Redskins and Broncos are s’posed to be pretty close to consummating a Clinton Portis-for-Champ Bailey trade. The Broncos are asking for the ‘Skins’ #2 in this year’s draft. I know there’s a bunch of Redskins fans on the Dope, so I wonder how you’d feel about it. Me (as an impartial observer), I don’t know if the Broncos aren’t sticking it to’em.
I think it’s an alright deal in terms of getting value for value, especially if the Redskins had already decided they weren’t keeping Bailey, which it seems like they had. Still, Portis is going to want just as much money as Bailey’s going to get (maybe more), and I’d rather have a lockdown corner than a fragile tailback.
Just because every back Shanahan touches turns to gold doesn’t mean he should be trading them willy-nilly. I can’t imagine Bailey taking much less in the way of a salary than Portis, given that the 'Skins were going to franchise-tag him.
Besides, Quentin Griffin, as nifty as he may be, is never going to be an every-down back. He weighs less than I do. Plummer has proven he can’t put the team on his back; at this point, the only fair trade for Clinton Portis is LaDanian Tomlinson…
This isn’t exactly willy-nilly, though. This might be a trade for the best player in football, all things considered. Bailey’s a freaking animal.
Plus, is Portis really an every-down back? That is, can he be one for an entire season? He’s got the gaudy per-carry average and all that, but Joe Gibbs is going to want to grind it out, and I don’t think Portis can be that effective with more than 18-20 carries a game, especially at- what? 200 pounds? He can’t weigh that much more than Griffin.
Champ Bailey is a guarantee to lock down one side of the field every Sunday, and I don’t think you can say Portis is a guarantee to dominate on the Redskins. Like you say, the Broncos make running backs, not the other way around- we have yet to see an ex-Bronco back do anything anywhere else. Remember Olandis Gary?
Add in that second-rounder, and what do the Broncos lose in this trade? A contract headache (who, admittedly, is lightning) at a position they have proven they can replace again and again. The only possible problem for the Broncos that I can see is that Alex Gibbs is gone, and he was probably most responsible for that system. All in all, though, if I’m Denver, I look at this as a steal- if the Griffin/ Galloway combo (which Shanahan must like if he’s doing the deal) is good for 350 or so carries between them, the offense doesn’t suffer too much, and Bailey just about triples the quality of that defense.
The Denver defense was already fourth-best in the league. How much more money should they be spending on it?
The rushing offense was second in the league, thanks mostly to Portis; why would you want to mess that up, especially when your passing offense was 22nd, one spot behind- you guessed it- the Redskins…
Champ Bailey will never be able to put a team on his back. Not because he isn’t that good- although his numbers aren’t appreciably better than anyone else’s, really (only two picks last season)- but because he’s a cornerback. If he touches the ball more than three times in a game, he’s had a good day. If Portis doesn’t touch the ball more than twenty times, he’s definitely had a bad day.
Besides, Butch Davis passed up taking Portis in the draft- a player who he built his team around at Miami- because he thought he’d need a big, bruising guy in a cold-weather city like Cleveland. Surprise, surprise, Shanahan picks up Portis, and Davis now looks pretty damn stupid with Willie Green’s transformation from backfield stud to locker-room punchline.
Most importantly, though, Quentin Griffin started all of one game. Yes, he made the Colts’ defense look pretty silly for two quarters, but, well, they suck. Any team with a couple quick linebackers won’t have to tackle him in the open field, and he doesn’t exactly strike me as a downhill powerhouse.
Oh, I forgot to ask… Who’s “Galloway”? I think you’re thinking of Mike Anderson, but I don’t know where you got Galloway from.
I forgot to mention in my last post that there’s no way Bailey is the best player in football. For my money, that would have to be Ray Lewis, much as I hate the guy. I don’t think Bailey is even the best corner in the game. I’d put Patrick Surtain, Ty Law, and Brian Kelly ahead of him.
The Denver defense could stand some improvement in the secondary. It really could. It could stand a lot of improvement. Then maybe Manning won’t go 22 of 26 to knock them out of the playoffs again.
Management doesn’t seem to want to give Portis a bump in pay as happened with Terrell Davis, so he’s not going to be a happy camper. Shanahan does exceptionally well with RB’s. Move Anderson back to tailback, alternate Griffin and Anderson, or get lucky in the 6th round again. Any of these should be able to work.
I think straight up it would be a win-win for both teams; throw in a high draft pick and it’s a Broncos streal.
I don’t know what to tell you, then. I’ll go with you on Ray Lewis, but Brian Kelly? Jesus. A few interceptions in one season doesn’t make you a great cornerback. Ty Law’s too old. Surtain’s good, but none of them can cover and hit like Bailey. You can’t really talk numbers with corners, so saying he only had a couple picks is meaningless. A really good corner usually doesn’t have that many interceptions in a given season, because teams don’t throw the ball at him. They don’t give him the chance.
The Broncos rushing offense has been 2nd in the league, 5th, 2nd, 10th, etc, etc, for years now, including when Portis wasn’t there. It doesn’t matter who they’ve had back there, they’ve been productive. You said it yourself- they all turn to gold. What they haven’t done is shut down teams’ passing games consistently. Look at what the Colts did to them in the playoffs. Remember that Monday Night game two years ago when Gannon completed like 22 passes in a row? Bailey changes that.
As for Griffin not being a powerhouse, well, he weighs around 200 pounds. He’s quick, like you say. Under six foot, shifty, lightweight. Remind you of anyone?
On the SDMB thread *Who still playing could be in the Hall of Fame * thread I mentioned Bailey & that was before he went to the 4th Pro Bowl this year. So I’m WAAAAAY in the tank for him.
I’ve seen him every year in something approaching every game and this was his worst season. re Those 2 picks though: remember that Folks don’t throw at him & the skins had 0 pass rush - I mean 0. Traditionally Champ is very good when it was against BIG receivers vs. Isaac Bruce or Randy Moss’s - he owned Irvin when he was a rookie, that was when I knew he was special. I saw him give up a 60 yard pass to (Heaven help us) Armani Toomer this year too tho. He isn’t Deon, but put him on the other teams best receiver and he will win way more than he loses and limit that receivers effectiveness. He is above average “good” but not special on the run.
He was a huge two way threat in College & never got over not being Deon in the pros … he’s a pros pro not a whiner, but that rankled – he really only stopped the between the lines yapping about it this year when he muffed two punts in two consecutive games & helped hasten the Spurrier death spiral.
In the final analysis tho: The Skins aren’t going to match the crazy $$ he’s asking - they need to get real value for him. I doubt that Detroit at 6th in the first is going to provide the value Clinton Portis will. Straight up it is an awesome win-win for both teams. Throwing in (away) the 2nd round choice? I’m not crazy about it… It favors Denver, but its not a steal or deal breaker. As a skins fan if you told me a month ago that this off season the Redskins would add Brunnell and Portis and the 5th pick in the draft and only lose Champ I’d take it…but Champ is special. Really.
I don’t think Champ’s market value will ever be higher than it is right now … If the Skins aren’t going to lock him up long term, it makes sense to cash in on him right now.
I don’t think Surtain is in Bailey’s league but I think Ty Law is just as good, and all other things being equal I’d take the younger Chris McCallister ahead of both of them. (Yes, it pains me to say that. Stupid Ravens.)
Kind of hopping on what Snoopy said – without looking at the good of either team, a megastud for megastud trade hasn’t been done since…Shitifiknow? when was the last time it happened? It’s fun and generates conversation and debate.
Redskins only have one first-rounder, and that’s a number 5. Redskins would be morons to trade that position AND Bailey for Portis. I can’t believe they’d do that. Even the second-rounder this year is pushing it, although I could live with that.
Maybe they’re just swapping positions in the first round, 5th for 24th, and a second-rounder won’t be part of the equation.
From here. You’re right about the first-rounders, though, the number 5 is the only one they have. Still, the story just says it’s a first rounder now, not a swap. Crap almighty, can you imagine if the Broncos got Bailey, then took Sean Taylor at #5, then got whoever they wanted at 24?
I like the other takes (& screen name) but A. McCallister is a year older than Bailey (almost exactly) they have the same amount of experience (5) because Bailey was true Junior when he came out. B. McCallister, playing on an awesome defense, on literally brink NFL alltime top 25 defenses, really isn’t in Bailey’s class who, except for one year, never played with top 10 coaches or players around him and made the pro-Bowl every year save his rookie year. Ty Law was a better CB this year, but I’d take Champ over him anyday.
Champ on Jessie Armstead who the skins cut today:
“Let’s put it like this: If they cut Jessie Armstead they might as well cut me, too,” Bailey said in December. “He’s one of our best players. It’s not like he’s killing the cap or anything.”
There is a great Michael Wilbon article on Wash. post.com
If they switch picks (& the report is screwy as we know the redskins have only 1 pick) I expect that Ramsey will be traded & the Redskins grab another 1st rounder.
The Jets jumped into the Bailey derby today too offering Ellis, Lamont Jordan & a TE for Bailey … rather they take Portis
Please take McCalister. He’s over rated, expensive, and we’ll get two first round picks as compensation. Everyone knows how succesful the Ravens are in the war room, so I doubt that will happen.