Vision Quest: A Smoot Point

I love Fred Smoot. I do. And it wasn’t always this way. As you know Deion Sanders supplanted Darrell Green in the starting lineup but the year afterward Deion left town and Green made it very clear he wanted to start. However Fred Smoot, being drafted in the early second round, started ahead of him after the final pre-season game. So I had to forgive him for replacing my idol. I also was a little leery of his recent marijuana possession and his propensity to talk too much. We had just gotten rid of Deion and I didn’t want another one. So Smoot had to win me over.

And he did. Sure he talked to the media a lot, but he was always self effacing and never once ripped his fellow teammates. He was undersized but gave up his body almost every play. He would get hurt but battle through the pain to play in games where the Redskins were long ago eliminated from playoff contention. He took on some of the toughest receivers and won the battle more then he lost. He was never very fast but seemed to be in the right place at the right time more often then not.

Last year though he really won my heart. After Bailey left he paired with Springs and showed us what true teammates can do in coverage. Smoot was one of the cornerstones of our defense. He seemed to be shaken up every other tackle but always walked back to the huddle and reported for duty. He played with heart, he played with guts, and he played like Redskin players should play.

So it is with a sad heart I say that perhaps it is time to let Smoot go.

I had been hopeful that Gibbs, the redskin front office, Daniel Snyder, Smoot and his agent could have gotten an extension deal in place by the end of last season. All the right ingredients were there to do it. The Redskins had 4 million in cap space free last year, Smoot wanted to be a Redskin forever, the defense was flourishing, and Gibbs named Smoot a “core” Redskin. So why didn’t it get done? That is a question I have been asking myself for awhile.

I think at the beginning of the season the Redskin front office, including Gibbs and Snyder, were a little unsure whether Smoot was a long term answer at CB. But about half way through the season I think they had their answer. However by that point Smoot was in the middle of the season and contract talks never go well within the season. As the season went on, the extension talks continued to stall, and Smoot suffered through another losing, non playoff season. After all this I still think it could have been done, however a snake named Champ Bailey reared his ugly head.

Bitter over his failed attempts at getting a lucrative contract with the Redskins, Champ poisoned the well with his “friend” Smoot. No one on the Redskin team took Champ Bailey’s departure harder then Fred Smoot. Bailey and Smoot were friends from Day 1 of Smoot’s career. Did you notice that at the end of the season, when Smoots mood turned sour, that he always seemed to mention “Champ said this” and “Champ left too, maybe I will”? Obviously Bailey is doing his best Iago, pouring poison into Smoot's ear for his own purpose.

What is Bailey’s motivation? Perhaps that Smoot will join him in Denver? Perhaps it is pure revenge against the organization the franchised him and traded him? Who knows? The problem is that Bailey’s advice and counsel is disingenuous and dangerous for Smoot. The Washington Redskins offered the same contract to Smoot that Springs signed last year. At best Springs and Smoot are equal corner backs. But in my mind Springs is the #1 corner and Smoot the #2. This is a genuine offer for a #2 corner and anything more would be an insult to Springs. Apparently Smoot turned down the contract with a $10 million signing bonus and is demanding something in the neighborhood of 14 million dollar signing bonus. That is #1 corner money.

Does anyone out there really believe that Smoot would be a #1 corner for ANY NFL team? I just don’t believe that any team is willing to pony up that kind of money for Smoot. At least no team willing to win. So Smoot will test the free agent market and probably find out that the contract the Redskins offered was pretty good. Problem is we will have moved on.

The Redskins have a history of moving early and fast in free agency. I don’t the Redskins will wait to find a replacement for Smoot, nor should they. I know many Redskin fans point to Harris as a reliable corner option, however I don’t. I think he is an excellent 3rd corner and starting him will be a major strain on our defense. We need to sign Smoot’s replacement early to avoid the desperation that will come later if Smoot goes to another team.

But I retain a little hope. I hope that Fred will wake up and realize that the Redskins are his home. We took a chance on Smoot when he fell out of the first round because of your drug violations. We embraced him even though he supplanted a Redskin hero. We called out Smoot’s name after every tackle and interception at Fed Ex. And we want to pay him, and pay him well.

There are few players who play their entire career with one team in the NFL. They prefer to chase the money around the league hoping from team to team. Athletes need to remember that there is value at staying with one franchise, especially if you are being paid fair wages. Look at Teddy Bruschi in New England. That man will never have to buy a dinner in Boston again. And Tom Brady is talking about a contract extension but has already said he will not seek Manning type money, which he would deserve. Brady and Bruschi will live as Demi-Gods in Massachusetts for the rest of their lives.

Fred, sign the contract and stay at home. Don’t move your family for what will be a very small raise. Otherwise we will let you go and re-tool. Just like Champ. We will find another Shawn Springs and go on to build on our great defense. And although you may be temporarily richer you won’t be appreciated or loved as much as you are here.

Fred….you can come home again; we just don’t want you to leave in then first place.