Gibbs Comments on Shawn Springs 12/26/06 Press Conference

[BIGSEF3]

Not too much of interest in in the News conference, but when asked about Springs, Gibbs said he was a big part of their plans here and he could play alot of positions.

Now we all know Gibbspeak is pretty much useless, but I think if Springs were not in the teams plans for 2007 (as many have speculated), Gibbs would have just said he was a big part of our plans and not mentioned that he can play other positions. This leads me to beleive that we WANT Springs back, he is NOT "Deepskin," and we have plans to move him to safety.

If true, this would kill 2 birds with one stone, so I like it. On a side-note, I didnt get a chance to watch the whole thing, but I would have loved to see what Gibbs had to say if anyone asked him about AA's future.

[akhhorus]

Unless he restructures his deal to move that huge roster bonus he's due, he's gone. No matter where they want him to play.

[SkinsfaninNJ]

Well if he likes the area and his role on the team then he should restructure. Its not like another team is dying to give this guy a big contract.

[CarMike]

I've liked what I have seen from Vernon Fox so far. He has played pretty well from what I can remember.

And like Akh said, if he doesn't rework his contract there's no chance he'll be back next year in Washington.

[skinsfan36]

great tyhen we can just get smoot who can start if springs goes down but he has a good chance to be healthy next year as many injuries as he had this year.

[BIGSEF3]

great tyhen we can just get smoot who can start if springs goes down but he has a good chance to be healthy next year as many injuries as he had this year.

Why is everyone assuming smoot will be available? He's under contract to a fairly modest salary. He's playing very well even though he's not a starter. Sure, the Vikings can shop him for a trade, but I dont know why everyone is assuming they are just going to release him.... and would he even want to come here?

[Skinz4lyfe]

History has taught us as Redskin's fans to expect the unexpected with our off-seasons. With that said I think we'll see Springs back whether he restructures or not. I hope they find a way to use Arch and bring him back for cap purposes too. Its up to GW to find a way to utilize him. IMO, if we cut him, he's gonna go somewhere and do well. One wildcard is the health of Prioleau. If he returns healthy we suddenly might have some depth at safety with him, Fox (if re-signed), Taylor, Vincent, and Doughty. Personally, I think Fox is pretty good against the pass but is bad against the run. If we can take his pass defense and mix it with Arch's run defense, we'd have a pretty good starting safety opposite Taylor.

[shally]

Unless he restructures his deal to move that huge roster bonus he's due, he's gone. No matter where they want him to play.

agree.. too much money.. hard facts of the nfl under the cap

[shally]

I've liked what I have seen from Vernon Fox so far. He has played pretty well from what I can remember.

And like Akh said, if he doesn't rework his contract there's no chance he'll be back next year in Washington.

this is what i think about fox... he is a great special teamer.. but he leaves a lot to be desired as a safety.. he missed tackles and was out of position.. he is neither a force against the run or that good against the pass.

he is what he is.. a quality special teamer and reserve player.. we need a better starter at safety.. no matter how many tackles he was credited with

[skinsfan36]

so is springs going to ir?

[shally]

so is springs going to ir?

why not ? he has a 6 week injury.. why would you even consider keeping him on the roster ?

[akhhorus]

why not ? he has a 6 week injury.. why would you even consider keeping him on the roster ?

If you put him on the IR, it might be hard to cut him since he could try and claim that he's still hurt. One roster spot won't make that big a difference. If you need another DB, cut Nemo and sign someone.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

If you put him on the IR, it might be hard to cut him since he could try and claim that he's still hurt. One roster spot won't make that big a difference. If you need another DB, cut Nemo and sign someone.
But how are we gonna have any shot at beating the Giants without Nemo??

[akhhorus]

But how are we gonna have any shot at beating the Giants without Nemo??

With Michael "I swear I"m not gay, despite those stories and how I was looking into Jared from Subway's eyes during that commerical" Strahan out, I think we can suffer the loss of Nemo.

[BurgundyNGold]

why not ? he has a 6 week injury.. why would you even consider keeping him on the roster ?
I wish they'd hurry the hell up and IR him so that we can get some talent from the practice squad from a good team. Like maybe Peyton Manning's team, maybe. ;)

[tuckahoeskin]

With Michael "I swear I"m not gay, despite those stories and how I was looking into Jared from Subway's eyes during that commerical" Strahan out, I think we can suffer the loss of Nemo.

Did Strahan go to South Carolina? :Peace:

[akhhorus]

Did Strahan go to South Carolina? :Peace:

Please explain your joke...that makes no sense.

[BurgundyNGold]

Please explain your joke...that makes no sense.
http://www.rob-clarkson.com/duff-brewery/cletus/02.jpg

[Smiley]

I'm thinking Springs and Team are in talks already. Sean at safety would be perfect, good coverage and good tackling. I'm hoping Joe mentioned it for a reason, he usually does. Hail!!

[shally]

I'm thinking Springs and Team are in talks already. Sean at safety would be perfect, good coverage and good tackling. I'm hoping Joe mentioned it for a reason, he usually does. Hail!!

it takes 2 to make a deal.. i am betting that springs is less a team player than we hope..

[greatest2]

it takes 2 to make a deal.. i am betting that springs is less a team player than we hope..


agree, and i hope we are wrong. springs restructuring and playing safety will plug a whole for 1-3 season, and allow us to go to the draft either this year or next for a safety. (Granted that we sign asante samueals or Nate clements, along with signing smoot if he is released, or another number 2 guy to play nickle)

[shally]

[/B]

agree, and i hope we are wrong. springs restructuring and playing safety will plug a whole for 1-3 season, and allow us to go to the draft either this year or next for a safety. (Granted that we sign asante samueals or Nate clements, along with signing smoot if he is released, or another number 2 guy to play nickle)

that would be the best case scenario.. if we keep springs and he moves to safety at least part time, then it might force us to take samuel as he is likely to be cheaper to sign than clement.. you never know. i would be happy with either

PP is the wild card depending upon his recovery

[skinsfan36]

"Cornerback Shawn Springs (broken scapula) will be placed on injured reserve today, with a replacement likely signed from the practice squad."-from the post
im thinking sykes or eubanks. but id still not be opposed to harvey

[CNYSkinFan]

The Springs restructure could be as simple as guaranteeing the roster bonus and converting it to a signing bonus and spreading out the cap hit over the next 3 years.

I think Springs is back next year and transistioning to Safety ala my prediction during this last offseason.

[RicFlairOne]

Springs probably gone due to Cap. Arch is too - he will be a 7M cap hit in 2008. Unforturnately, I think that Clements will end up with a team with a lot more cap room but what do I know!

[Vonslydog]

I'm sorry that I don't have a link, but on "Redskins Lunch" with Larry Michael yesterday, they said that after the Rams game Sean Springs said he wanted to be back, and was willing to redo his contract to make it happen. I tried to find something on the internet about it, but couldn't. I'll repost if I can find a link, but at the very least Larry reported it, for whatever that's worth.

[BIGSEF3]

I'm sorry that I don't have a link, but on "Redskins Lunch" with Larry Michael yesterday, they said that after the Rams game Sean Springs said he wanted to be back, and was willing to redo his contract to make it happen. I tried to find something on the internet about it, but couldn't. I'll repost if I can find a link, but at the very least Larry reported it, for whatever that's worth.

Weird. I tried to listen to the lunch thing and all i got was dead air. I figured they were taking the holiday off. If thats true that, then there goes everyones favoriate #1 culprit to be Deepskin.

[garedskin]

I keep reading in these threads about restructuring Springs contract and then moving him over to Safety.
It seems that everyone has forgotten about Springs MO when he was coming here in 04.He had a history of being injury prone.If you really think about it I dont think he could stand up physically to the pounding HE has to inflict/take week in and week out playing Safety.
He did surprised me how physical a CB he actually is.
Now with his shoulder being injured I really dont think it would be a good idea to move him over to safety.
Bringing in Clements is a must IMHO.Some might not like this but if we can get Clements here I think for at least another year leave Springs(assuming he restructures his contract) on the other side of him.
Rogers would become the 3rd CB.Most of the time now you have to have 3 cbs on the field on passing downs so Rogers can still develop.It can be done remember how Bailey learned from Green and Sanders in 00,then Smoot from Green and Bailey in 01.I know Bailey and Smoot where the starters and Green helped them develop but I think Rogers would benefit greatly with Springs/Clements knowledge.
We all have seen how important it is to have at least 3 top cbs on your team.
If you try to argue that would be to much money tied up in cbs.It really is not if Springs restructures.Rogers is going into his 3rd year of his pretty modest rookie contract.
It would cost us alot more to bring in Clements and Smoot if he does indeed get released by Minnesota.
When Rogers is really ready to be the starter,he and Springs could switch roles.I dont believe Springs can hold onto the starting CB job for more than another season or two.He probably would last longer when he does in fact become a 3rd CB on a team......hopefully ours.:Peace:

[BurgundyNGold]

I keep reading in these threads about restructuring Springs contract and then moving him over to Safety.
It seems that everyone has forgotten about Springs MO when he was coming here in 04.He had a history of being injury prone.If you really think about it I dont think he could stand up physically to the pounding HE has to inflict/take week in and week out playing Safety.
He surprised me how physical a CB he is.
Now with his shoulder being injured I really dont think it would be a good idea to move him over to safety.
Bringing in Clements is a must IMHO.Some might not like this but if we can get Clements here I think for at least another year leave Springs(assuming he restructures his contract) on the other side of him.
Good observations. I too think that Springs might be too brittle to play safety, although I would like to see him try it someday.

Rogers would become the 3rd CB.Most of the time now you have to have 3 cbs on the field on passing downs so Rogers can still develop.It can be done remember how Bailey learned from Green and Sanders in 00,then Smoot from Green and Bailey in 01.I know Bailey and Smoot where the starters and Green helped them develop but I think Rogers would benefit greatly with Springs/Clements knowledge.
We all have seen how important it is to have at least 3 top cbs on your team.
If you try to argue that would be to much money tied up in cbs.It really is not if Springs restructures.Rogers is going into his 3rd year of his pretty modest rookie contract.
It would cost us alot more to bring in Clements and Smoot if he does indeed get released by Minnesota.
When Rogers is really ready to be the starter,he and Springs could switch roles.I dont believe Springs can hold onto the starting CB job for more than another season or two.He probably would last longer when he does in fact become a 3rd CB on a team......hopefully ours.:Peace:
Bailey learned in Year 1 and then started full time in Year 2. Same with Smoot. What you're missing here is that Rogers had the SAME situation last season with Springs and Harris that they did. He's completing his second season as a 1st round pick and you're advocating moving him to 3rd CB "until he's really ready"? Why not just admit that he's a bust?

[CNYSkinFan]

Good observations. I too think that Springs might be too brittle to play safety, although I would like to see him try it someday.


Bailey learned in Year 1 and then started full time in Year 2. Same with Smoot. What you're missing here is that Rogers had the SAME situation last season with Springs and Harris that they did. He's completing his second season as a 1st round pick and you're advocating moving him to 3rd CB "until he's really ready"? Why not just admit that he's a bust?
Safety takes less pof a physical toll on you then corner. That is according to every corner who played the game and Springs himself. Most of spring's injuries were not contact but hamstring type injuries . I thinks a Springs Taylor Safety combo with Prioleau off the bench on passing downs and Springs matched up on a WR in the nickle would be a devastating defensive combo.


If we can get two decent corners and right now I am not sure Rogers is one of them.

[redskin_rich]

Safety takes less pof a physical toll on you then corner. That is according to every corner who played the game and Springs himself. Most of spring's injuries were not contact but hamstring type injuries . I thinks a Springs Taylor Safety combo with Prioleau off the bench on passing downs and Springs matched up on a WR in the nickle would be a devastating defensive combo.


If we can get two decent corners and right now I am not sure Rogers is one of them.
The reason old Corners move to Safety is because they have lost a step and no longer have the speed and athletic ability to play Corner. I have never heard a thing as to it being any less of a physical toll on the body.

[CNYSkinFan]

The reason old Corners move to Safety is because they have lost a step and no longer have the speed and athletic ability to play Corner. I have never heard a thing as to it being any less of a physical toll on the body.
Springs said he could prolong his career by two years by moving to safety and saiving his body if I remember right. It was like a year and halg ago he said it so I can't remember right.

[BurgundyNGold]

Springs said he could prolong his career by two years by moving to safety and saiving his body if I remember right. It was like a year and halg ago he said it so I can't remember right.
I think he did say that but maybe he was thinking about saving his legs.

[CNYSkinFan]

I think he did say that but maybe he was thinking about saving his legs.
Regardless I do think nagging injuries and father time is going to slow Springs and a move to safety is in his near future.

[BIGSEF3]

Springs said he could prolong his career by two years by moving to safety and saiving his body if I remember right. It was like a year and halg ago he said it so I can't remember right.

I remember that as well. I dont like the idea of him moving to the nickleback spot because it would match him up with more physical TEs more often. Springs is excellent in pass coverage and other than normal safety duties, would probably be matched up more with #3 receivers or falling back into coverage for corner blitzes. He also wouldnt have to run around quite as much and as quickly as he has to now, which should lessen the likelyhood of all these hamstring injuries.

[garedskin]

Good observations. I too think that Springs might be too brittle to play safety, although I would like to see him try it someday.


Bailey learned in Year 1 and then started full time in Year 2. Same with Smoot. What you're missing here is that Rogers had the SAME situation last season with Springs and Harris that they did. He's completing his second season as a 1st round pick and you're advocating moving him to 3rd CB "until he's really ready"? Why not just admit that he's a bust?



:lol1:
Bailey did start from day 1 his rookie year across from Green in 99 due to necessity.
Smoot pretty much became the starter by game 4 or 5 his rookie season in 01as well.
With Greens influence they BOTH developed quite nicely.Bailey also had sanders tutolage his second season as well which I believe is also another reason why they consider Bailey the best cover corner in the league today.
I hate sanders,but a player learnig the ropes from 2 of the all time best COVER corners was a gift from the football gods.Bailey has still got to be thanking his lucky stars for that great opportunity.
ALL CBS get burned.Green got scortched more than a few times in his day as well.AFTER time he developed in my mind into the best cb(he was the only cb to ever contain Rice in his prime, deion/or any other cb never could) ever.
Rogers "stone hands" this year have made him look absolutely horrible this year.He does get himself into position to make plays but he has had a bad case of just dropping them.
I am not giving up on him.It is way to early in his career to label him a bust.He can still become a very good CB in this league.They usually can make up for it with at least a few ints.I think with bringing in Clements and Springs already here he can learn a thing or two from them.I believe Vincent will be around next year as well and that is another mind he can pick.....if he truely wants to become the best at his position.:Peace:

[CNYSkinFan]

Actually Smoot started from Day 1 as well. He supplanted Green as the starter at the end of training camp. Another reason I did not like schottenheimer :)

[garedskin]

Actually Smoot started from Day 1 as well. He supplanted Green as the starter at the end of training camp. Another reason I did not like schottenheimer :)

I remember Green and Smoot pretty much splitting time across from Bailey until about the 4th or 5 th game of the season.Then Green became primarily the nickle back.Even Green admitted that he was starting to lose his #1 asset and that was his jaw dropping speed.He took it like the proffesional he was and really tried to help both Smoot and Bailey as much as he could.I cant blame Schottenhiemer for replacing Green,hell he was in his 19th season and he was pretty much done by then.:Peace:

[CNYSkinFan]

I remember Green and Smoot pretty much splitting time across from Bailey until about the 4th or 5 th game of the season.Then Green became primarily the nickle back.Even Green admitted that he was starting to lose his #1 asset and that was his jaw dropping speed.He took it like the proffesional he was and really tried to help both Smoot and Bailey as much as he could.I cant blame Schottenhiemer for replacing Green,hell he was in his 19th season and he was pretty much done by then.:Peace:
It was not so much that it was done, it was that it was done without any grace and with Schottenheimer publicly criticizing Green's technique.

And you are wrong, Smoot was the starter from the first game on in 2001. It was an abrupt change after the last pre-season game and led quickly to Green's decision to call it quits after that season.

As for Green being done I would put him on the field now over Rogers and Wright.

[rusty73]

But how are we gonna have any shot at beating the Giants without Nemo??
Personally, I wouldn't mind "Finding Nemo", it might be more entertaining than this season.:cry:

[Redskin4Life]

Why is everyone assuming smoot will be available? He's under contract to a fairly modest salary. He's playing very well even though he's not a starter. Sure, the Vikings can shop him for a trade, but I dont know why everyone is assuming they are just going to release him.... and would he even want to come here?
Here's why most think Smoot's available...

CB FRED SMOOT

For a little more than 18 minutes Thursday night at Green Bay, Smoot was in line to be the unlikely hero of a victory that saved the Vikings' season.

That 47-yard interception return for a touchdown wasn't enough, though, to keep his team from a 9-7 loss, and it won't be nearly enough to earn the veteran cornerback another season in Minnesota.

Signed to a six-year, $34 million contract in 2005, Smoot has had two seasons here marked by problems off the field and spotty play on it, and he would be riding the bench if rookie Cedric Griffin weren't sidelined by a neck stinger.

The size of his contract will make Smoot difficult to trade, but given the market for cornerbacks in the NFL, he will end up somewhere, and the Vikings will be rid of one of the bigger free-agent busts in recent league history.

Also in this article, they talk about Napoleon Harris being available... he's a MLB, a possible signee here??? I don't know much about him but he is a Mike...

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/sports/16317679.htm

[Redskin4Life]

It was not so much that it was done, it was that it was done without any grace and with Schottenheimer publicly criticizing Green's technique.

And you are wrong, Smoot was the starter from the first game on in 2001. It was an abrupt change after the last pre-season game and led quickly to Green's decision to call it quits after that season.

As for Green being done I would put him on the field now over Rogers and Wright.
He's probably the third to fifth fastest in the league if he was playing today... he left being the fastest (or was it second? can't remember).

[redskin_rich]

It was not so much that it was done, it was that it was done without any grace and with Schottenheimer publicly criticizing Green's technique.

And you are wrong, Smoot was the starter from the first game on in 2001. It was an abrupt change after the last pre-season game and led quickly to Green's decision to call it quits after that season.

As for Green being done I would put him on the field now over Rogers and Wright.
Green didn't hang it up until after the 2002 season. I remember well, I was at his final game, which was a win against Dallas.

[CNYSkinFan]

Green didn't hang it up until after the 2002 season. I remember well, I was at his final game, which was a win against Dallas.
ok maybe I will have to rethink that part. Iwas almost sure Green retired under Schotty...hmmmmm

[golongdude]

This leads me to beleive that we WANT Springs back, he is NOT "Deepskin," and we have plans to move him to safety.


Forget it. His days of health are numbered and he would just explode like a glass against a brick wall coming up as a safety to support the run.

Ain't... gonna... happen.

[BIGSEF3]

Here's why most think Smoot's available...



Also in this article, they talk about Napoleon Harris being available... he's a MLB, a possible signee here??? I don't know much about him but he is a Mike...

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/sports/16317679.htm

the sizes contract makes it too large for them to TRADE him. however, keeping him would only be 2M against the cap next year. releasing him will also count a bundle in 07 or 08. now i imagine the contracts are not structured the same, but they are comparable in total dollar value and likely similar. The vikings may be in a position where its cheaper to keep him than cut him

[redcayman]

Im wondering about Springs as as a free safety. If Im not mistaken wouldnt his job include mostly dropping back in coverage and coming up when needed for the run? That seems like it would save his body a little. And as for Taylor would the transition to strong safety be a waste of his talent. He is already good in run support and he can cover any tight end in the league. Im just wonder how feasible a transition it would actually be?