ASHBURN, Va. -- Daniel Snyder, tanned and cool in a dark pinstriped suit, does not look like a viper. He is the 35-year-old owner of the Washington Redskins after paying $800 million for the privilege last year. His reputation as a volatile, anal-retentive micro-manager continues to precede him.
So, how would Snyder describe his management style?
|  | | Deion Sanders, who signed for $56 million, hopes to show Daniel Snyder a title. |
"A lot more hands-off than people think," Snyder says with a straight face. "The impression is that I'm so hands-on. The reality is I'm a delegator. I'm a manager, and I'm not intricately involved. You're never going to see me sitting with Ray Rhodes looking at film. I wouldn't know what to look for."
Perhaps. But when the Redskins went 10-6 last year and won the NFC East, Snyder did his best imitation of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. This season, after spending millions during the offseason for a handful of marquee free agents, including defensive coordinator Rhodes, there is only one option.
"The No. 1 goal here is to win a championship," quarterback Jeff George says. "Anything short of a championship is definitely going to be a down year for us."
Adds cornerback Deion Sanders, "He wants to win yesterday. When you get up into the millions and millions, the billions are right around the corner, so you should want to win after you drop that kind of load."
Snyder, who built his communications firm into a commodity that recently sold for $2.1 billion, is very clear.
"Victory," he says. "Victory, that's all we want."
The Redskins gave Sanders, the former Falcon, Cowboy and 49er, a seven-year contract worth $56 million. Buffalo defensive end Bruce Smith got a five-year deal worth $25 million. George ($18.25 million), most recently of the Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit safety Mark Carrier ($15.9 million) were the other big-ticket free agents. Linebacker LaVar Arrington and offensive tackle Chris Samuels, the second and third picks in the draft, each received a $10 million signing bonus.
According to some calculations, Snyder is spending more than $100 million in real dollars for this 2000 team, which would make the Redskins the most expensive team in professional sports history. The Redskins accountants, however, say the number is closer to $77 million.
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Defense deficiency
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The Redskins finished last season ranked 30th in the NFL in total defense, allowing 356.6 yards per game. They were 27th against the run (123.3 yards per game) and 26th against the pass (233.3 yards per game). The only team to allow more total yards per game in 1999 was the expansion Cleveland Browns.
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However the numbers are sliced. Like the NFL's 30 other teams, the Redskins are bound by the $62.3 million salary cap. They have managed to slide under the gauntlet by back-loading salaries and spreading signing bonuses over three years. For instance, Sanders, George and Smith count for a total of $4 million against the cap this year, but in 2002 their total will be $18 million. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, who signed a monster deal two years ago, counts $3.57 million this year. His cap number soars to $8.35 million next season.
The Redskins are making the reasonable assumption that the cap will increase about $5 million in each of the next two years. Still, observers believe they have probably two seasons before cap constraints force them to start dismantling the present roster.
In 2003, for instance, can the Redskins afford Sanders, who will count $10 million against the cap, as well as Stubblefield ($9.21 million), Arrington ($8.21 million), Marco Coleman ($7.85 million), Samuels ($6.86) and George ($6.5 million)? That's a total of nearly $50 million tied up in six players.
Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' director of player personnel, insists the team will be competitive beyond the 2002 season.
"I think we've done a pretty good job layering it out," Cerrato says. "The only way we would get in trouble is if everybody retired in one year."
No one is feeling the pressure as much as coach Norv Turner. Is he gone, as some people suggest, if the Redskins don't win the Super Bowl?
"I've seen that, too," Snyder says. "I don't know where they get that stuff. Norv, absolutely, I want him to win the Super Bowl. On the other hand, if we don't win the Super Bowl, and we get close again, it will be a heartbreaker. But Norv is going to be here for a long time."
Curious, that Turner has looked so relaxed during training camp. Maybe it's because he nearly lost his job numerous times over the last several seasons. Maybe it's because after last season's playoff appearances, he is again marketable as a head coach.
"I'm not going to get caught up in that," Turner says. "There aren't many people who on a regular basis get asked what their relationship with their boss is, and it's going to be broadcast all over the country. I think we have a very good working relationship.
"We're going to do everything we can to be the best football team we can, and see what happens.
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If we don't win the Super Bowl and we get close again, it will be a heart-breaker, but Norv is going to be here for a long time. ” |
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— Daniel Snyder, Redskins owner |
While the Redskins created national headlines during the offseason, the preseason has done little to back up their rave reviews. The depth that Snyder and Turner have worked so hard to create already has been tested.
Early on, defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson was lost for two weeks with a knee sprain, and kicker Brett Conway has been ailing. Starting center Cory Raymer was lost for at least six weeks when he got trapped under a pile of bodies in practice after the second preseason game. He partially tore two knee ligaments and will miss at least four regular-season games.
That leaves the Redskins with a fragile offensive line for the Sept. 3 opener against Carolina. Samuels will start at left tackle and, with Pro Bowl guard Tre' Johnsonserving his one-game suspension for his part in a fight during last year's playoffs, there will be two other non-starters as well. Remember, the Panthers will be sending free agents Reggie White, Eric Swann and Chuck Smith after quarterback Brad Johnson.
And so, the pressure on the Redskins begins with the opening kickoff. They understand their time to achieve the owner's implicit goal is limited.
"I mean, so be it," Tre' Johnson says. "It's two, three good years, as opposed to none. I mean you're getting something, you know. We'll all die tomorrow, so you've got to live right now. We've got to make it happen right now."
Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
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