Jason Taylor to Washington; What can Fans Expect?
The Washington Redskins acquired defensive end Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins today for the cost of a 2009 2nd round selection, and a 2010 6th round selection.
With another Taylor on board the defense, it’s a good time to take a quick look at what the team and it’s fans can expect from it’s newest addition:
Expectation #1: An extension, at some point.
The Redskins appear to be in a good cap situation right now for this year, and per Jason La Canfora, Taylor is due 8.0 million this season. With all the draft picks signed for the year, picking up Taylor’s salary in 2008 is a non-issue.
By 2009, however, Taylor’s 8.5 million salary will need to be chopped. The two ways of doing this are to either release him, or to restructure the deal. Though Taylor may decide to retire at the end of 2008 anyway, it’s highly doubtful that the Redskins would release him after one season. Thusly, it looks like they will hand him an extension at this point next year.
The team will need to protect itself against a post-2009 retirement, and they will likely do this by converting about 5 million dollars of his salary to bonus money. This will allow the team to lower it’s 2009 salary cap by converting some of his contract into what would essentially be dead cap in 2010 or later. The beauty of it all is that there may not be a cap at that point, so it probably won’t be an issue at all.
Expectation #2: Poor run defense
Hey, remember when it was 2006 and the Andre Carter/Warrick Holdman right side couldn’t stop my grandmother with a leafblower from exploding off left tackle for 20 yards? Yeah, we all gave Carter a hard time then for something that was only partially his fault. The next season, he got a new WLB in Rocky McIntosh, and all of a sudden, Carter was great against the run. Truth is that Carter has changed nothing, he was a pretty good (far from great) run defender both years who looked awful and then great because his backup changed.
Anyway, the point is this: Taylor isn’t anywhere close to what Carter is against the run. He’s far, far worse, and incredibly consistent at that.
Taylor is going to play on the left end, according to Vinny Cerrato, which means that the days of a balanced line are over. The Redskins defensive tackles and linebackers will be responsible for clogging rushing lanes. Carter will do his thing. Taylor will rush the passer. With a lead, things will be grand. Playing from behind: not so much.
Expectation #3: Sacks, sacks, sacks!
Since Jason Taylor broke out in 2000 as a 26 year old 4th year player, notching 14.5 sacks, only twice has he not gone over 10 sacks, or in other words he’s (historically) just as likely to fail to get 10 sacks as Andre Carter is to get 10 sacks (That was a long sentence). Taylor will be facing inferior tackles on this side of the line compared to what he has always seen throughout his career, so the sacks should come, and they should come in bunches.
Moreover, the Redskins will now need to devote fewer resources to getting pressure on the QB, the pressure is going to get there. More zone coverage, less man to man, fewer blitzes.
Additionally, this move should really help Andre Carter in his quest to prove last year wasn’t a fluke.
The Redskins increased their chances of being competitive in 2008 very strongly with this trade. Unfortunately, they gave up a premium to acquire Taylor, and this elderly defense just got much older, so the time will come for this team to pay up for this move. That day will likely be sometime in April next year, when instead of using a second round pick on some young line talent, the Dolphins use it to take a defensive back.
In the meantime, the Redskins look better on paper. They look more competitive in their own division.
Skins fans won’t notice when the bill for this deal comes due; it’s hard to notice a problem solely by the absence of a solution. What they are going to notice is the havoc Jason Taylor wrecks in opponents backfields in the short term. Anything short of a return to the pro bowl for Taylor will be somewhat disappointing. He’s Dan Snyder’s new 8 million dollar man, and the team really needs him to earn every penny.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, July 20th, 2008 at 9:24 pm and is filed under Jason Taylor, Washington Redskins Defense.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
THE AUTHOR
POLL
RECENT ARTICLES BY DIVISION RIVALS
ARCHIVE
SPONSORS
Online Seats
Washington Redskins Tickets Washington nationals Tickets
Ticket Specialists
Redskins Tickets Wizards Tickets
Coast to Coast Tickets
Washington Redskins Tickets Washington Nationals Tickets Baltimore Ravens Tickets Baltimore Orioles Tickets Presidents Cup Tickets
Great Seats
Washington Redskins Tickets MLB Tickets - Nationals Baltimore Ravens Tickets Baltimore Orioles Tickets Georgetown Hoyas Tickets
11 Responses to “Jason Taylor to Washington; What can Fans Expect?”
July 20th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
iam sorry not talking shit but do u guys think u can size up to the giants eagles or cowboys.
ur offense is flat and ur D is old idk if u can buy a champ. but the redskins will die tring
July 20th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
They made the playoffs last year with an inferior roster (considering Taylor is better than Daniels and they have some WR talent now). The Patriots have done well with “old” defenses, why can’t the Redskins? Come back when Eli Manning’s pedophile grin gets knocked off by Jason Taylor.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:16 am
I like how everyone is saying our defense is getting older.
Taylor is actually a year younger than Phillip Daniels.
As far as the cost of the trade, I’m not that worried about it. We’ve got Erasmus James waiting in the wings, and we can always try to trade down next year.
Taylor being there gives our corners a break, because of the pass rush the coverage won’t have to be nearly where it was. Unfortunately though, it will really put our linebackers to the test. I have all the confidence in the world in Marcus Washington and London Fletcher as run stoppers, but they’re both old, Marcus is injury prone, and McIntosh isn’t exactly made of steel. Bottom line, I think our linebackers can pick up Taylor’s slack against the run, but if more than one of them goes out…. Well, Blades can’t be in two places at once.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:08 am
Die trying to buy a champ? Ummmm…. the Redskins lost two defensive ends on the first day of their training camp. This wasn’t some Snyder=esqe buy a ring ploy. They needed it, and I am very interested to see how they now stack up defensively with the East.
And I don’t mean to be the one to repeat common knowledge… but Dallas? How do the Redskins stack up against them? I hadn’t really thought about it….. I am too busy wondering how “Americas Team” gets so much love when they haven’t won a playoff game in 12 years. That star shines pretty bright though. It has a legion of fools blinded….
July 21st, 2008 at 2:55 am
Dallas has still won more superbowls…..you lose
July 21st, 2008 at 7:41 am
Cerrato: “I am 100 percent confident that [Taylor] will play for more than one year.” ~~ from Redskins.com.
Cerrato: “It was an eventful day for Jim Zorn.” ~~ from FOX-5 news (DC)
Cerrato: “I called Bill Parcells in May about trading Jason Taylor, but he didn’t want to trade him.” ~~ from FOX-5 news (DC)
July 21st, 2008 at 8:53 am
I think the single most important thing I learned from looking back at the stats from the last two years is that Jason Taylor has showed no signs of being washed up yet. Sure, that could start this season, but defensive lineman do tend to last longer before succumbing to age, and despite the defense falling apart around him in 2007, his numbers look exactly in line with the rest of his career.
So for at least a season, Taylor should do well here.
The age problem comes with the recent acqusitions to the defense: Landry, Smoot, Fletcher, and Taylor. Lots of age there, and only Landry still has his prime in front of him.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:25 am
I like Taylor and it is a good move for the Redskins.
It will be interesting to see how 2008 goes for him after dancing with the stars and saying he was only going toplay for one more year before becomgin an actor.
Let’s hope he acts like the NFL pro-bowler he has been in the past and the Redskins benefit.
And the number of rings does not matter - that is history. What matters is the next ring!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:45 am
Interesting point on the 2009 salary, but it isn’t that simple.
Absent a new CBA 2009 will be a ‘capped year before an uncapped year’ in the existing CBA. It carries with it some ramifications that impact the Redskins usual maneuvering of pushing salary to bonus.
In 2009 a re-negotiation is treated like a new contract (unlike previous years), only 50% of any bonus can be moved outside of 2009 and ALL bonus of any type is treated as signing bonus (so work out/roster bonus in 2010 say would be treated as signing bonus in 2009), salary cannot increase more than 30% from year to year, and guaranteed salary in any year counts against the 2009 cap.
Since the Redskins already have around 115 million already devoted to 27 players in 2009 I think they may have a serious problem.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
It will be fun watching How Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor play oppostie sides. Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redksins.. In case you all did not know, Jason Taylor is married to Zach Thomas’s sister..
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Bryce: I agree with you. Taylor is younger and, I would add, probably physically younger and better than Daniels. The one problem you mentioned, and others - elsewhere, is his poor rush defense. I would add, he is also a natural LDE - the best position for rushing the passer - now, he will probably be the RDE - a position he normally does not play.
To be able to get him, for a 2nd rounder, at this time of the season is a blessing for us. I also see him help teaching some of the remaining young DL some techniques.
Lets hope there are no more injuries!!!!!!
Leave a comment