Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312020096
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The past months have been longer for Casserly, 44, who has used his sweat, shrewdness and considerable smarts to go from a go-fer for coach George Allen to the Redskins' general manager. Two seasons from a Super Bowl title, his club is 2-9. So, the Redskins are playing for a high draft choice as much as respectability.
Long regarded for his scouting acumen, Casserly's business sense is about to be tested as it never has before. The second year of NFL free agency will bring a salary cap. That figures to be a much tougher assignment for the Redskins than the Cowboys, Eagles or Giants will be.
"Everybody has their peaks and valleys, and right now we're in a valley, a pretty deep one," Casserly said Wednesday before he watched videotape of draft prospects - primarily All-America center Jim Pyne and cornerback Tyronne Drakeford - at Virginia Tech. "You never know when this might happen, but we will come out of it."
Casserly also spoke to the Jefferson Club's Business Forum in Roanoke on Wednesday night. Those waiting for predictions had to be disappointed. Casserly is an evaluator. Considering the uncertainty toward which the NFL is rushing, his is a tricky business.
Until the NFL and networks finalize the new television contracts, the impending salary cap figure is uncertain. If the NFL gets the same TV money it averaged over the four-year deal that ends this season, the cap will be about $32 million.
"We're significantly over that now," Casserly said.
Like, by about $8 million. Common sense says the Redskins will lose some veterans like Art Monk, Joe Jacoby, Jeff Bostic, Monte Coleman and Earnest Byner before next season, but it's not that simple.
"You have to replace them," Casserly said.
That means much more subtraction than addition. The Redskins won't be alone. Dallas faces signing quarterback Troy Aikman, most of their offensive linemen, receiver Alvin Harper and some key defensive players, too. Philadelphia has almost a two-deep roster of free agents.
"There are going to be two markets," Casserly said. "One will be for the quality-type free agents. The other will be for veterans that will be asked to take pay cuts. There will be teams under the cap that will be bidding those players up."
In other words, there won't be any backup tackles making $600,000 in coming seasons. The Redskins will enter free agency carrying another double-edged sword. Although they will have few free agents among the starters - one is receiver Ricky Sanders - and most of their current high-salaried players have front-loaded contracts, that many existing deals will give the club less maneuvering room.
That makes the draft more crucial. Casserly and his staff came up big this season. The 1993 draft is the club's best and deepest since 1981 (Mark May, Russ Grimm, Dexter Manley, Darryl Grant and Clint Didier). Notre Dame products Tom Carter and Reggie Brooks are starters. Defensive end Sterling Palmer has shown more than promise. The club's last two picks - H-back Frank Wycheck and linebacker Lamont Hollinquest - have been surprises.
Too many personnel decisions are still to be made with one-third of the season remaining. The futures of Mark Rypien and Desmond Howard, among others, won't be decided until January, because "what we felt about certain players may have been different in September than it was in October or is now," Casserly said.
In Casserly's years, the Redskins always have found a personnel answer. It was Allen's early dealing of draft picks for veterans, or signing World Football League exiles, or the '81 draft, or the pickup of USFL refugees, or the assembly of an '87 strike-replacement team that went 3-0 in a Super Bowl season.
by CNB