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Should Casserly go or stay? (warning: long)

eriadoc

Texan-American
I see a lot of conjecture regarding Casserly on this board and to be honest, I'm not sure where I stand. At face value, it looks as if Casserly has done a poor job, but there are a few things that keep popping up in my head.

Steve Foley -- A Casserly acquisition. He showed flashes here and there, but on balance, did nothing while he was here. I have heard that he wanted to remain in Houston, but the team did not want to re-sign him. So Casserly takes the blame for acquiring him and for letting him go. But the guy did nothing while he was here. So which was the wise decision? The fact that he went elsewhere and made the Pro Bowl pretty much tells me that this team was misusing him, thus putting Casserly in a poor position to make a fair assessment. I don't know the full story and I am probably missing parts, so fill me in.

Kenny Wright -- this was a guy that I was excited about, personally. After playing pretty solid nickel, he came in for an injured Aaron Glenn and made two picks in one game, one of which was a sweet over-the-shoulder catch. If only our WRs could do that ... but I digress. Anyway, this was a Casserly acquisition and a Casserly release. I understand the reason he was let go is the coaching staff felt better about Faggins. Wright is now filling in for the Jags and doing pretty well. I doubt he'll make the Pro Bowl anytime soon, but he can be a solid contributor. In the end, he was let go because the coaching staff felt like Faggins was a better option. Casserly's fault?

Marlon McCree -- acquired by Casserly in response to the gaping hole we had at FS named Matt Stevens. He came in, took the job after a few weeks, and played well for most of 2003. Then the team moved Coleman to FS and McCree was left in the cold. I specifically asked Capers on one of his SR610 shows why they wouldn't consider putting Coleman at CB for nickel situations and playing McCree at FS last year, and was told that the team felt that Faggins was a better option in those situations. McCree is now playing for the Panthers and doing pretty well. Again, he probably won't make the Pro Bowl anytime soon, but he's a solid contributor on a team that may very well go to the Super Bowl. Casserly's fault?

Jeff Posey -- this guy had a pretty good season for us, registering 8 sacks, I believe, and then went to the Bills. I don't know much of this story at all, so fill me in please.

Clark Haggins -- this LB evidently tried out for us, but was passed on, for whatever reason. Does anyone know whose decision it was to pass on him? Or why he was not signed? He's done very well in Pittsburgh.

Babin -- a Casserly acquisition, had a pretty decent rookie year while transitioning to LB. From comments elsewhere by Casserly, players that are switching positions from college are completely signed off on by the coaching staff. Babin has not performed this season, but we don't know how much is due to the shoulder injury and how much is due to performance issues. There's clearly potential here, but it hasn't panned out yet. How much of this decision falls on Casserly? The draft picks given up were a steep price, but if Babin turns out to be the player that Capers claimed he can be at the time, then it's worth it. Why is Babin not living up to that hype?

Buchanon -- I don't know the whole story on this, but we gave up a fair bit to get him. His tackling has put him square in the sights of Texans fans, but my personal opinion is that his coverage skills are limited by the lack of pass rush and our scheme. That's just a feeling, however. Clearly, he would have to be a solid #2 CB on this team for years to come in order to justify the picks given up for him. How much of his performance issues are on him versus playing in this scheme, however? And how much of the original decision was Capers versus Casserly? (I lean Casserly)

Seth Wand -- drafted by Casserly, presumably at the behest of Capers, after coaching him in the Sr. Bowl. His rookie year metrics were comparable to Pitts' metrics in his rookie season, yet he's received nowhere close to the vote of confidence that Pitts has gotten. Why? If Pendry is the one keeping him inactive, that's Capers' guy. If Capers is the one keeping him inactive, well ... Capers is the one who wanted him drafted and was supposed to develop him, no? This has gone down as a wasted 3rd round pick by Casserly, but I see way more fault on the coaches for this than I do with Casserly.

There are more, but I deliberately left out Carr and Boselli. For the purposes of keeping this thread focused, please leave those two topics out of it. They've been beaten to death and we can all agree to disagree for this thread on those two acquisitions.

I see a lot of talk about Casserly needing to just make solid, non-flashy picks, but some of the ones I mentioned above fit that bill perfectly. I am trying to weed through how much Casserly has failed at his job and how much this coaching staff has ruined player production, thus making it impossible to fairly evaluate the GM position. I understand the position that they both should go because they share responsibility, and that's fine, but for purposes of this discussion, I am almost making the assertion that this coaching staff is primarily responsible for the current problems. Discuss, keep it clean, and thanks in advance for the opinions and info :)
 
goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
go go go go go
like a farting overweight stripper at a bachelor party..............................
he should GO!!!!!
 
IMO he needs to go. Reasons?

(1) Decision to pass on Jason Witten (the number one TE on almost everyones board) to take Bennie Joppru (and no, not because BJ has been hurt constantly but because there was no reason to pass on Witten to get him)

(2) Giving a "2" for Hollings (a back with not much track record and recovering from a serious knee injury...again poor judgement and way too much risk for a GM to take who needs to fill in obvious holes elsewhere and when the team had DD and JW at the time.

(3) Burning a "3" on another QB (Ragone) when...same comments as above

(4) Passing on Derrick Johnson, Marcus Spears etc... to take Travis Johnson last year

And the number one reason he needs to go...

(5) He did not fire Capers, Fangio, Pendry and Palmer at the end of last season.
 
I think Casserly needs to go. It's not personal but it just may be time for a new regime. I'd like to see Ron Wolf or Jimmy J consult after the season and then bring in a Kubiak. Martz would be acceptable as an OC.

Casserly just seems like he's in love with the reach picks. It's probably best if he goes too. If he stays, that's a vote of confidence which I do not think he deserves - especially after saying -

"This is just a bump in the road" and...
"An elite team would not have survived this schedule"
 
Nice post. My $0.02

Foley, Wright, McCree - seems to me these were players whose abilities were unrecognized by the coaching staff, misused by the staff, or else they were passed over by someone in higher favor who may not turn out as good. You see the names Faggins in the Wright and McCree summaries.

Babin - I don't really know. I think he may be as held back by scheme and coaching as much as by talent level. Flip a coin here.

Wand - Simple to explain, IMO. Pitts was given a chance to learn and grow into the league, Wand was not. The difference? Coach Pendry. He was here for Wand's first year of full-time play and not for Pitts' first 2 years. In fact, Pitts received a lot of grief from Pendry last year. Pendry seems to like veterans on the line (i.e. Riley over Wand in camp and to open the season). The only "qualification" Riley had over Wand was experience. His on field play did not come close - check Wand's play his first year as starter vs. Riley's 10th year or whatever, even if it was a new position. This falls directly on Pendry, and then Capers because Capers let's his coordinators have control over who plays and who doesn't. Giving the coordinators the control of their units is OK, but they have the responsibility to perform. If they do not, it is the head coach's responsibility to retake control.

Ragone - I'll throw Ragone in here. I don't know why he was drafted. The Texans made Carr their franchise player and were dedicated to starting him from day one. A journeyman free agent back-up QB would have been a much better choice; it would have allowed the Texans to use Ragone's draft pick to more effect. Probably Casserly's fault.
 
Casserly should leave not because he has done a bad job, he's actually had good reason to draft how he has. I just think that we can do much better and get a J.Johnson.

-02) Carr, good way to start a franchise
-03) AJ, great way to surround your guy with talent
-04a) Dunta, special kid and has the biggest heart on the team.
-04b) Babin, need a pass rusher and someone to fit the 3-4, great solid rookie year, I have a feeling he will be a Vrabel, Bruschi type in years to come.
-05) TJ, have to bring in a developement guy to replace an aging line and was a good pass rusher in college. Also traded up and got an extra pick. Other good D-lineman have gone much earlier.

overall good justification to picking. I can't say nothing about the way the rest of our first day draft picks or the lack of them. second day draft picks start out strong, though.
 
What is scary is that Casserly's best year at the helm as GM without Joe Gibbs was his last in 1999 at 10-6.

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/history/WAS

I am of the ilk more than ever that we get rid of this fraud of a GM. I am sure he is an upstanding man, but professionally speaking the historicals bear out mediocrity, at best, when he is in a leadership role.

The Cass GM reign in Washngton was 89-99. Gibbs left after the 92 season.
 
When you are building a franchise you need draft picks. That's why the NFL is generous and gives you additional picks for your first 2 years. Casserly has been way too quick to give up precious picks for players who have to be "retaught" how to play. We don't have a single 3rd round selection starting for us and only one 2nd rounder. If you consider that Babin is made to ride the pine so much, you may even say two of our 1st rounders don't start. This much missing on picks on your first day just can't happen with a new franchise. An expansion franchise can not go for as many reaches as this team has. Casserly must go.
 
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