THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 31, 1995 TAG: 9508280113
SECTION: FOOTBALL '95 PAGE: Z2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Pro Football '95
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 169 lines
Call it The Foundation. The Motherlode. Whatever.
Dallas found it in 1989 and again in '91.
San Francisco found it in 1986.
The motherlode is a draft haul so ripe with players who blossom into trusted, valued starters, or more, that they change the focus and fortunes of the franchise. They catapault the rebuilding process forward in one huge, joyful, competitive leap.
In '89, the Cowboys captured quarterback Troy Aikman, fullback Darryl Johnston, center Mark Stepnoski and defensive end Tony Tolbert.
Two years later, they pulled in defensive tackle Russell Maryland, receiver Alvin Harper, linebackers Dixon Edwards and Godfrey Miles, offensive tackle Erik Williams, defensive tackle Leon Lett and cornerback Larry Brown.
Choosing 18th, the '86 49ers grabbed fullback Tom Rathman, cornerback Tim McKyer, receiver John Taylor, defensive end Charles Haley, offensive tackle Steve Wallace, defensive tackle Kevin Fagan and safety Don Griffin. Arguably, they collectively had as much to do with San Francisco's claim to being the Team of the '80s as did Joe Montana.
Granted, the Cowboys and 49ers are the game's two best franchises. But every playoff team in pro football can point to a motherlode as the primary reason for its success.
Conversely, the Washington Redskins start the 1995 season Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals with just six - that's right, six - draft picks among their projected 22 starters. Only one player, running back/returner Brian Mitchell, remains from Charley Casserly's first three drafts as general manager, or since 1990.
Instead of being a team with a healthy stable of veterans just reaching their prime, leaving them the ability to use free agency to fill in missing pieces, the Redskins will attempt to rebound from two seasons in which they totaled seven victories by mixing and matching free agents and spare parts from other teams.
The chances of it working, and Washington ascending beyond the cellar of the NFC East, are slim.
There is age and a history of infirmity where you least want it - along the offensive line. Lost is the ability to play a run-oriented, conservative style that minimizes error.
Likewise, there is youth and inexperience where you least want it, at quarterback. At 12 games, Heath Shuler and Gus Frerotte don't have even one season's worth of starts between them.
For the third time in four years, the team's top draft pick engaged in a prolonged holdout. No matter how precocious, Michael Westbrook's progress has been retarded by his 26-day contract squabble. The last Redskins receiver to skip so much of training camp, Desmond Howard, figures to open the season with expansion Jacksonville.
Curiously, the Redskins flaunted tradition by doing nothing during the offseason to bolster the defensive line, a primary weakness. Most teams rebuild from front to back, but the Redskins used a fifth-round pick for Rich Owens of Lehigh, a project who is already injured. That's it.
Instead, the Redskins spent millions of dollars on free-agent linebackers Rod Stephens (Seattle) and Marvcus Patton (Buffalo) and free-agent safeties Stanley Richard (San Diego) and James Washington (Dallas).
Combined with Ken Harvey, the linebackers should be among the league's best. In truth, they had better be, because they'll be making most of the tackles.
Second-year coach Norv Turner compensated the only way he knew how during training camp. He put his team through one concussive workout after another, day after day, in the surprising heat of Frostburg.
``We want the young guys understanding how demanding this is going to be,'' Turner said.
They'll find out soon enough.
Of course, even motherlodes dry up. The 49ers' '89 draft included Keith DeLong, Wesley Walls, Keith Henderson, Mike Barber, Johnny Jackson, Steve Hendrickson, Rudy Harmon, Andy Sinclair, Jim Bell, Norm McGee and Antonio Goss.
Don't know their names? Neither does anyone else. It proves a team can survive one ill-fated draft.
But, as the Redskins seem hell-bent to prove, three draft droughts in five years is the NFL's definition of insurmountable.
The look at the '95 Redskins, position by position:
Quarterback: Former No. 1 pick Shuler was proclaimed the starter before camp began. That's a promise on which Turner won't renege, even though Shuler doesn't appear to have built on his solid finish from last season, when he had six touchdowns and 914 yards passing in December. He's mobile enough and appears to have the arm strength to succeed in the NFL. But he still makes too many fundamental errors against sophisticated defenses to consider this season anything but a continuation of the learning process. Ditto for second-year pro Gus Frerotte, who looks more comfortable behind center but doesn't have Shuler's potential - or his $19 million contract. There is no QB controversy. Yet.
Offensive line: Health and age are the main concerns. Among the projected starters, only second-year pro Tre' Johnson is under 30. Left tackle Jim Lachey, once the best in the business, has had the last two seasons ended by injury. Guard Ray Brown has been injury-prone, as has center John Gesek and right tackle Ed Simmons. Even in one piece, this is a unit that last year proved itself far better at protecting the passer (just 21 sacks) than opening holes for running backs. There is youth, and quickness, in reserves Vernice Smith, Joe Patton, Brian Thure and injured Cory Raymer. If the team starts badly, the line could be ripe for an midseason overhaul.
Running back: Terry Allen ran for 1,000 yards last season in Minnesota and looks quick enough to duplicate the feat here, if he gets suitable blocking. Durability - he's the only NFL player to come back from torn anterior-cruciate ligaments on both knees - is always a question. Reggie Brooks has more speed and potential than the rest of his backfield mates, but doesn't catch the ball nearly as well as Turner would like. Marc Logan is an undersized fullback who still is a more complete player than Cedric Smith. Brian Mitchell is the most versatile back, but likely will be relegated to mostly third-down work because of his value as a kick and punt returner.
Wide receiver: Last season, Henry Ellard surprised the league by catching 74 passes - 71 for first downs. At times, he was the Redskins' offense and he's back at age 34 to see if he can do it again. He should be aided by the arrival of Westbrook - and vice-versa - who at 6-3, 215 pounds, gives Washington the big target that thrives in the Turner system. Westbrook will drop a ball or two, but is a hellacious blocker and all indications from general managers throughout the league are that the Redskins got themselves the new Art Monk. They'd settle for someone half as good. Tydus Winans and Leslie Shepherd are OK backups.
Tight end: Scott Galbraith appears to come closest to meeting the blocking/receiving duties Turner expects from the position. Jamie Asher, injured through most of camp, probably comes second. James Jenkins is a good blocker; Coleman Bell a better pass receiver. Until someone steps forward (Asher?), the spot's still open.
Defensive line: Tackle Tim Johnson and end Tony Woods have been, and remain, solid performers. Tackle Marc Boutte appears to be coming on, as does tackle Lamar Mills. Everyone else is a question mark, including fourth starter Sterling Palmer. A better-than-average pass-rusher, he still gets shoved off the line. Dexter Nottage is better, and could one day dominate, but currently is inconsistent. Rookie Rich Owens will give pass-rush help when he recovers from an elbow injury. An interesting experiment is the move of linebacker Terry Crews to defensive end, where he gets a shot as sack specialist.
Linebacker: One of two positions the Redskins can say they've improved, without much argument. Harvey already is among the league's best, a relentless pass rusher who made the Pro Bowl last season. Washington wanted two fulltime linebackers to complement Harvey and they got them in free agents Stephens and Marvcus Patton. Patton, from the Bills, has many of Harvey's qualities - speed, power, savvy - and should just be entering his prime. Stephens kicked around for several years before catching on with Seattle. He's a better run-stuffer than coverage man and had 129 tackles last season for the Seahawks. Reserves Erick Anderson, Darrick Brownlow and Matt Vanderbeek are big improvements over their predecessors.
Secondary: Another potential area of major improvement, thanks to the free-agent acquisition of safeties Washington and Richard, and the healthy return of holdover Keith Taylor. Washington and Richard have experience as leaders, teachers and sure tacklers; they make those around them better. Taylor was a starter last year until tearing his Achilles tendon on opening day. All three are light years better than the players the Redskins used last season. Cornerback Darrell Green gets beat more and more each year, but since he rarely was toasted when young, the Redskins can live with his decline. Tom Carter, said to be in trouble at the start of camp, solidified his hold opposite Green and appears to be coming into his own finally. Miami pickup Muhammad Oliver is a starting caliber cornerback relegated to nickel and rookie Scott Turner could be Green's heir apparent.
Special teams: Brian Mitchell is a Pro Bowl-caliber returner who last year set a league mark for combined return yards at 1,930. Kicker Eddie Murray is among the most accurate in history, though he doesn't have the consistent ability to hit from long distance anymore. Punter Matt Turk won the camp's most heated battle. He has a huge leg and lots of potential, but has never kicked in a regular-season game. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by BILL ABOURJILIE, Staff
The addition of free agents Marvcus Patton, above, and James
Washington will help the defense. But their drafts in the '90s have
yielded only six of 22 starters.
KEYWORDS: SPECIAL SECTION by CNB