Washington gets it right with Donaldson, needs the right group president.
Kudos to the Washington football team for working with Julie Donaldson to manage its content and broadcasting. Due to the franchises poisonous culture of sexual harassment being brought to the fore, once again, by a recent Washington Post expose, this is a distinctly forward thinking and progressive relocation for a team hardly ever admired for such.
Donaldson is a veteran of the DC media scene, an accomplished host and press reporter and a breath of fresh air from the way things have actually been made with internal media there. She is currently well linked in the organization and is well appreciated inside and out. Few groups, if any, have put women in executive positions like this, which also make them in essence the face of the franchise in terms of messaging and branding and it is definitely a step in the best direction.
No matter the findings in the examination that owner Dan Snyder has actually paid “outside” counsel to conduct, this group would be wise to spend much more time and resources finding a team president to really try to right the culture there. Someone who brings morals, comprehensive experience and management, maybe even a hint of gravitas to the club. Years ago there were unproven rumblings about Condoleeza Rice as a candidate to coach the Browns … however provided her background and love to football and distinct and extraordinary qualifications throughout the board, such a position in a city she understands so well would be an outright grand slam for Snyder.
By which time supply and demand at the QB position is practically definitely to be back with the gamers, with this strange 2020 offseason– when more proven passers were offered than there were needy teams– long in the past.
Few groups, if any, have actually put ladies in executive positions like this, which likewise make them in essence the face of the franchise in terms of messaging and branding and it is definitely a step in the ideal direction.
Regardless of the findings in the investigation that owner Dan Snyder has actually paid “outside” counsel to conduct, this team would be smart to spend even more time and resources discovering a group president to truly try to right the culture there. I d likewise be in close contact with former player Shawn Springs, a football lifer who lives in the area and played for the team and was a star in the college and pro ranks and who has actually made business and tech distinctions far and wide for the work of his company, Windpact. It might not be the finest time for him, however hes been a sponge around guys like Paul Allen and leaders of industry, he comprehends locker spaces and coaches spaces (grew up at the feet of Tom Landry with his daddy a stalwart on the Cowboys) and even helped raise the teams QB, Dwayne Haskins.
For 100 years this league has yet to have an African American group president. Somehow. Rice could be transformative in many ways. I have no idea if she would be interested, however I would tire all choices to discover. I d likewise be in close contact with previous gamer Shawn Springs, a football lifer who resides in the region and played for the group and was a star in the college and professional ranks and who has earned service and tech honors far and wide for the work of his company, Windpact. It might not be the finest time for him, however hes been a sponge around guys like Paul Allen and leaders of market, he understands locker rooms and coaches rooms (grew up at the feet of Tom Landry with his daddy a stalwart on the Cowboys) and even helped raise the teams QB, Dwayne Haskins.
Bottom line– if this franchise genuinely desires to alter course and find an ingenious steward, choices are plentiful. And change is plainly, badly, required again.
NFLPA negotiating.
The NFLPA has actually been very reliable in its practices and negotiating in recent days, both by means of social media and likewise behind the scenes. Sure, the NFL was always going to relent on playing no preseason video games, as I have been keeping in mind in this space for weeks, but the PA got it done earlier instead of later on. Daily screening was always the only thing that made sense, and that is a reality now, too, at least throughout the early weeks of camp.
And weve been informing you for quite some time that there was no chance in hell that 90-man lineups were going to hold … and theyre not. Its an excellent year to be a drafted novice, because a lots of them are going to make groups that have so long shot to weed through who belongs and who does not; theyll get the advantage of the doubt.
The huge key now is determining all of the monetary elements that still need to be solved. Given the recent tenor of discussions, things are headed in an excellent direction. Absolutely nothing is last till it is last, but I like the method things are trending.
He is primed to ending up being the rarest of entities in this countrys richest league: a premier QB, in his prime, able to work out with all 32 groups as an unlimited totally free agent. By which time supply and demand at the QB position is nearly certainly to be back with the gamers, with this unusual 2020 offseason– when more proven passers were available than there were needy teams– long in the past.
Trust me, Prescott adhering to his weapons, practically definitely getting tagged again by the Cowboys in 2021 (to the tune of $38M) and after that striking the street 12 months later is a much more frightening sight for owners and GMs than are the gross figures of the $477M Mahomes stands to earn– since it will take him a whole profession to make it which expense certainty deserves gold in this sport.
What would keep Steve Bisciotti up during the night isnt the specter of Lamar Jackson requesting every penny Mahomes got next January. It would be Jackson playing out his fourth season in 2021 and then waiting to see what Prescott gets on the free market. That will be shocking.
Im going to let you in on a filthy little trick. NFL teams would like nothing more than for the Patrick Mahomes contract to end up being a template for the next wave of mega-deals from the recently-negotiated cumulative bargaining agreement.
They wont get that lucky. It will look like Adrian Petersons final contract with the Vikings has actually come to look; a one-off that doesnt serve as much of a springboard for other offers.
Dont get me wrong– its a great deal of cash and security. Handing away 12 years of control to a group in any time is beyond severe– especially at the most critical position in all of professional sports– and doing it at this juncture (mid-pandemic, before the new TV and betting and other sponsorships kick back in and at a time without fans in the stands) has baffled numerous who negotiate agreements and some within the NFLPA ranks.
Mahomes is thrilled with the deal. The deal has been universally panned in the agent neighborhood among all I have actually spoken to, and, to let you in on another trick, the QB contract NFL front workplaces are fearing from this summertime isnt Mahomes, its Dak Prescotts.
Consider than Mahomes will earn $63M in the first three years of his deal, while Prescott will earn $70M in the next 2. And if Prescott decides to follow the Cousins path after successive franchise tags in 2022 (and we assume business of football will be growing as never before post-pandemic with a vaccine commonly offered) then what would Cousinss completely guaranteed, three-year, $86M deal relate to in those terms? With the cap back skyrocketing?.
Three years, $140M? More?
And what might that say for the worth of Jackson, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray or Joe Burrow (he could be looking for a new deal after the 2022 season) by then? Eventually, some player would follow Cousins lead. Prescott is now more than halfway house to doing so. And when he surpasses that second tag, taking any sort of long-term offer would be disadvantageous.
Especially at crucial positions where the Next Man Up mantra doesnt hold. Prescott appears to welcome that. Mahomes forgave it.
