A New Year’s Resolution for the Redskins: A Fresh Start

Typically, each year brings new beginnings and fresh starts. This year, I had just one wish. I prayed that my beloved football team would have a “New Year, New Me” mentality. To have a fresh start and years of success to follow.

I thought, a year is like a book with 365 pages. Can the Redskins start over? If so, how would they do so? So I came up with a plan, and made a wish. This wish was too good to keep to myself. And you never know, if I believed it enough and shared it with enough people, maybe dreams do come true.

My wish begins like this.

A Change in Ownership

After the takeover of FedEx field by Philadelphia fans, season ticket holders start dropping fast. Vendors start disassociating themselves from the team. Even FedEx decides to pull their Sponsorship. Snyder, embarrassed by twenty years of failure, declares “enough is enough” and decides to pull out while he was still ahead. He is simply looking for the right price.

Hearing of Snyder’s displeasure, business owners, celebrities, ex-players and former coaches form a dream team. Sergey Brin, the president of tech giant Alphabet (UMD Alumni), Kevin Plank (CEO of Under Armour), Dale Earnhardt Jr. , Kevin Durant (NBA Superstar, Maryland Native), Matthew McConaughey (Actor, longtime Redskins fan), Joe Gibbs , Denny Hamlin (NASCAR Driver, Maryland Native), Scott Van Pelt, Joe Theismann and Wale, win the bid to buy the team and Brin becomes majority owner.

Brin appoints Joe Gibbs Deputy CEO because of his Football background. Making Gibbs the primary decision maker.

A Team Re-Brand

The first decision Brin and Gibbs make in their opening press conference is that they will be changing the name. Why you may ask? They want a re-brand so that this organization is all about the fans of the DMV. Gibbs also states that we will never forget the accomplishments that Redskins has earned, and wants to protect it’s history. This team will be strictly be about football without the distraction of “the brand.”

The new team name will be the Washington Warriors, and the colors will remain Burgundy and Gold.

There will be some changes to the uniform, including two new prototypes and one with the 1970’s logo.

Finding The Right People

Finally after getting settled in his new role, Gibbs decides to cut all ties with Bruce Allen. He fires everyone below him but promotes Eric Schaffer as the new team president.

Together, Gibbs and Schaffer start to look for a capable General Manager.

The task is difficult, but they eventually convince Louis Riddick to become the Warriors next GM. The understanding is that he will have full control of hiring a new coach, and will have power over all personnel decisions. Riddick decides to keep Doug Williams as his right hand man in hiring coaches and players.

Riddick and Williams decide to keep Jim Tomsula and Bill Callahan, but pursue an entirely new staff.

Coaching Changes

Gibbs, Riddick, Schaffer and Williams work rigorously on finding a new head coach to lead this team into the future. After the interview process concludes, they declare a new head coach of the Warrios. None other than Eric Bieniemy, the former Offensive Coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The leadership team then turns their eyes towards defense. With ties to Washington as a player, the Warriors decide to hire Todd Bowles as their Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach.

As a staff, they all come to an agreement to mimic the high-powered offense that KC had this past season. They then add former Chiefs offensive coach, Joe Bleymaier as the next Offensive Coordinator.  

Roster Changes

The task now turns to the roster. Alex Smith will be announcing his retirement from the NFL. Still on the books for next year Gibbs and company find a way to agree on a pay out for 2020.

To free up some cap space, the Warriors part ways with the following players:

Roster Cuts: Josh Norman, Zach Brown, Vernon Davis, Chris Thompson, Stacy McGee, Mason Foster, Semaje Perine.

Re-Signings: Jonathan Cooper, Adrian Peterson

They decide to trade Jordan Reed for a 3rd round 2020 pick.

Free Agent Additions: Shane Ray (Edge), Tyrell Williams (WR), John Brown (WR), Kwon Alexander (LB), Steven Nelson (CB), Quinton Spain (G), Ryan Khalil (C), Tre Boston (S), Amer Abdullah (HB), Jesse James (TE)

Mastering the Draft

Riddick makes a draft-day trade with the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. He accumulates several picks, and does this with them.

Round 1 (Patriots): Kendall Sheffield CB Ohio St

Round 2: Daniel Jones QB Duke

Round 3 (Patriots):  Kelvin Harmon WR NCST

Round 3:  Garrett Brumfield G LSU

Round 3 (Kirk comp):  Andrew Wingard S Wyoming

Round 3 (Patriots): Te’Von Coney LB Notre Dame

Round 3 (Patriots): Damien Harris RB Bama

Round 5: Shareef Miller DE/EDGE Penn St.

Round 5:  Kaden Smith TE Stanford

Round 6: Isaiah Prince T Ohio St

Round 7:  Albert Higgins DL Clemson

(All work done through Ultimate GM on Fanspeak an automated GM tool.)

Bieniemy and Bowels decide to switch to the 4-3 defensive front for the next season.

The 2019 Warriors New Look Roster:

Offense:

QB – Daniel Jones (R), Colt McCoy

RB – Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice, Damien Harris (R)

3rd down back – Ameer Abdullah

WR X – Tyrell Williams, Cam Simms

WR Z – Paul Richardson, Kelvin Harmon (R), Josh Doctson

WR Slot – John Brown, Trey Quinn

TE – Jesse James, Jeremy Sprinkle, Kaden Smith (R)

LT – Trent Williams , Isaiah Prince (R)

LG – Quinton Spain, Jonathan Cooper

C – Chase Rouiller, Ryan Khalil

RG – Brandon Scherff, Garrett Brimfield (R)

RT – Morgan Moses, Geron Christian, Austin Howard

Defense:

DE – Ryan Kerrigan, Ryan Anderson, Albert Higgins (R)

DE – Shane Ray, Shareef Miller (R)

DT – Jonathan Allen, Matt Ioannidis

DT – Daron Payne, Tim Settle

OLB – Reuben Foster, Josh Harvey-Clemons

ILB – Shaun Dion Hamilton, Reuben Foster

OLB – Kwon Alexander, Te’Von Coney (R)

CB – Steven Nelson, Greg Stroman

CB – Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau

Slot – Kendall Sheffield (R), Danny Johnson

FS – Tre Boston, Montae Nicholson

SS – Adonis Alexander, Andrew Wingard (R)

K – Dustin Hopkins

P – Tress Way

KR – Ameer Abdullah, Danny Johnson

PR – Greg Stroman, Trey Quinn

The Warriors move onto to 2019 with a fresh new outlook, and a roster ready to compete in the NFC East.

Editors Note: Concept and article written by Steven Johnson of “Let’s Talk Redskins” @LetsTalkSkins

Published on his behalf by George Carmi