Tag: 1981 Redskins Draft

Commanders 2024 NFL draft value growing larger

The higher Washington picks in the 2024 NFL draft, the more options that will be available, including trading down.

Week 14 was a gift to the Commanders… a very large gift.

In Week 14 the Patriots, Bears, Jets, Giants and Titans all won.

How much did this help the Commanders?

Well, for starters, they are now the only NFL team sitting with only 4 wins. The Bears, Jets, Giants and Titans all won their fifth game over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Patriots increased their win total from two to three.

Don’t overlook the Cardinals. Arizona was 1-8, then quarterback Kyler Murray returned.  Don’t misunderstand; Murray has not performed exceptionally. He’s completed 60% of his passes, and his TD/INT ratio is only 3:2.  Yet, he has been good enough that the Cardinals are 2-2 in his four games. They “could” finish better than the Commanders as well.

Most Commanders fans will think the major issue is the Commanders might pick third or fourth in next April’s NFL draft. Well, that’s true, they might. It is also true the value of their pick, if it is third or fourth could be very valuable.

For instance, if the new GM and head coach like Sam Howell enough, they may feel the wiser route to take in the 2024 draft could be to draft the best player available, like, say, Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu or Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

In addition, they might actually take the highest trade offer they receive for the pick, trade down and accumulate an extra draft choice or two.

I recall the 1981 draft, and Redskins general manager, Bobby Beathard, had the 9th pick and traded down all the way to 20th. He knew what he was doing, he chose Mark May, an offensive tackle, and May played 9 seasons and 123 games, starting 115 as part of “the Hogs.”

Also, in that 1981 draft, Beathard made two other trades, and in return, the Redskins had gained future Hall of Fame guard/center Russ Grimm, starting cornerback Vernon Dean and running back Joe Washington.

So, the higher the draft position, the higher the value the pick possesses. Being in the 3rd or 4th position also results in more draft capital to lure others to trade up with you.

It will also lure candidates to be your new head coach or general manager as well.

Remembering former Washington GM Bobby Beathard, 1937-2023

We remember Bobby Beathard. His legacy in Washington, like Joe Gibbs, is unmatched.

Bobby Beathard died at his home in Franklin, Tennessee, on January 30. He was 86.

Beathard worked for the Washington Redskins as general manager from 1978-88 and then the San Diego Chargers (1990-2000).

[Commanders Wire will focus on Beathard’s time as Washington GM]

George Allen had a winning record in all of his seven seasons (1971-77) as head coach and general manager. However, it came with a price. Beathard was hired as GM because Allen had traded away the future for the present (Allen’s present). In his exuberance to win now, he so often traded away too much for aging veterans.

Beathard took on a huge challenge as Washington did not even possess a draft choice in the first five rounds of the 1978 draft. The next draft was even worse, owning only three choices in the first ten rounds.

Yet, Beathard managed to scout well enough to select in the 1979 draft, Don Warren (4th rd), Rich Milot (7th rd) and Monte Coleman (11th rd).

In his third draft, he finally had a first-round choice (18th), and with it, he selected Art Monk who became a Hall-of-Fame wide receiver.

In 1981, Beathard hit it out of the park… several times!

First, he hired San Diego Chargers Offensive Coordinator Joe Jackson Gibbs to be the next head coach of the Redskins. He chose Gibbs, though Gibbs had not previously been a head coach at any level.

Secondly, his 1981 draft remains far and away the best in franchise history. He traded down from No.9 overall to No. 20 and selected Mark May. He traded a round-two choice to Baltimore for running back Joe Washington. He selected future HOF guard Russ Grimm in round three. Dexter Manley was his selection in round five. In round eight, he grabbed Charlie Brown, and in round nine, he seized on Darryl Grant. Concluding his draft, he took Clint Didier in round 12.  What a draft!

If that wasn’t enough, following the draft, he then signed an undrafted free-agent offensive lineman, Joe Jacoby.

After 1981, Beathard most often would trade away first-round choices for proven veterans while building the depth of his roster with players from the lower rounds and undrafted free agents.

Trading away some choices brought him veterans such as George Rogers, Terry Orr, Raleigh McKenzie, Wilber Marshall and Gerald Riggs.

With choices he kept, he drafted Darrell Green, Vernon Dean, Charles Mann, Kelvin Bryant, Jay Schroeder, Barry Wilburn, Dean Hamel, Markus Koch,  Alvin Walton, Mark Rypien, Kurt Gouveia, Brian Davis, Ed Simmons, Timmy Smith, Chip Lohmiller and Stan Humphries.

When the USFL folded, and there was a supplemental draft, Beathard selected Tony Zendajas, Gary Clark and Clarence Verdin. Beathard then sent a third-round pick to the Patriots for Ricky Sanders.

Two other notable trades were when he sent flashy running back/returner Mike Oliphant to the Cleveland Browns for steady, hard-working Earnest Byner and when he traded Jay Schroeder to the Raiders for Jim Lachey.

Finally, Beathard remarkably signed many undrafted free agents and players cut who had not been successful with another team, who actually contributed to the Redskins success in winning two Super Bowls and three NFC championships during Beathard’s tenure as Washington GM.

Such notable signings were:

Virgil Seay, Mel Kaufman, Neal Olkewicz, Nick Giaquinto, Greg Williams, Jeff Hayes, Pete Cronin, Alvin Garrett, Mike Nelms, Otis Wonsley, Todd Bowles.

Bobby Beathard’s hard work certainly brought Washington coaches, players and fans much enjoyment.

RIP, Bobby Beathard.

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