Happy Birthday Fred Smoot

21 turns 30

Please join me and the entire staff of The Curly R in wishing Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot a happy birthday, Fred turns 30 years old today.

Fred is a boomerang Redskin, he was drafted by Washington in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft and proclaimed himself the steal of the draft, promising big things, even taking recently departed Redskin Deion Sanders' number 21 jersey.

A native of Jackson Mississippi, Fred played at Provine High in Jackson, after graduating in 1998 went to Hinds Community College in Raymond Mississippi and played a year there before signing with Mississippi State in 1999.

With Fred in the lineup Mississippi State had the nation's top defense his first year on the team in 1999 as the Bulldogs went 10-2, Fred pulled in five interceptions and the team earned a berth in the New Year's Eve Cotton Bowl against Clemson, a game Mississippi State won 17-7 despite committing 21 penalties.

In 2000 the Bulldogs slipped to 8-4 and Fred, despite his great performance on the field with five interceptions in eleven games, was ruled academically ineligible and was not permitted to travel with the team to play in the Independence Bowl in always raining Shreveport Louisiana where the Texas A&M Aggies fell to Mississippi State in a barnburner 43-41. Fred had first round talent but scouts were trying to figure out if his head was in the game.

Declaring himself eligible for the 2001 draft, Fred was considered confident and unafraid to challenge the opposing team's top receiver. When draft day came many mocks and draft boards had Fred rated as the top cornerback in a draft deep in the position. Up came the Bills at number 21 in the first round but passed on Fred for Oklahoma State University corner Nate Clements, whom Buffalo preferred for both his size and his strength.

Buffalo's decision proved beneficial to the Redskins as Fred hung around until the fourteenth pick of the second round, a round that included Drew Brees, Alge Crumpler, Chad Johnson, Kris Jenkins, Aaron Schobel, Matt Light, LaMont Jordan, Chris Chambers, Travis Henry and Shaun Rogers.

Fresh with a four year contract in 2001, Fred cracked the starting lineup immediately in Washington, playing alongside Champ Bailey and with future Hall of Famer Darrell Green. Fred continued his productivity from college in 2001 with the Redskins, pulling down an interception and scooping up a fumble in his first NFL game and earning NFL Rookie of the Month honors in September on his way to a 30 tackle, five interception season.

Marty Schottenheimer was gone, making way for Steve Spurrier in 2002, defensively Champ Bailey and Fred Smoot were not worried about the offense, they had visions of going to the Pro Bowl together, in a live chat with the Washington Post in August 2002, Fred set his sights high for the Redskins: a Super Bowl for the team and a Pro Bowl for him. Although 2002 was a challenge for the team overall with a 7-9 record, the defense improved from 10th overall to 5th as Fred racked up 49 tackles and four interceptions.

Heading into the 2003 offseason rumors began flying that the Redskins were going to package up Fred and Washington's number thirteen overall pick and trade them to Detroit for the Lions number two overall pick, presumably so the Redskins could select a receiver for Steve Spurrier's offense, either Charles Rogers or Andre Johnson. The trade did not happen and despite being knocked unconscious in practice in September and suffering a fractured sternum in October, Fred still managed to start fourteen games, register 50 tackles and pull down four interceptions. Overall the Redskins defensive unit suffered an embarrassing and dismal season as the team went 5-11 and the defense fell from 5th to 25th overall.

In 2004 Joe Gibbs returned to the Redskins and traded cornerback Champ Bailey to the Broncos for tailback Clinton Portis, Shawn Springs and Walt Harris were brought in to shore up the position and compete with incumbent Fred. As the 2004 season approached the pressure was mounting what with coach Joe back in town and Fred was not afraid to predict great things for himself and for the Redskins. Although the 2004 Redskins finished 6-10, Fred finished with 63 tackles and three interceptions as the Redskins and new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams climbed from 25th overall to third overall in defense.

For the 2005 offseason, the Redskins had quite a dilemma: twenty free agents, including Fred Smoot. From the very first of the year Fred had a gut feeling he would not be back with Washington, that feeling became a self fulfilling prophesy when Fred and the team could not agree on a contract, the principle sticking point being the size of the signing bonus, Joe Gibbs and the team were not preprared to offer the player more than eleven million dollars up front (op. cit.), Fred had requested a fourteen million dollar bonus, and the franchise tag number, the average of the top five salaries at the position, came in higher than expected at 8.8 million dollars for cornerback, causing the team not to apply the tag to Fred. The first day of free agency saw the team standing firm on its now ten million dollar bonus offer and Fred shopping for another deal. That deal came four days later, from the Vikings in the form of a six year 34 million dollar contract with an eleven million dollar signing bonus, the same eleven million dollars by the way that Joe Gibbs had said he was willing to give Fred. Between losing Fred along with linebacker Antonio Pierce and trading away receiver Laveranues Coles, it looked like the Redskins were flailing at personnel management.

Fred had two years in Minnesota, seasons I imagine personally and professionally Fred wishes he could have back. Over 2005 and 2006 Fred endured a number of challenges, his relationship with the Vikings soured and the team cut him the night before the start of 2007 free agency.

Forty-eight hours later Fred was back in Washington, along with London Fletcher the Redskins other top free agent target for the 2007 season, Fred came back to Washington for five years and twenty-five million dollars, Joe Gibbs brought back the player he let go two years earlier over money.

The 2007 season saw Fred join Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers, the player Washington drafted after losing Fred, in the defensive backfield. Fred started eleven games and made 44 tackles as Washington rotated cornerbacks and finished 9-7 on the way to a playoff berth. With Fred back on the team Washington's defense improved from a dismal number 31 overall to a familiar spot in the top ten, number eight overall.

That rotation of Shawn, Fred and Carlos stayed in place for the 2008 season and saw Fred start eight games, make 43 tackles and grab one interception as the team started strong and ended weakly to finish 8-8. The defense though cannot be blamed for that record as the unit overall improved from number eight overall to number four overall.

Going into the 2009 season Shawn Springs is gone, Carlos Rogers is in his contract year and the Redskins signed cornerback DeAngelo Hall to a long term deal. No doubt Washington even in the best situation Washington will continue to rotate cornerbacks and Fred will be an important role player, with these three players the Redskins are loaded at cornerback.

Happy birthday Fred!



Fred Smoot from the Redskins 2008 training camp: AP photo from here.