Does Meyer Make Sense?

Urban Meyer was at the Redskins game Sunday as everyone is aware but apparently he wasn't in Dan Snyder's box for any other reason than being a guest of Terry McLaurin.

OK, that's a nice story. Assuming it's true. It's interesting that if Meyer was just a guest of McLaurin's that he wound up in the owners' box.

The Redskins might not even have a chance if they want it. Nobody seems to want them.

There was a report that Meyer was consulting Dan Snyder on the head coaching search. I've heard that's not true, but I can't prove it as the process is shrouded in mystery.

Urban Meyer has been helping consult on coaching searches.

Did it for Colorado State.

Helping with advice for Dan Snyder in WAS.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) December 16, 2019

There was also informed speculation from Chris Spielman of FOX, who was in town for the Redskins game Sunday, that Meyer would prefer to be an NFL executive as opposed to coaching.

That would seem to verify what Meyer apparently told Brit Hume of FOX.

Meyer told me he was in town for a WH Christmas party, after attending the Army-Navy game Saturday. Asked if he might consider the Redskins job. “I think I’m done coaching,” he said. He said he knew his presence at the game Sunday would trigger speculation. https://t.co/8x1B1Zw4zA
— Brit Hume (@brithume) December 16, 2019

Spielman, on his podcast, seemed to confirm that this is the direction Meyer would want to go, without directly saying it.

"What makes everybody think Urban would coach?" Spielman asked.

"He knows how to hire pretty good coaches" "Why not put him as a, I don't want to say a GM role, but more as a president's type position?"

"Urban knows Dan Snyder," Spielman said. Meyer certainly knows Alex Smith, who we know is very much growing in influence. The two sat together in Snyder's box and Meyer was Smith's college coach as well.

The question for me is two-fold: Is it a good idea to add Urban Meyer to the Washington Redskins organization?

I say yes! First and foremost, anything that ensures that Bruce Allen is out of the organization is the correct choice. Allen has to go or nothing will ever improve.

The next issue (assuming you said yes) is what role and what structure?

If I had my choice - as I said on 106.7 The FAN & Radio.com - I would be more comfortable with Meyer as a head coach than a general manager role because he of course has been successful in that role.

There's no guarantee at all that he would be successful on the NFL level as he was in three different stops in college. However, I think he has a chance.

Meyer has said before that the Cowboys job is the appealing gig but money and power can change a lot about how someone feels. What if Snyder waves $10 million and "full power" over everyone? You know (ahem) like he gave to Mike Shanahan.

I do not think Meyer would be a good fit as a general manager and essentially top football person in an organization.

Why? He's never done that role in any way and of course, an NFL franchise is enormously different than running a major college program because of the salary cap and CBA restrictions. Roster limitations also play into it as well.

I would be willing to strongly consider a "President of Football Operations" role IF and only IF, Eric Schaffer and Kyle Smith stay with the organization and the three make up a triangular football power hierarchy.

Schaffer would obviously remain very instrumental in the salary cap, contracts and legal issues along with being a good, genuine person. Schaffer could retain his Senior Vice President of Football Operations title.

Kyle Smith would either be the General Manager or the Senior Vice President of Player Personnel. I'm honestly not sure what they would do with Doug Williams.

My understanding is and always has been that Williams is mostly in a figure-head type role so I am all for him staying, but the Redskins need a new direction, even if they are promoting from within, in my suggested power structure.

The next question that I'd have if Meyer takes on any sort of role with the Redskins and isn't just using them for more money and leverage is this?

What is his relationship with Dwayne Haskins?

"He's got a good relationship with Dwayne. He's got a great relationship with Terry," Spielman said. That's an interesting answer from Spielman, and it might explain why Haskins supposedly had no idea Meyer would be there despite McLaurin inviting him.

Weird, right?

Good doesn't mean great and if that's true, Meyer will either have to deal with whatever he doesn't love OR he'll be honest and it might cost him the job.

Ben Standig of the Athletic, earlier this week, wrote "perhaps Haskins feigned oblivious to Meyer’s existence in the 20785 Sunday, but the two do not have a warm relationship according to sources. Concerns over Haskins’ maturity did not begin this year in Washington, and not everyone in Columbus believed the quarterback was ready to depart Ohio State after his lone season starting."

In another piece, Standig mentioned something similar but not as blunt: "how candidates view Haskins, and Washington’s level of rigidity with keeping their young passer in the starting lineup will shape the process. This cuts both ways with Meyer. Haskins’ lone starting season at Ohio State doubled as Meyer’s last. The coach also received a long look under the hood during Haskins’ three-years on campus. Whatever concerns exist with Haskins did not just emerge upon arriving in Washington."

If you read between the words, it seems like Meyer might not have full confidence in Haskins.

Meyer talked openly about this recently while praising Haskins as the best quarterback ever at Ohio State. He added that Haskins maturity and leadership was not good when he first arrived in Columbus.

My best guess is that Meyer is annoyed by some things but he'll be able to get past it if he's offered the top football executive role or something similar.

One last one for the road: The Redskins should not ask Meyer to be the head coach and top decision maker contractually. It didn't work with Shanahan when he had that in his contract and immediately, the Redskins cut him down at his knees based on what I've heard from multiple people.

You do NOT want the same type of dysfunction again. Yes, removing Allen would help but it would not solve everything and specifically could come crashing down when dealing with Haskins moving forward.

Chris Russell is the Publisher of Maven & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.