The Redskins "have finalized" a four-year deal that "will bring well-respected talent evaluator Scot McCloughan aboard" as GM, according Jones & Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. The move "signals a front-office restructure that strips Bruce Allen of top talent-evaluation duties and gives them to McCloughan." Allen "will remain team president" after receiving that promotion last offseason (WASHINGTON POST, 1/8). In DC, Liz Clarke writes the hiring of McCloughan, who "has been hailed as a football savant for his success in divining professional potential among college prospects, will bring to the job a level of professionalism and expertise in the front office" that the Redskins have "lacked the past 15 years, nearly the full tenure of Daniel Snyder’s ownership." McCloughan "joins the Redskins’ front office after spending the past nine months running a scouting service based in his remote Washington state home." The Redskins were among the NFL teams that "paid him a reported $75,000 to evaluate players they were considering signing" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/8). Also in DC, Deron Snyder writes for the "first time in a long time," the Redskins are "receiving near-universal praise for a football decision." The club "swung and connected on what looks like a home run," as finding a more "respected candidate would be difficult" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/8).
ROONEY RULING: In DC, Mark Maske reports the Fritz Pollard Alliance yesterday "sent a complaint" to the NFL "about the manner" in which the Redskins conducted their GM search. FPA Chair John Wooten said that the Redskins "did not notify the league as required" before they interviewed Jets Football Administration Senior Dir Rod Graves this week. Wooten: "We feel this was not a mistake. We feel this was intentional." But the league said that it "did not consider the Redskins’ actions a violation of the sport’s tampering rules, as the Fritz Pollard Alliance alleged, but it would remind all teams to follow proper procedures" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 1/7). The NFL said that the Redskins "did not violate the rule because they had obtained permission from the Jets before speaking with Graves" (ESPN.com, 1/7).
