwise if they had kept Taylor, so it was very important to him that Taylor was in a position to PLAY. They felt a lot of his problems last year were a result of his not working out with Miami in the prior offseason. Snyder and Cerrato flew down to Miami to try and convince Taylor to work out here, but we all know how that turned out.

-Vinnys Cerrato Core Beliefs on bulidng a team: Young players are critical with the salary cap. We need to build through the draft with young players and add free agents here and there. The plan this year was to add one significant free agent (Haynesworth) and keep one of our own (Hall). When Dockery got cut, we pursued him, too.

Before resigning DeAngelo Hall, Cerrato talked to our defensive coaches and players and asked about Halls work ethic and locker room presence – the vote was unanimous, everyone wanted Hall back. London Fletcher told Cerrato he had many conversations with Hall about his past troubles and what went on in ATL and Oakland.

-Why did the skins take Devin Thomas over Eddie Royal? The skins liked Eddie Royal alot last year. However, they already had Santana Moss and ARE and they didn’t want another little guy. In the WCO, there are a lot of slants and we needed a big guy." -Courtesy of the Warpath.net

Three things that irrated me. One is the who has the final say in personnel decisions. You can tell that Vinny response was vague, and mentions that Jim Zorn, Daniel Snyder, and himself get together to evaluate a plan for the draft and free agency and no one gets the final say because everyone make their decisions together. In otherwords, Dannyboy calls the final shots. Why just Vinny say that Synder makes the final decisions? Again, this management is basically trying to make the fans look dumb and delucisional. The fans have every single right to know who has the final say on everything.

Second is the trade for Jason Taylor. Yes Vinny, this trade would work five years ago when he was at his prime. But trading for a second and sixth round pick is a terrible trade for this team. Yes, I know Phillip Daniels was out for the season on the 1st day of training camp, and he was a team leader on the defensive side of the ball. Cerrato also felt that trade had to be made in order the team to believe that they compete last season. But for a second round pick?? Are you kidding me???? Seriously, if they get Jason Taylor for a 5th or 6th round pick, fine. I'm okay with that. But for two draft picks?? What organization does a trade that receives a player who is at the twlight of his carreer for a 2nd and 6th round draft pick? Considering that this team had holes in the offensive line, defensive line, and at OLB, that second round pick, in addition to their four other draft picks, can be very valuable for this team right now.

Third is drafting Devin Thomas over Eddie Royal. Can you even imagine Royal on this team? This team would be extremely productive on offense and possibly even make a deep playoff run. Then again, the management proven over and over again that they do not draft very well, particulary on wide recievers. This the same ownership that has drafted Rod Gardner, Talyor Jacobs, and Cliff Russell. Where did those three go? Unless Synder gets a person who knows how to scout players, we will see the same outcomes again and again.

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