He's All Ours. Super.....

So the NFL trade deadline came and went this week.

Albert Haynesworth is still a Redskin.

This despite a reported offer of a 4th round pick from the Titans. Reportedly, the Redskins were insisting on at least a 2nd rounder.

(SO WE CAN DRAFT ANOTHER DEVIN THOMAS WITH IT! Ba-DOOM-BOOM!)

Good thing Generalissimo Shanahan doesn't hold a grudge or anything, right? Because this makes a ton of sense.

Let's keep the guy around, so he can be a marginal, part-time, "nickel nose tackle."

And this is before the guy even gets hurt, or decides to cause a major distraction. Remember, he's been a NON-factor so far this year, and that was when he was TRYING to play well enough to be showcased for a trade.

There is no sensible end game with this guy. The offers for him this off-season are very unlikely to be anything more than a 4th rounder. His salary for next year - assuming there IS a next year - is $5.3 million. The Skins caught a break when Albert's mini-camp holdout voided the guaranteed part of that $5.3.

So, lets start with this simple conclusion: He won't be a Redskin next year. Period. Not at that price.

So who then will step up with even a 4th rounder? Other teams aren't stupid. They know Al will be a free agent again.

So just wait, if you want to get in biz with the fat guy.

Which is what has made Shanahan's handling of him all the more infuriating. I said cut him back in April. He's not that good, and the money is spent. Move on. Have a nice, clean, season. Good vibes.

But no, Generalissimo Shanahan decided to drag Albert all the way through the spring and summer, playing a game of "harass and hold." And I bit my tongue because I said I needed to give Shanahan a bit of a honeymoon. I said I needed to trust that they had an exit strategy, or at least would end this nonsense come the trading deadline.

But no, I was wrong.

This apparently was just a grudge match. A "I'll show you who's boss" contest.

Shanny won. Great.

How this makes us a better football team, I have no idea.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another good opinion on this comes from emailer Chris Weatherly.

Perception (Skins fan) vs. Reality (Ravens fan) regarding Albert H.

The perception, and it’s accurate and valid, is that the Skins are a dysfunctional NFL franchise that will over pay players, then allow those over-paid players to do whatever they wish once in the garnet and gold.

Regardless of any benefit Haynesworth provides, the longer he stays on the team, the more this perception is supported and becomes reality.

NFL coaches who build Super Bowl winning franchises from nothing (Belichick, Parcells, Johnson), the first thing they do is get rid of any distraction (meaning and player not on board, regardless of talent, regardless of pay, regardless of reputation).

Emotionally invested Redskins fans, of which I am becoming, are not able to logically kick this fat lard to the curb.

The longer Albert stays, the more likely it is that Snyder is still calling the shots.

LAST ADD: The real mystery is, how much did Snyder lean on Shanny to not "give in" to Haynesworth? We'll never know for sure. My hunch is that Shanny and Snyder BOTH relished the chance to hold a grudge. So there wasn't much "selling" needed.