Washington Wizards point guard John Wall scored 27 points, dished 14 assists, grabbed 7 rebounds and even blocked a shot, but it wasn't enough as he received no help from the bench and the Wizards fell 95-90 on the road to a Cleveland Cavaliers team playing without All Star guard Kyrie Irving. The loss drops the Wiz to 20-42 and completes a season sweep for the Cavs. Wiz guard Bradley Beal missed his fourth straight game with an injured left ankle. 

Emeka Okafor chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Nene contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds and Martell Webster was hot in the first half, finishing with 17 points and 4 rebounds in over 42 minutes of play. 

However, the Wizards bench was outscored 29-11 and the team fell apart offensively after a fast start in the first quarter. The Wiz bench hit only 4 of 21 shots from the field and missed 3 of 6 from the stripe. A key loss for the bench was Trevor Ariza, the team's best wing defender and a key contributor on offense and the glass in recent weeks. Ariza hurt his knee in the first half, didn't play the second half and was able to give the team only 2 point and 2 rebounds in less than 12 minutes. It is unknown how serious Ariza's injury is or if he would miss additional time. 

The Wiz began well enough, with Wall, Webster and Okafor roaring out of the gate to lead the Wizards to a 13-point lead, 33-20, after 12 minutes. 

However, the Wiz offense went into hibernation after that, going 7 minutes without scoring a field goal in the second quarter, allowing the Cavaliers to come all the way back and take a 50-49 lead at halftime. 

The Wiz fell further behind after a dismal third quarter in which the Wiz were outscored 26-16 and trailed by 11 going into the fourth quarter. Wall tried to lead the team back in the final 12 minutes, getting the Wiz to within five points, but the Wizards struggled to get key defensive rebounds and make free throws down the stretch. 

The Cavaliers got key contributions from point guard Shaun Livingston, starting in place of Irving, and Alonzo Gee, both ex-Wizards. However, Dion Waiters led the Cavs with 20 points and big man Tristan Thompson scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. 

Washington is now 5-25 on the season and just got swept by yet another lottery-bound team. [See Detroit Pistons.] 

It's become clear how dependant the Wizards now are on Bradley Beal's outside shooting and  his ball-handling, which takes a lot of pressure off John Wall. Without Beal, the Wiz will struggle to beat anyone -- even a mediocre Cavaliers team playing without its best player. 

The Washington Redskins re-signed DE Kedric Golston to a 3-year contract, though we do not have the financial details yet. 

Golston, who turns 30 in May, was drafted as a defensive tackle by the Redskins in the 6th round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia. He's played his entire career for the Redskins. He started 13 games in his rookie season and played in 15 games in 2007 and started 12 in 2008. 

When the Redskins moved from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense in 2010, Golston was moved to his current position, defensive end, and started 13 games before his season ended in late December and he was placed on injured reserve on December 26. Golston became a backup to Adam Carriker in 2011 after signing a one-year deal with the team, but suffered a knee injury in the second half of the season and was placed on injured reserve with a torn MCL and partially-torn ACL on November 15. 

However, Golston got healthy in the offseason and re-signed with the Redskins for one year. This three year contract is his longest deal since his rookie contract. 

DC Pro Sports Report has created an NFL free agency news tracker, compiling the latest free agency news, complete with links to the stories. We start with the signing of former Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall and the Eagles parting ways with CB Nnamdi Asomugha. Now reading that DeAngelo Hall has NOT signed with the Lions. At least, not yet.

UPDATE: The Redskins have re-signed punter Sav Rocca, presumably at less than the $1.2 million he earned last season. Hard to imagine a cap-strapped team like the Skins paying over a million for an aging, if effective, punter.

UPDATE: Alex Marvez of Fox Sports is reporting that Pro Bowl ST player/ILB Lorenzo Alexander is probably leaving the Washington Redskins, with the San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals as the top bidders for his services. That's a blow to the Redskins, if accurate.

CHECK IT OUT!

UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Shefter reports the Washington Redskins did inquire about signing free agent TB Reggie Bush. If true, that's preposterous.

Washinton Redskins QB Robert Griffin III, the reigning NFL Rookie of the Year, wants his team to sign free agent TB Reggie Bush. 

This doesn't make much sense because Bush wants to be a starting tailback and it is difficult to see the Redskins benching Alfred Morris, a top-5 rookie of the year candidate last year who set the franchise record for rushing yards in a season and rushing touchdowns for a rookie. 

Beyond that, Bush will want a lot of money and the Redskins are about $3 million under the salary cap right now, much of which must be spent on signing 2013 draft picks. Even if the Redskins manage to clear enough space to fit Reggie Bush under their cap, it would entail ignoring far bigger priorities like upgrading the secondary and the right tackle position. 

Thanks for the thoughts, RG3, but... No.

UPDATE: It appears the "restructuring" of the Santana Moss and Adam Carriker contracts are a bit unusual. Rather than kicking money down the road, which is normal, but unwise in these situations, the money has been converted into incentive bonuses. In other words, both players lost guaranteed money -- $2 million in the case of Moss. They can still get that money back, but will have to meet performance incentives to do so. Obviously, those are very favorable terms for the Redskins and I assume they obtained them by threatening to cut the players outright. In other words, the Redskins got the salary cap space they needed this year without creating a "dead money" issue in the years to come. Nicely done.

David Elfin is reporting Washington Redskins WR Santana Moss has restructured his contract, allowing him to remain with the team in 2013 and slice another $2 million off Washington's cap figure, as the team struggles to get as far under the salary cap as possible. 

Moss,33, signed a 3-year/$15 million contract in 2011 and has given the team almost 1700 yards and 10 TD receptions in that time. He is now strictly a backup and a slot receiver, but after a poor and injury-filled 2011, Moss thrived in his new role in 2012, catching 7 touchdowns and becoming  a key third down, short-yardage threat for rookie QB Robert Griffin III. 

The Redskins have been correctly reluctant to restructure contracts during the Allen-Shanahan era, understanding that pushing paydays off into the future creates "dead money" problems and loads a team up with aging veterans who should be enjoying their retirement. It appears the Redskins have made an exception for Moss because he's still a productive player and they think he can help the team for at least one more season. In addition, the Redskins needed to reduce Moss' cap figure this year to be able to sign their own draft picks and maybe a new free agent or two. 

Moss has been a popular figure in Washington since coming to the team from the New York Jets in a 2005 trade that sent Laveranues Coles out of town. If I were a betting man -- which I'm not -- I'd wager most Redskins fans are happy to have Moss back for at least one more season. 

The USA Today is reporting the Washington Redskins are interested in CB Aqib Talib, most recently of the New England Patriots after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shipped him out of town in the middle of last season. 

The links between Talib and the Redskins are obvious. Redskins GM Bruce Allen drafted Talib [20th overall in 2008] in Tampa Bay and Talib's former head coach, Raheem Morris, is the secondary coach of the Redskins. 

However, I'm not sure how the Redskins can afford Talib unless they plan to do some real clear-cutting in the extremely near future. [As in, the next few hours.] The Buccaneers traded Talib last November largely because they believed Talib would want a huge payday and they didn't want to pay it to him. 

And who can blame them? Talib is a terrific talent who can be a true #1 cornerback in the NFL -- something the Redskins defense needs badly. However, he comes with a ton of baggage. 

But shots echoed through the area on March 21, 2011, as a family dispute escalated into violence. Garland Police charged Aqib Talib with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities believe Talib fired a Ruger .380 handgun at his sister’s live-in boyfriend, Shannon Billings, and attempted to pistol-whip Billings with a Springfield 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

Did I write that Talib comes with a ton of baggage? Make that two tons.

After GM Bruce Allen said his piece about the $36 million penalty the NFL dropped on the Washington Redskins last year, Head Coach Mike Shanahan took the lectern for today's unusual press conference at Redskins Park. Unlike Allen, Shanahan focused on the roster and the recent free agent moves that the team has made. Shanahan made only two direct comments about the penalty. The first: "I have a lot of hope we can get money back. We did nothing wrong. You never know what can happen." And the second: "If you took $36 million off other teams, you'd see some of their best players gone."

On CB DeAngelo Hall, who was released earlier today, Shanahan said "DeAngelo has done everything we asked. He got better each year and did a lot of the little things... As I told DHall, he was graceful and understood the position we were in. " When questioned about the possibility of negotiating a pay cut for Hall to fit him more comfortably under the salary cap, Shanahan said "He deserves a fair chance of open market value. I want to take care of the players who take care of us. We'll see how it goes." Shanahan did say he "definitely" would have Hall back on the team if the price is right and the defensive back receives no stronger offers on the open market. 

On WR Santana Moss, Shanahan said the Skins were "not restructuring Moss at this time" but indicated it could still happen. 

To a subject many Redskins fans are obsessed with, Shanahan said QB Robert Griffin III, recovering and rehabbing his injured knee, Shanahan said: "Robert is doing well. Working out six to seven hours a day. He's ahead of schedule, which means his muscles are stronger. Will he start week 1? I have no idea...I'll know in July."

Shanahan said injured OLB Brian Orakpo "is feeling great and will be ready to go" [for the start of the season]. "He's working out in Austin with Keenan Robinson." Regarding another Redskins linebacker, ILB London Fletcher, Shanahan said: "He is not a guy I'd talk to about taking a pay cut. He's full speed ahead he plays at a very high level. I'm excited he's getting himself ready. I'm looking forward to him leading our team on defense."

About Fred Davis, Shanahan said: "He's not ready yet, but will be ready for the season." The coach gave no indication if the Redskins would re-sign Davis. 

Shanahan confirmed the Redskins are now $1 million under the salary cap and said the Redskins re-signed five of their six restricted free agents [all but WR/RS Brandon Banks] because the team wanted to take care of players who had taken care of the team. 

Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen ripped the NFL and the NFL Players Association at a 4.30 press conference today, calling the $36 million salary cap penalty levied against the Redskins a year ago a "travesty of fairness." However, Allen said the team does not plan to file a lawsuit to halt free agency and denied that had ever been their intention. While Allen said the team remains committed to getting all or some of the $36 million returned, he gave no indication of how that might happen. 

Allen began by saying he wanted to address the NFL's decision and the NFLPA's acquiecense to that decision and end certain speculation about the intentions of the Washington Redskins going forward. 

Allen said "We've never contemplated a lot of the creative ideas I've been reading" regarding the $36 million penalty, adding "we never contemplated a lawsuit." 

Regarding the penalty, Allen said "there was no trial. There was no hearing... We learned about the penalty from agents and the media." He said the Redskins were never warned they'd be punished by the NFL and noted that "every contract we submitted to the NFL and NFLPA was reviewed and approved by both the [league] and players association."

Allen added: "we did violate any rule or regulation. We were never warned."

Clearly annoyed and eager to get a few things off his chest, Allen lashed out at the process leading to the penalty, denying the Redskins ever violated any rules during the cap-free season of 2010. In addition, Allen said the team was never informed that the NFL and NFLPA would reach an agreement to punish the Redskins after a new collective bargaining agreement was reached. "We don't feel we were fairly represented in this case," Allen said.

What's more, Allen said he had no idea how the NFL and NFLPA agreed on the sum of $36 million for the cap penalty and has still never been informed about that process. 

While the justification for the penalty was maintaining the competitive balance the NFL is so famous for, Allen caustically noted that several NFL teams will  have more than $100 million in cap space in excess of what the Redskins will have during the next three years. "I don't want to hear about competitive balance," Allen sneered. 

As to why the NFL would inflict this penalty on the Redskins, Allen indicated Washington's considerable 2012 cap room and the trade made to move up to draft Robert Griffin III were strong motivating factors. At the time of the penalty the Redskins had the 18th-most cap room in the NFL and had just traded for the 2nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. 

Allen said "we will always fight for the Washington Redskins ... as we learn more ... we will continue to consider our options." However, he did not indicate what those options would be and without a lawsuit, it is difficult to understand how the Redskins plan to recoup the money. "I don't know if there's anything to overturn. This is an agreement between the NFL and NFLPA. All teams have to abide by it."

When asked if he thought the NFL engaged in illegal collusion during the uncapped 2010 season, Allen smirked and said "No. No." His smile fooled no one in the room. 

It seems to me that Allen said what the Redskins ought to have said a year ago and I don't understand why they've waited so long to say what had to be said. Perhaps they held off in the hopes that they could get the money back if they held their tongues. If so, their gamble did not pay off and the NFL seems determined to punish the Redskins for refusing to abide by the rules of the league's illegal collusion during the uncapped year of 2010. 

It seemed to me Allen was justifiably angry about the penalty and decided to unburden himself of these opinions since it is now clear the NFL will go forward in its plan to punish the Redskins. This was not a team confident of getting justice. This was the GM of a team speaking out of justifiable frustration and anger at a process that has been unfair, but will go on nonetheless. 

The Washington Redskins have signed agreed on a contract with RT Tony Pashos, a right tackle out of the University of Illinois who has played with the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns. 

Pashos, a 5th-round selection in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Ravens, will be 33 during training camp this upcoming season, so he's not a long-term solution at the position, more of a stopgap while the Redskins work to manage their cap under the weight of the unjust $36 million penalty handed down by the NFL. 

Pashos was cut by the Cleveland Browns almost exactly one year ago and spent the entire 2012 season recuperating from torn ligaments in his left foot. In other words, Pashos has not played since 2011, but he has played in 92 NFL games, starting 76 of them.

We don't know the size of the contract yet, but considering the injury and the total lack of play in 2012, odds are good the contract is rather small. Therefore, we cannot yet know if the team regards Pashos as a potential starter at right tackle or a replacement for backup Jordan Black, who is an unrestricted free agent. 

Pashos was an outspoken supporter of former Republican Congressman Ron Paul during the 2012 Republican presidential primaries. 

The Washington Redskins have cut CB DeAngelo Hall as part of the team's effort to get  under the NFL salary cap before the start of the free agency season tomorrow. 

This news comes as a surprise to precisely no one, since cutting Hall and  his $8 million cap figure allows the Redskins to, at one stroke, get under the 2013 NFL salary cap, which is $123 million for most teams, but only $105 million for the Redskins, as a result of the $36 million cap penalty levied by the league. That penalty came about because the Redskins used the 2010 uncapped season to "dump" money from the contracts of Hall and former Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth.

Hall is a 29-year-old former 8th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Atlanta falcons, who eventually traded him to the Oakland Raiders for a second round draft pick in 2008. Hall was a disaster in Oakland after signing a huge contract. Unable or unwilling to adapt to the Raiders' defense, Hall was cut in November after being paid $8 million for 8 games and picked up by a desperate Redskins team, which soon inserted him into the starting lineup.  Hall intercepted a pass in his first game with the Redskins and after the season received a 6-year contract with $23 million in guaranteed money. 

The high point of Hall's career in Washington came against the Chicago Bears in 2010, when he intercepted four Jay Cutler passes in one half, returning one for a touchdown. The performance, which tied an NFL record for picks in a half, earned Hall Defensive Player of the Week recognition. Hall went on to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2010 season, where he earned Pro Bowl MVP honors. 

The low point for Hall with the Redskins, at least before today, came during a week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012, when Hall erupted in a confrontation with an NFL referee. The fracas cost Hall $30,000 and an admonishment from the league office. 

It is not clear who will take over the starting job in place of Hall, but it could very well be someone who is not currently on the roster. I'm fine with releasing Hall since it was clearly necessary from a cap standpoint and he isn't nearly productive enough to justify such an expense. 

Hall played very well twice against the Cowboys last year and also did a fine job in the win over Tampa Bay. However, he had other games, such as the aforementioned loss to the Steelers, as well as wins over Minnesota and Baltimore, where Hall was arguably the worst player on the defense. 

I think Hall is a very effective blitzer, but as a cover cornerback, which is where all cornerbacks must make their bones, he was normally mediocre or worse. He gave up 374 yards after the catch last season, third-worst among all NFL cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. What's more, opposing quarterbacks completed 67% of passes on Hall, a terrible figure. That probably explains why he was targeted so frequently -- 112 times in 2012 -- tied for second-most in the entire league.

The Redskins don't have much at the cornerback position right now. With Hall gone, that leaves only fellow starter Josh Wilson, the best cover man on the team, to go with Richard Crawford, a 7th round draft pick in 2012 who saw most of his action on special teams. Cedric Griffin and Jerome Murphy are both free agents.