Washington Redskins Cut Adam Archuleta 2.0

Phew...that was quick. Adam Archuleta, err, Stuart Schweigert was cut yesterday afternoon by the Washington Redskins.

I saw this news come across the wire about 6:30 pm yesterday...and didn't think much of it until today. Then I realized how close the Redskins were to Archuleta Redux. No, not the huge contract, but the possibility of a malcontent.

You see, the Washington Redskins have put themselves in a bind in the past. They sign a guy to a huge contract, it doesn't work out, then the player gets unhappy. The only problem is that crazy huge contract makes it almost impossible to part ways the moment things go sour.

Not in this case. Stuart Schweigert was a decent safety in Oakland and he had a decent shot at making the Redskins roster even though the Skins drafted Kareem Moore and Chris Horton late in the 2008 draft. Enter Sunday...Chris Horton had a great game (for a rookie) and Schweigert didn't show up. If you factor in the practices the writing is on the wall. After two weeks of training camp Horton improved (and impressed) and Schweigert didn't. Two men enter, one man leave.

You see, the Redskins are learning. No huge bonuses being thrown around, no draft picks wasted, and most importantly no time wasted at another players expense. Another player as in, Moore and/or Horton. Those guys will only benefit from the departure of Schweigert. Go back to 2006, when Archuleta was on the Skins roster. That was also the year Pierson Prioleau blew out his knee and the year we drafted Reed Doughty. You can't help but imagine how much more Doughty would have learned/improved had Archuleta been released the moment the Skins realized he wouldn't fit in. Or, the long shots Antuan Edwards, Ben Emanuel, or Mike Rumph...maybe they "could have" had just that much more attention from coaches to make a difference.

Maybe Kareem Moore and Chris Horton make the team in 2008, maybe they don't. But, by the Redskins releasing Stuart Schweigert they will have a better chance not only making the team, but to learn more in the coming weeks. That's how you grow your team through the draft.

Hail.