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To Spend or Not to Spend?
It’s here, NFL Free Agency 2020 has arrived. Well, it will be next week.
The coveting has begun, and if there is anything we have learned about coveting, it is that once it is permitted to remain in the human mind, it controls us, enslaves us and yes, results in irrational behavior, which is often quite damaging.
How many times have you purchased that new phone, car, truck, ring, trip, boat or house only to kick yourself later, when the bill came due and you realized you had overpaid?
This year (2020) marks the 20-year anniversary of the Washington Redskins going on one such imprudent Free Agent spending binge.
Bruce Smith had enjoyed many successful seasons with the Buffalo Bills, but the Bills realized his best playing days had occurred.
Daniel Snyder promptly rewarded Smith a contract worth 25 million over five years.
Keep in mind salaries were much, much less in 2000, and Smith was age 37!
Smith aged each season in the Burgundy and Gold, playing less and eventually mostly on passing downs.
The Redskins acquired three-time Pro Bowl free safety Mark Carrier who had already been in the league ten seasons with Chicago and Detroit, accumulating 31 interceptions and 15 forced fumbles, and I might add, been in on 794 tackles.
Sure enough, after one season, a worn-down Carrier was out of the league.
QB Jeff George, was the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, and in 2000 Snyder awarded George a four-year contract worth $14.8 million, while Brad Johnson was returning to Washington having just thrown for 4005 yards in 1999 for the Redskins.
George would only go 1-4 as the starter, throwing 7 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
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In the very next season, after two ugly losses, George famously said that leadership was overrated and was promptly released.
At age 34 George was unwanted and never played again in the NFL
Yet, signing bonuses of big contracts are cap hits in later years.
Deion Sanders an aging 33-year-old cornerback was released by Dallas.
So why was he signed in 2000 by the Redskins for 7 years and 55 million dollars?
Sanders showed up in that ugly Burgundy suit his first day as a Redskin, talking as large as ever.
Nonetheless his ineffective 2000 season was his only season for the Redskins, retiring with his large signing bonus.
The Redskins were left with absolutely nothing, except future cap hits.
For some inexplicable reason Adrian Murrell was signed for the 2000 season as well.
Murrell rushed for a mere 50 yards in his 20 carries, catching 16 passes out of the backfield for 93 yards.
There was also defensive end Marco Coleman who resigned for $26.5 million and actually had a fine 2000 season rushing the passer, accumulating 12.0 sacks.
But after only 4.5 sacks in 2001, Coleman was released.
Guard Keith Sims, 32, resigned a three-year, $4 million deal with a $750,000 bonus; however Sims was done following that notorious 2000 season, not playing again.
Linebacker Kevin Mitchell was signed as a free agent in 2000 but in his four seasons in Washington only provided three sacks and two interceptions, before retiring.
33-year-old guard-tackle Andy Heck was also resigned for 2000, started two games, and retired after the season.
Center Corey Raymer re-signed with the Redskins, but was injured and did not play the 2000 season. He returned for 2001 before moving on to San Diego in 2002-03, returning to Washington for 2004-05.
You say, “Come on, that was 20 years ago!”
Indeed it was, and much has changed in the NFL in those 20 years.
Yet, the more some things change, do not some things remain the same?
One unchanging universal is the reality of human nature when coveting has led some to steal, and others to make foolish purchases.
When my parents heard me coveting as a kid, I sometimes heard them say to me, “All that glitters is not gold”.
I didn’t like hearing that several times growing up, but I have found it to be oh, so true.
It is my hope Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith will remain calm, permitting other clubs to covet for the first week of free agency, vastly over-paying for players.
Quickly, values will decrease and level heads will prevail.
Wise men can then swoop in and sign a few players at a reasonable price that can help the 2020 Redskins and not leave such dead cap hits in future years.
Ivan Lambert is a lifelong die-hard Washington Redskins fan, raised in Berryville, Virginia. He is married and the father of two fine young men. He is currently a sports correspondent for The Ledger in Lakeland, Florida and can be found on Twitter @IvanLambert18
