Redskins GM Scot McCloughan's absence around team HQ and from the Scouting Combine has made it "clear that his departure from the team is inevitable," according to sources cited by Jones & Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST. Sources said that relations between McCloughan and Redskins President Bruce Allen have "soured to the point" that the GM's return is "now viewed as virtually impossible." The sources said that McCloughan has "grown increasingly frustrated by ongoing friction with Allen over personnel decisions and with the team's failure to come to his defense" when former NFLer Chris Cooley last month said that McCloughan's "drinking may explain his absence." Although the team has "yet to make an announcement about a divorce from McCloughan, players and staffers -- much to their dismay -- have received indications the franchise will be proceeding without the well-respected talent evaluator." The team is now "trying to figure how to sever ties." It is "known internally that Allen will continue to oversee free agent meetings and acquisitions and draft evaluations." Sources said that it is believed the Redskins and McCloughan are in the process of "working toward a buyout" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/9). ESPN.com's John Keim cited sources as saying that McCloughan is "no longer involved in the team's decision-making" (ESPN.com, 3/8). The Undefeated's Jason Reid said McCloughan was "upset, offended, hurt that there was not any public pushback from the team" following Cooley's comments. In fact, a source said that it was McCloughan who "decided he did not want to go to the combine." Reid: "He did not want to be there to represent the Redskins." This was "not a situation where he was told to stay away because he wasn't in condition to work" ("SportsCenter," ESPN2, 3/9).
NO TIME TO WASTE: ESPN's Louis Riddick said the Redskins "have to make it clear, both internally and externally, exactly who is in charge here." Free agency begins officially at 4:00pm ET today, and if teams "don't have a plan, agents are moving fast, agents are trying to strike deals quickly and if they don't know who to talk to or if they don’t believe you really have your house in order, they will take their business elsewhere.” ESPN’s Ed Werder: “We’ve seen no significant free agents show interest in joining the Redskins with the front office in clear disarray” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN2, 3/9).
DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION? ESPN's Ryan Clark, who played for the Redskins in '04 and '05, said Owner Daniel Snyder and Allen are "two huge fans" of the team, and sometimes they "make emotional decisions rather than great business decisions." He added, "It just speaks to the dysfunction of the organization and they've had these type of things, not this issue in particular, but they've had things that went on with this organization that make you scratch your head. ... If you're watching this from the outside looking in, this organization is imploding, this team is imploding and you have no idea what they're going to do next, but you feel like it's going to be negative” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 3/9). CBSSPORTS.com's Jason La Canfora wrote dysfunction around the Redskins "abounds," and the team's employees are "unsure of who really is in charge or what the future holds." La Canfora expects the Redskins to be "moving on from McCloughan shortly after" next month's NFL Draft. Sources said that the team's brass has been "entertaining new options" for a GM for "quite some time" (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/8).
