The Washington Redskins looked fairly impressive during the Hall of Fame game last Sunday. The player who stood out the most in my opinion was rookie QB Colt Brennan. He looked like a combination of QB Brett Favre and Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana. Granted, it was a pre-season game against third stringers, but Brennan showed confidence and play making ability, two things that incumbent QB Jason Campbell has not shown regularly. All three signal callers did a fine job in Canton, as QB Todd Collins also threw the ball well. Hopefully Campbell can mature in head coach Jim Zorn's version of the west coast offense and be a solid NFL starter. Collins and Brennan are entrenched as QBs #2 and #3.
RB Rock Cartwright and RB Marcus Mason ran the ball with power and athleticism against the Indianapolis Colts. Mason looks to be the #4 running back behind Cartwright, RB Ladell Betts, and starter RB Clinton Portis. A quality batch of runners here.
Fullback/TE/H-back Mike Sellers is a coaches dream because he can do so many things. FB Nehemiah Broughton will have a tough time making the team because TE Todd Yoder can fill in for Sellers and basically is asked to do the same stuff. TE Chris Cooley and rookie TE Fred Davis will be the guys that Redskins QBs will look to in the flat and the red zone. Maryland alum TE Jason Goode is a long shot because he is basically an over sized wide receiver who can't block as well as Yoder and Sellers. He will be battling Broughton for a spot on the final roster, and will probably be on the practice squad. The 'Skins appear strong here.
Coach Zorn public blasted rookie WR Malcolm Kelly and fellow second rounder WR Devin Thomas for their poor physical conditioning. They were out of shape for camp and hurt their hammys because of this. A lingering knee issue also forced Kelly to have surgery this week. These guys slipped to the 2nd round for a number of reasons, and we are seeing them now. Luckily for Washington they have some seasoned vets in WR Santana Moss, WR Antwaan Randle-El, and newly crowned #3 WR James Thrash. Moss looks like he is ready for one more big season, and Randle-El is versatile. Thrash is a hard workers who has always been under rated as a receiver. His exploits on special teams are well known. WR Horace Gant out of St. Olaf College and WR Maurice Mann are the beneficiaries of the extra reps that are being given them due to the injuries to Kelly and Thomas. One of them may make the roster and both will probably be on the practice squad. Since Moss is healthy for now, this group is upgraded from last year. The fact that the malcontent WR Brandon Lloyd is gone is a big improvement over last year, too.
The starters at offensive line are set with T Chris Samuels and T Jon Jansen firmly entrenched at their spots. G Randy Thomas and G Pete Kendall are trying to stay healthy and rest their knees for the season. C Casey Rabach is a quality player. Terrapin T Stephon Heyer and T Todd Wade looked to be shoe ins for back up lineman, but Wade is in danger of being placed on I.R. or let go due to his injury on Sunday. Veteran T/G Jason Fabini will see a lot of time in pre-season games as will OL Justin Geisinger and 4th round pick OL Chad Rinehart, who the 'Skins really like. I'm hoping the University of Maryland's rookie OL Andrew Crummey hangs on and is at least on the practice squad when the dust settles the first week of September.
PK Sean Suisham is the only kicker in camp due to the rosters being at 80 players. If he is inconsistent this August he can easily be replaced by another place kicker.
The punting battle has commenced, with rookie P Durant Brooks firing the first volley last Sunday. Veteran P Derrick Frost will get his chance to return fire against the Bills on Saturday. Coaches say that this match up is a stalemate right now, but I can't see Frost sticking around, unless Durant plays himself out of the job.
The four defensive ends who can play in the NFL are starters DE Jason Taylor, DE Andre Carter, DE Chris Wilson, and DE Demetric Evans. The problem with Evans, and the injured DE Philip Daniels for that matter, is that he is a defensive end who can't sack the QB. This is like having a clean up hitter who has no power. Enter rookie DE Rob Jackson and DE Erasmus James. If these guys develop as the Redskins plan, Jackson will be on the prctice squad and James will be in a four man DE rotation along with Wilson, Taylor, and Carter. Not to shabby, and a definate up grade from last year.
LB London Fletcher and LB Marcus Washington are the only true NFL starters the 'Skins have at linebacker. Second year player LB H.B. Blades has potential, but is dinged, and LB Rocky McIntosh has bad knees and still has to prove himself. LB Khary Campbell and LB Matt Sinclair are benefitting from the injuries and could emerge as the number 3 and 4 linebackers for the team if Blades and McIntosh remain injured.
CB Shawn Springs and CB Fred Smoot are the only legitimate starters the Redskins have on the roster. CB Carlos Rogers has hands of stone, and due to last year's injury, a gimpy knee. CB Matteral Richardson helped his cause with an interception return for a TD on Sunday. CB Leigh Torrence knows the system and could stick around. ASU rookie CB Justin Tryon is destined for the practice squad, and Brian Westbrook's bro CB Byron Westbrook is in danger of hearing a knock on his door in the coming weeks.
One of the few notable free agent acquisistions the Redskins made this off season has been cut. S Stuart Schweigert was released after he forgot to help out on defense during the Hall of Fame game. That is not good, especially if that is your job. S LaRon Landry is entrenched on one side of the defense. S Reed Doughty looks to be the other current starter, but he misses as many tackles as he makes. S Vernon Fox could step in if Doughty falters. Seventh round picks S Chris Horton and S Kareem Moore were brought in to provide depth at the safety position. Horton looked good, sack Colt qbs twice. Moore was injured when the 'Skins drafted him, and he may be on the pup list when the season starts.
Crazy as this sounds, the Redskins are better at this point of the season then they were last pre-season. Yes, Joe Gibbs is gone, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. What may hurt the 'Skins down the road is their very thin defense. Offensively they are looking good, but one or two veterans cut late in August and early in September may be brought in to provide depth at linebacker and defensive back.
It was fantastic to see the multitude of Redskin fans in Canton to cheer on legends Art Monk and Darell Green. I had vowed not to go back to the Hall of Fame until Monk got in. Now I can go!
I'll keep you updated on the goings on in Ashburn in a couple weeks.
