While the Redskins would like to lock up all the players they want around for the future, Scot McCloughan also understands the importance and impact of one-year deals.
While Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan ultimately wants to sign all of the players he wants around to long-term deals, he understands that some of the shorter deals, especially of the one-year variety, create competition across the team.
Take this year's free agency in which veteran tight end Vernon Davis and linebacker Junior Galette were both signed to reported one-year deals.
"I'd much rather have players that are identified as good football players… locked on a long-term deal because you know you have them locked in," McCloughan said last month at the annual NFL Owners Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. "But the one-year deals, it's not so much us wanting them, it's also the agent and the player wanting them to know they can prove themselves and hope to get a big contract on the next one."
That is likely the case for someone like Galette, who is recovering from a season-ending Achilles tear suffered last August.
Galette was a double-digit sack producer in his previous two healthy seasons, but following lengthy injury recovery and the with Redskins' first right of refusal on any potential offers this offseason, the linebacker returned to Washington for the 2016 season.
"It's a two-way street," McCloughan said. "You know, we can't just sit there and say, 'OK, no matter what it's going to be a four-year deal or nothing.' No, the agent comes back, he talks to the player, we identify what we need to identify. Coming off an Achilles injury, which is tough, we had to make sure, my standpoint is we have to take care of the organization. I want good football players and Junior's a good football player and we'll see going forward, you've got to produce in the NFL to get long term deals."
Not every player on the Redskins is under a one-year deal, as Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Williams and even Tress Way are locked into lengthy deals, but for those who are, they'll provide a little extra pressure knowing that their production this season could result in more stability down the road.
Will Blackmon, for example, took his opportunity last season and turned it into a multi-year deal with the Redskins.
"I always like to have long-term deals with guys that we respect as football players are going to be Redskins, but these things happen," McCloughan said when asked about one-year deals. "Like last year, Terrance Knighton, this thing happened where it was a one-year deal and from their standpoint, they'd rather have long-term deals, too, because they get more guaranteed money, but all of a sudden they say, 'Listen, I'll take less in the one year so I can prove myself and get a four- or five-year deal or a three-year deal the next year and get more guaranteed."
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