Washington's transformed offense

The start of this week gave off the initial look of a disappointing free-agent period for the Washington Redskins. League-imposed penalties due to perceived salary-cap violations cost them a whopping $36 million in cap space to be spread out over the next two seasons. But people probably didn't realize how much space that still left the Redskins, who were extremely aggressive. By the end of Day 1 of free agency, they had signed two quality veteran receivers.

Who are they, and how much will they shift the Redskins' offense and the way it's run?

Pierre Garcon ($42.5 million for five years) is the biggest catch. The former Indianapolis Colt posted good numbers in 2011 -- 70 catches for 947 yards and six touchdowns -- despite lacking anything resembling a dependable quarterback. The Colts wanted and needed to keep Garcon, but he slipped away to Washington. Although he has never been a true No. 1 target, Garcon has the size and speed combination that teams are looking for, and he is only 25 years old with a lot of football in front of him. He has been inconsistent at times, particularly with dropped passes, but I believe that he has the skills and deep speed to really explode in this offense.

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Gary Horton

Scouts Inc.

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Gary Horton spent 10 years in the NFL as a scout and another 10 years at the college level as an assistant coach and recruiter. He is the founder and most seasoned member of the Scouts Inc. staff, and his extensive experience at all levels of football make him an excellent talent evaluator.