SB Nation User Blog: matthiasstephan

Billy McMullen finds a new gig

matthiasstephan — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:33:34 -0000

This just in from ESPN's John Clayton.

Seems with all the problems in Seattle (Obomanu and Burleson both out for the season, and Engram and Branch still aching) they need someone to try to catch the football.

McMullen is their guy, beating out several candidates including Samie Parker.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3578575

The 6-4, 215-pound McMullen was cut by the Redskins on Aug. 30. He played three years with the Eagles and was with the Vikings in 2006. McMullen caught 23 passes with the Vikings in 2005 and 18 with the Eagles in 2005. McMullen didn't have a regular-season job in 2007.

Looks like his decent preseason with us payed off for him. I wish him all the best, and hope that our rookie WRs step up and don't make this look like another bad personell decision from the Redskins.

First news of cuts - ESPN

matthiasstephan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:23:15 -0000

I was kicking around the internet, checking the college scores (it sucks to be in Europe at this time of year, knowing there is football I can't watch), and came across this on an ESPN blog.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation

It mentions that Brooks gets the better of Frost in the punter battle. I don't think that is a surprise around here. Everyone (here at least) has been saying that this is a done deal since the draft. Why draft Brooks otherwise?? As I have seen written elsewhere, a good pre-season this year doesn't erase 3 mediocre seasons.

Other surprising news. Marcus Mason is also cut, according to the blog. I really thought we might keep him, and hope we can put him on the practice squad tomorrow. I am afraid he will get a look elsewhere based on the stellar preseason. (Then again, Rudi Johnson is apparently also available, maybe there will be more RB free agents so we can keep Mason. I hope so). I personally (with the things I have read and seen) though he did enough. Competition must be steep.

I am curious where we kept more players. Safety?? CB??

Do we still have JT Tryon, my adopted Redskin?? I hope so, despite the poor opinion of him over at Extremeskins and an apparently horrible performance against JAX.

Ok, your thoughts. Just thought I would throw this out there.

Cuts should be flying now.

Adopt-a-Redskin - Justin Tryon

matthiasstephan — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:39:46 -0000

There has been some mention of people feeling we still need to upgrade the CB position. Therefore, I believe it is my duty to hype my guy, Justin Tryon, not that he doesn't do that himself.

"I bring wisdom to the game," he said in a conference call. "I bring heart to the game. I was made for this. I was made to play football. I was made to be in this game."

The 5-9, 190-pound cornerback out of Arizona State later added: "I love to compete, so I am looking forward to guarding the T.O.'s and the Chad Johnson's. I'm looking forward to that." http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=35892

So, I looked around the internet and found some comparisons. Follow me across and I'll share them with you.

So, here they are.

These guys seem to be big on him.

http://azsportshub.com/2008/03/18/justin-tryon-draft-preview-from-draft-guys-tv/

I love the part of him never quitting on the play, using his speed to recover, and not getting beaten big. I can take the comparison to Ellis Hobbs (hopefully without the injuries), but I think a 5'9" corner reminds us around here of someone else, who was also a former track star and used his speed to recover and break up plays.

Here is some from his College Football Hall of Fame bio:

A track and football star, Darrell Green made great use of his exceptional speed. Green was able to cover receivers from the line of scrimmage, eliminating the short pass, confident that his speed would allow him to recover on deep patterns.

http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=90037

If Tryon is only half the player that Darrell Green is, I will certainly take that. In any case, it seems that Tryon is holding his own at camp in any case. Referring back to redskins.com,

As Tryon wrapped up mini-camp on May 4, he felt like he held his own covering Moss, Randel El, James Thrash, Anthony Mix and talented rookies Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.

"No one has beaten me deep yet, so I'm looking all right," he said.

http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=35892

I look forward to Tryon being our nickel back this season, and hopefully being the long searched for legacy of Darrell Green long term.

Good off season everyone, and Hail to the Redskins.