Talking Redskins and the top pick in 2012 with Hogs Haven

Reading over 2012 NFL mock drafts of late, its becoming more commonplace to see the Washington Redskins getting the first overall pick and Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck being the choice.

With free agency yet to happen, this is all very unpredictable. Still, I wanted to get the opinion on this and other Redskins issues from Hogs Haven site manager Kevin Ewoldt. After the jump, check out my poorly worded questions and his wonderful answers.

Dan Kadar: In general, both as a fan of the team and as a blogger, what are your thoughts of the perception of the Redskins being the worst team in the NFL? Obviously it's all very premature, and will remain so even weeks into the season, but the thought is out there and spreading.

Kevin Ewoldt: It's a very hard perception to hear regularly since the Redskins were arguably one of the best teams in NFL history 87-91. As for now, we all know fixing the mess that Snyder, Zorn, and Cerrato made will take 2-3 years at minimum. Joe Gibbs made the playoffs his second year after the Spurrier debacle, and that era required a roster overhaul. As fans, we have to take it stride because we know we have been a mess but adding 12 solid prospects this past draft will hopefully do wonders. The Redskins will be adding at least three solid players in free agency as well. My predictions: Ryan Harris, Johnathan Joseph, and Davin Joseph.  

Dan Kadar: The overriding notion is that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will be the first pick of the draft. Are Redskins fans clamoring for major change at quarterback, and is there already excitement among the fan base about getting a potential franchise quarterback?

Kevin Ewoldt: Redskins fans know we have holes all over our roster, and of course we want a franchise QB, but we're still rebuilding. The Redskins did a good job fixing a lot of their holes with the draft, but the OL, QB, and CB positions are glaring. The Redskins obviously need a QB, but Rex Grossman knows this offense and can hit the ground running when this lockout is lifted (Bengals, Titans, Jags are screwed). The QB free agency pool is non-existent and we're content waiting for a high pick QB next year.   

Dan Kadar: If Luck, or any other quarterback ends up being the choice for Washington in 2012, is Mike Shanahan the appropriate coach considering he'll be 60?

Kevin Ewoldt: I find this to be a rather ludicrous question. Bill Belichick and Shanahan were born four months apart. Is Belichick too old? I almost prefer Shanahan to coach our QB prospect since he's personally coached Elway, Steve Young, and Jay Cutler (only 5 years ago). Did Shanahan fail some Alzheimer's test I don't know about? In addition, Kyle Shanahan and QB Coach Matt LaFleur will be doing the majority of the work. I think the setup is fine. (Anyone but Zorn).

Note: I poorly worded the previous question. The point I was inferring is that it may be challenging for Shanahan to sort of restart his offense at 60 with a rookie quarterback. In a follow-up correspondence, Kevin wisely noted that Tom Coughlin was nearly 60 when the Giants got Eli Manning.

Dan Kadar: If the Redskins do end up with the first pick (or even a top five pick), would you be more of a fan of trading back and adding picks like this year? Or would you prefer taking a chance on an early quarterback?

Kevin Ewoldt: The Redskins need a franchise quarterback. No argument there. I'd imagine after their scouting, like Cutler, they will want one guy only. I have a feeling they already know who that is since they passed on all the mediocre talent this year. Shanahan did not need a QB when he drafted up and traded for Cutler. Whatever Shanahan does, I'll be behind it. I really am baffled all these media experts blasted Shanny for not drafting a QB knowing they were all mediocre and him having no OTAs to work with him. Fill another hole.

Dan Kadar: Bold prediction - Will the Redskins have the worst record in the NFL this season? If not, who will?

Kevin Ewoldt: Definitely not. The NFC East is always competitive and the Redskins will win 5-6 games this year. Bills will be the worst. I can't see the Titans, Jags, Panthers, Bengals and Browns doing well either.

Thanks again to Kevin for answering my questions. For more on the Redskins, make sure to check out Hogs Haven. Heck, even if you don't like the Redskins, it's a good site to dig. Some funny stuff going down over there.