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Scot McCloughan

East Rumors: McCloughan, Giants, Rowe

October 22nd, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

Former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan filed a grievance against Washington for the balance of his contract, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and in-house litigation is moving forward. The Redskins refused to pay McCloughan after firing him, alleging that they had cause for doing so (which is believed to be McCloughan’s struggles with alcoholism). McCloughan’s contract requires him to file a grievance with the league rather than file suit in an independent court, which is standard among contracts for front-office employees and coaches, who are not represented by a union.

Now let’s take a look at more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • James Kratch of NJ.com believes Giants O-lineman Justin Pugh will be looking for $11MM annually when he hits free agency after the season, with around $30MM guaranteed. Kratch adds that Big Blue will be interested in re-signing Orleans Darkwa, who is also a free agent at the end of the year, though the club will not break the bank for him.
  • Giants head coach Ben McAdoo might have ceded play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, but as Howie Kussoy of the New York Post rights, McAdoo retains “veto power” if he does not approve of a play that Sullivan calls.
  • Eagles CB Ronald Darby practiced this past week for the first time since the ugly ankle injury that he sustained in Week 1, and while his absence as not hurt Philadelphia yet, the team needs him back on the field. As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes, there is no exact timetable for Darby’s return to game action, but it should only be a matter of time at this point (though he is not expected to play tomorrow night against Washington).
  • Patriots CB Eric Rowe is set to miss tonight’s game against Atlanta with a groin injury, meaning he will have played less than 21.6 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com points out, If Rowe plays in more than 50 percent of New England’s defensive snaps this season, the team will send a 2018 third-round draft choice to the Eagles to complete the trade that sent Rowe to the Pats. However, if he plays in fewer than 50 percent of the snaps, New England will send a fourth-rounder to Philadelphia, so it is looking increasingly likely that it will be a fourth-round pick heading the Eagles’ way in 2018.

Latest On Kirk Cousins

July 14th, 2017 at 7:52pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Redskins bigwigs are at loggerheads over franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ long-term value, which isn’t anything new. Entering the 2015 season, Cousins’ first as a starter, now-former Washington general manager Scot McCloughan wanted to sign the then-unproven passer to a contract extension worth around $12MM per year. However, the GM’s bosses in the front office declined, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Then, after Cousins broke out that season, the signal-caller’s price rose to $20MM per annum – a figure with which McCloughan was “uncomfortable” (Twitter links).

Plenty more on Cousins as the Monday deadline for the Redskins to ink him to a multiyear deal approaches:

  • The Associated Press profiles Redskins senior vice president of football operations/general counsel Eric Schaffer, a key figure in their contract talks with Cousins. A former assistant of famed agent Tom Condon, Schaffer has worked his way up the Washington pecking order since his hiring 15 years ago and has earned the trust of those above him in the team’s front office. That includes senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams, who told the AP: “Nobody takes notes like Eric Schaffer. I bet he can tell you the first word I said four years ago. That’s who Eric Schaffer is. That’s how important he is.” Schaffer has also gained the respect of Cousins, who noted: “This isn’t his first rodeo. I have a lot of faith in him not only in handling my situation, but when my situation is handled, handling everybody else’s. I have faith in that. But make no mistake: There are titles ahead of him.” Those “titles” belong to owner Dan Snyder, president Bruce Allen and Williams, all of whom are above Schaffer in the team’s hierarchy.
  • Placing the franchise tag on Cousins again for a third straight year in 2018 would cost the Redskins over $34MM, making it an unlikely option. At around $28MM, the transition tag seems like a more realistic path, and JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic observes that the Redskins would have more than enough room to fit that under their cap (though rollover amounts could pose a problem). Of course, making Cousins a transition player wouldn’t entitle the team to any compensation if he were to sign elsewhere. The Redskins would have the right to match a Cousins offer from another club, though.
  • The 49ers’ future under center could hinge on whether the Redskins are able to lock up Cousins, opines Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The Niners entered the current offseason lacking under center, yet they just made modest free agent acquisitions (Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley) and only used a third-rounder on the position in the draft, taking C.J. Beathard. Without an obvious long-term answer at QB, the 49ers figure to chase Cousins in 2018 if he hits free agency, especially considering they have a Cousins fan in head coach/ex-Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and will possess a boatload of cap space next winter.

Latest On Ex-Redskins GM Scot McCloughan

May 10th, 2017 at 5:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan is working on a severance package with the club, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. McCloughan, who was fired on the first day of the free agent period, had two years left on his contract. Meanwhile, NFL executives believe McCloughan will soon be hired by another team, either in an advisory capacity or another personnel position. Presumably, McCloughan won’t be able to take another job until his severance is finalized.Scot McCloughan

Even given his ouster in Washington, most around the NFL would agree McCloughan is an excellent talent evaluator. Prior to his stint with the Redskins, McCloughan was the driving force behind the 49ers’ run of success in the early 2010s, and also helped build the Seahawks’ core during his tenure in Seattle.

McCloughan has exhibited openness and honesty about his struggles with alcohol, and reports vary as to whether his alcohol abuse contributed to his exit from Washington. Mike Jones of the Washington Post was told team management would one day use McCloughan’s drinking as an excuse to fire him. Redskins president Bruce Allen reportedly told McCloughan “nobody wants you here” earlier this year, just one documented instance of strain in what was apparently a disastrous relationship.

At present, McCloughan is operating his personal scouting service (as he did before landing the Redskins GM job). McCloughan advised teams during the draft, but didn’t divulge Washington’s scouting insights, only his own, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com writes.

Bruce Allen To Scot McCloughan: “Nobody Wants You Here”

March 30th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Redskins president Bruce Allen spoke highly of fired general manager Scot McCloughan over the weekend, but it appears their relationship was disastrous behind the scenes. McCloughan relayed details of his two-plus-year tenure in Washington to his friend, former NFL fullback Michael Robinson, who passed along that information to FOX Sports 910 in Richmond, Va., on Thursday (via Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch).

Bruce Allen / Scot McCloughan (Featured)[RELATED: Redskins Offering Cousins 5-Year Extension]

While Allen claims he and McCloughan “had a wonderful relationship,” that wasn’t the case, according to the latter.

“(McCloughan) knew the players loved him, and he started feeling the hate from Bruce Allen right around, well, he’s been feeling it, but when they didn’t let him speak (to reporters) at the Senior Bowl, he said to him that was his last straw, and he knew that he was on his way out,” Robinson stated. “He said it was after a draft meeting, after the combine, Bruce called him up to his office and was just like, ‘Nobody likes you in this building. Nobody wants you here.’ And Scot was like, ‘Well, I guess I’m out of here.'”

After Allen hit McCloughan with the aforementioned gag order during the Senior Bowl, the GM wasn’t present at the scouting combine. The Redskins attributed McCloughan’s absence to the death of his grandmother, but speculation abounded regarding his status with the organization. And when the Redskins fired him shortly after, on March 9, a team official told the Washington Post that McCloughan, who has a history of alcohol abuse, “had multiple relapses” and “showed up in the locker room drunk on multiple occasions.” McCloughan says otherwise.

“He said, ‘Mike, I don’t have an issue right now drinking,'” Robinson revealed. “‘I haven’t touched a drink in a while. But of course they wouldn’t let me say it because they silenced me.'”

It’s possible McCloughan’s next move will be to take legal action against the Redskins, though the two sides could be working on a settlement to avoid litigation, contends Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. And whether McCloughan will land another job in the league is unknown, but it doesn’t seem a return to Seattle, where he worked from 2010-13, is going to happen.

Scot McCloughan Unlikely To Rejoin Seattle

March 28th, 2017 at 3:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has been in touch with the Seahawks GM John Schneider, but there are “no plans at this time” for McCloughan to rejoin the Seattle front office, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. McCloughan worked for the Seahawks from 2010-13 as a senior personnel executive.Scot McCloughan

McCloughan, notably, was fired as Washington’s general manager on the first day of free agency earlier this month. Although McCloughan has a history of alcohol abuse, reports vary as to whether that problem reared its head during his run with the Redskins. Mike Jones of the Washington Post was told team management would one day use McCloughan’s drinking as an excuse to fire him. Yesterday, Redskins president Bruce Allen pushed back against reports that McCloughan’s ouster was motivated by jealousy.

Despite any off-field concerns, most around the NFL would agree McCloughan is an excellent talent evaluator. Prior to his stint with the Redskins, McCloughan was the driving force behind the 49ers’ run of success in the early 2010s, and also helped build the Seahawks’ core during his tenure in Seattle. Per Kapadia, McCloughan is currently exploring other opportunities, although it’s unclear if those jobs are in the NFL.

Redskins Prez Bruce Allen On McCloughan

March 27th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

With one month to go until the NFL Draft, the Redskins are without a general manager and they will wait until after the draft’s conclusion to fill the vacancy. After a drama-filled offseason which saw Scot McCloughan ousted for alleged issues with alcohol, team president Bruce Allen spoke publicly for the very first time this week when he sat down with Liz Clarke of The Washington Post. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from their chat:

On firing McCloughan:

I thought it was the right thing to do for where we were at the time. We wanted to give clarity to our free agents and to our staff of where we were going. For Scot, it was good timing because it allows him to be hired by anyone right now before this draft…I enjoyed working with [Scot’s father and brother] and the success we had in Oakland. Obviously that’s what I envisioned when I brought Scot to the Redskins. So, yes, I’m disappointed it didn’t work out. I hope it works out for him in the future. My responsibility is to the Redskins and the organization and the scouts and the players on this team.

[RELATED: Redskins Sign WR Brian Quick]

On reports that McCloughan’s dismissal was driven by the jealousy of Allen and others in the organization:

Scot and I had a wonderful relationship. I do like him as a person. And I wanted him to do great. And it just didn’t work out.

On Daniel Snyder’s decision to give an extension to coach Jay Gruden:

[Gruden] has established himself as a good leader for our team. Our players have responded well to him. His honesty and his directness and his sense of humor have taken us through some speed bumps in the season. His ability to creatively come up with new ways to attack a defense is something that we’re very fortunate to have.

Redskins Fire GM Scot McCloughan

March 9th, 2017 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are firing GM Scout McCloughan after two seasons at the helm, according to The Washington Post. McCloughan is being let go due to his ongoing issues with alcohol, one official says. Scot McCloughan (vertical)

“He’s had multiple relapses due to alcohol,” said the official. “He showed up in the locker room drunk on multiple occasions. . . . This has been a disaster for 18 months.”

The same official intimated that McCloughan also lost his two previous NFL jobs due to alcohol abuse. The exec did not “make the best of his third chance” in the league, in the anonymous source’s estimation.

Meanwhile, there were rumblings late in the season that some in the Washington front office were jealous of McCloughan’s power, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Ultimately, he was told, team management would one day use McCloughan’s drinking as an excuse to fire him. McCloughan’s players, scouting staff, and even coaches all respected and appreciated him, Jones tweets.

“The Washington Redskins have released Scot McCloughan from the organization effective immediately,”Redskins president Bruce Allen said in a statement. “We wish him success in his future endeavors. The team will have no further comment on his departure. The organization remains confident in our personnel department as we execute our free agency plans as well as prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft.” .

This brings an end to a bizarre saga that has been playing out in D.C. for weeks now. McCloughan has been out of pocket during the most critical part of the offseason and things got really strange when he was not present at the Scouting Combine in late February. This week, as the madness of free agency swirled, agents found themselves negotiating with other officials in the team’s front office. Reportedly, the chaos in Washington made the representatives of free agents question the team’s stability. Quarterback Kirk Cousins may also feel the same way – he personally asked owner Dan Snyder to trade him.

The Redskins have been “entertaining” new general manager options for “quite some time,” according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. He mentioned Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik as a candidate whose name has surfaced in internal talks. La Canfora also suggested that the team could promote executive Alex Santos to the GM spot, but it’s not clear if that has been a consideration. The Redskins have never promoted an executive from within to fill the GM role.

Without their GM in the building, the Redskins made a number of notable moves this week. Here’s a quick rundown:

The Redskins also lost DeSean Jackson and Chris Baker to the Buccaneers, lost Pierre Garcon to the 49ers, and came up short in their efforts to sign Calais Campbell.

Redskins, McCloughan Likely To Part Ways

March 8th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by Zachary Links

It sure sounds like Scot McCloughan will be ousted in D.C. The Redskins have been “entertaining” new general manager options for “quite some time,” numerous league sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Apparently, the team has internally discussed names and La Canfora writes says they have “essentially have begun the process.” Unsurprisingly, then, a parting of ways is “inevitable” – perhaps in the form of a buyout – multiple sources tell Mike Jones of the Washington Post.Scot McCloughan (vertical)

If team president Bruce Allen looks for a successor to McCloughan, one name that has surfaced is former Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik, who has a history with Allen. La Canfora also suggests a possible promotion for executive Alex Santos, though the team has never promoted from within to fill the GM role, while Jones adds that ex-Redskins quarterback Doug Williams and former Chargers GM A.J. Smith are possibilities.

As for McCloughan himself, La Canfora hears the GM is not in rehab (he has dealt with alcohol-related issues) and has not been in rehab during his hiatus from the team. However, he has not stopped drinking since joining the Redskins in 2015, per Jones, who writes that McCloughan’s peers don’t believe that has negatively affected his work. McCloughan and Allen have been at loggerheads over several matters, details Jones, and it looks as if their inability to coexist will lead to a divorce.

Reportedly, the chaos in Washington is making the representatives of free agents question the team’s stability.

Latest On Redskins GM Scot McCloughan

March 7th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Ben Levine

The league’s “legal tampering” window opened earlier today, but Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan was not at Redskins Park, reports Liz Clarke and Mike Jones of The Washington Post. When asked for an explanation on McCloughan’s absence, vice president of communications Tony Wyllie said, “[w]e’re busy with free agency.” Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes that it’s uncertain when McCloughan will come back or whether he’ll return at all.

Scot McCloughanWe heard last week that the GM wasn’t at the Combine, and team sources said McCloughan was dealing with the death of his grandmother. However, agents were reportedly worried about the organization’s stability, perhaps implying that there may be another reason behind the executive’s absence. There were questions about who is currently “calling the shots,” although some agents acknowledged that they had been in recent contact with McCloughan. Previously, the general manager was not permitted to talk to the media at the Senior Bowl.

President Bruce Allen had previously said McCloughan would return once “things are handled,” and it was assumed that he could come back sometime this week. However, it’s certainly troubling that the Redskins general manager wasn’t even in the building during the first day free agents are allowed to formally talk to teams.

Scot McCloughan’s Status Affecting Redskins’ Free Agency?

March 4th, 2017 at 8:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Redskins are operating in Indianapolis without their general manager, with Scot McCloughan‘s absence from the Combine being attributed to the death of his grandmother. However, agents of free agents — ones representing Redskins UFAs and some who represent other teams’ recently expired contracts — are questioning the stability of the organization, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports.

Said agents and other league insiders wondered if there was more to McCloughan’s absence than the team is letting on, and some are taking this as a sign to steer their clients away from Washington. One agent likened the Redskins to being in “disarray” and was wondering who was calling the shots for the franchise presently. “I’m not exactly sure who’s in charge over there now,” an agent told Jones.

The uncertainty surrounding McCloughan’s standing within the organization will prompt two agents who represent big-name UFAs from other teams to advise those respective clients to avoid signing with the Redskins, Jones reports. However, multiple agents told ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter they’ve been in contact with McCloughan recently.

Prior to this absence, McCloughan was not permitted to talk to the media at the Senior Bowl. And Jones reported in February team president Bruce Allen was applying pressure to the third-year Washington GM to focus on repairing the team this offseason. Missing the Combine raises the degree of difficulty regarding that task. Allen, though, said this week that McCloughan could resume draft preparation next week.

Jones notes the Redskins are likely to focus on second-tier free agents who won’t be as selective as the marquee names, possibly minimizing this distraction. Regarding their own UFAs, multiple people familiar with the Redskins’ free agency plan indicated to Jones that both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson will price themselves out of D.C. Garcon could earn between $7-$10MM per year, Jones notes, while Jackson’s annual value may head toward $12MM. A Garcon return has league insiders split, with some saying he will test the market and others indicating the Redskins will swoop in early next week with an attempt to retain him. The team hasn’t met with Garcon yet, though.

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