Analyzing the Redskins Running Backs heading into 2013

 

For once, Redskins Nation can breathe a sigh of relief at the running back position. We one of the best running backs in the league, second only to Adrian Peterson. Yes I am speaking of none other than Alfred Morris. Nobody expected the sixth round pick out of Florida Atlantic University to storm onto the scene the way he did. He is a great downfield runner and has the awareness to hit the hole in the O-Line at just the right time. He gained 1,613 yards on the ground and scored 13 touchdowns. Not bad for his first year in the NFL. I am so glad we have Alfred on our side and he looks like a promising young running back for the future.

 

Now, with all that said, we aren't so deep at the running back position. Sure, Alfred Morris gives us the starting talent, but who is behind him on the depth chart? This is definitely an area that the Redskins focused on with this past draft and I like the guys that we brought onto the team. Lets take a look at each one of the running backs who have/will play key roles in the offense.

 

Roy Helu Jr. - Helu showed some promise in 2011 with split time at running back. He never really served as our number one guy, though. He won't feel any pressure to come in and start for the offense, that is Morris' job. However, Helu suffered toe injuries on both of his feet in the preseason last year. Recent reports have indicated that he can sprint now, without feeling any pain in either big toes. Hopefully, Helu can come back in and be a key contributor on offense like he was in 2011. If he can stay healthy, he has a very good chance of making it on the final 53-man roster.

2011 Stats - 151 Attempts/640 Yards - 4.2 Yards Average - 2 Touchdowns

 

Evan Royster - There isn't as much hope for Royster as there is for Helu. I don't really see any fire from his play. I have no doubt that he goes out there and tries to help the team in every way that he can. I respect him for that, but it just isn't working out for him in Washington. I want him to succeed on this football team, though, and maybe this extra pressure will help him put on a better performance in 2013.

2012 Stats - 23 Attempts/88 Yards - 3.8 Yards Average - 2 Touchdowns

 

Chris Thompson - I am very excited to see what Thompson has to offer this team in 2013. He is a speed back that can be the lightning to Morris' thunder. He has had an unfortunate history of injuries at Florida State University and, hopefully, can recover from those and come back to be an impact player. He was one of our 5th round picks in this years draft and he should be able to come out and contribute by the start of the season. He injured his knee in 2012 and broke his back in 2011. It amazes me that he can still play at a high level. I think Thompson will be ready to go by preseason and will be able to showcase his ability. He can run, he can catch, and he can take some of the load off of Alfred Morris. I can't wait to see what this guy can do as a Washington Redskin.

2012 Stats - 91 Attempts/687 Yards - 7.5 Yards Average - 5 Touchdowns

 

Jawan Jamison - Jamison hasn't played a down of NFL football yet and is already deemed by some Redskins fans "Alfred 2.0". He has also earned comparisons to Ravens running back Ray Rice, also from Rutgers. Jamison is an interesting story. He left Rutgers as a Sophomore to come to the NFL, in hopes of helping his mother in her struggle with breast cancer. That was very mature of him and I think he has the skillset to earn that big payday somewhere down the line, to help his mother out. I think Jamison has the talent to be a number one back, its even better that we have him as depth. This way, everyone can stay pretty well rested during a game, while we are still getting the same caliber of play from everyone. Jamison's running style is similar to Morris'. He isn't the fastest running back but he has got some good moves and his spin move is killer. I think he will succeed with this offense. I hope for nothing but the best for the 7th round pick out of Rutgers!

2012 Stats - 255 Attempts/1,075 Yards - 4.2 Yards Average - 4 Touchdowns

 

I think it is safe to say that Mike Shanahan knows what he is doing when it comes to Running Backs. He can find diamonds in the rough and I believe this will be the case with Jawan Jamison and Chris Thompson. This group of guys will definitely be fun to watch during preseason. The competition is going to be intense. Helu will be battling both of these rookies for his roster spot, and the rookies have to prove they are worthy of a spot on the team, also. We will definitely have one of the best Running Back groups in the NFL in 2013.

 

 



Predicting and Analyzing the Redskins 2013 Wide Receivers

 

The Redskins are in a pretty decent position at Wide Receiver going into this season. I think the depth chart will look pretty much identical to the one we saw last year. Unless, of course, someone really impresses during the preseason. We didn't add anyone new through the draft and we only signed Undrafted Free Agents. Lets take a look at some of these guys, shall we?

 

Pierre Garcon - You can tell by the picture above, this guy is an absolute beast. Don't just take my word for it. You can watch his highlights from 2012 and see for yourself. Garcon missed half the season and still managed to put up 600+ yards on the year, more than any other receiver on the roster. He is still in his prime at the age of 26. He will be RG3's number one guy in 2013 and, hopefully, he can stay healthy for the duration of the season. He suffered a toe injury last year at the beginning of the season but decided to play through the pain. Garcon chose not to go undergo surgery this offseason hoping that the injury will heal naturally. I have a good feeling about Garcon in 2013 and I think he can easily top 1,000 yards, if healthy.

 

Joshua Morgan - Morgan probably isn't too popular with most fans after what he did at the Rams game in week two. I don't really think any less of him for throwing the ball at Courtland Finnegan, he is a jerk anyways. I kind of like Morgan as our number two guy right now. He isn't a very flashy receiver like Garcon. But he is a good blocker and has pretty reliable hands. He is also pretty young at 27. He is the best option we have at number two right now and I don't see anyone taking that spot away from him this season.

 

Santana Moss - Tana Man is the second most talented receiver on the roster and can still get it done. He has served the Burgundy and Gold well and he deserves his spot on the team. We proved himself as a nice security blanket for RG3 while Garcon was absent in 2012. He topped 500 yards and scored 8 touchdowns last year. I think that is pretty darn good for the 33 year old receiver. This will most likely be his last year with Washington, as he is in the last year of his contract. I hope we give him a great season. He certainly deserves it for sticking with us through thick and thin.

 

Leonard Hankerson - The 3rd round pick from the 2011 draft hasn't really panned out like we expected. Although Hankerson has shown improvement, he hasn't really been putting up great numbers since we drafted him. I think he just needs to realize his potential. He has got good speed, good size, and the ability to go up and get the ball. He also needs to work on getting YAC. I notice that he tends to fall down a lot after the catch, even when he has enough room to turn his hips and run downfield for some more yards. He was, however, one of the receivers to top 500 yards on the depth chart. He also hauled in 3 touchdown passes in 2012 so there has been improvement. If he can manage around 600-800 yards this year, his job will be safe temporarily. I like Hankerson and I want to see him succeed on this team. He is still young and I think he deserves a couple more shots before we call it quits. Hopefully he gets more playing time in 2013 so he can show us what he's got.

 

Aldrick Robinson - I don't think a lot of people recognize Robinson's abilities in the passing game. He can really stretch the field and leave defenders in the dust. Some people call him a one trick pony. Even if he is, so what? The guy can score touchdowns and the last time I checked, the goal of the game is to do just that. He plays with fire and is a potential replacement for Santana Moss in the slot. We haven't given him that much playing time thus far and I hope we see him a lot more in 2013.

 

Dezmon Briscoe - Briscoe is another unheralded guy with a lot of potential. I think he deserves a roster spot in 2013. He impressed during the preseason in 2012 but, when given a shot in the regular season, he came up short. Briscoe can turn into a real threat to defenses if we just give him a couple more shots and let him learn with more playing time on the field. If he doesn't make progress this year, though, I think he will be on his way out of Washington.

 

Lance Lewis, Skye Dawson, Chip Reeves, and Nick Williams are all guys that we signed as Undrafted Free Agents. Skye Dawson and Lance Lewis have a pretty decent chance on making the roster. Redskins Nation seems to like them and I wouldn't mind having another young Wide Receiver on the roster. Here are the details on these guys:

 

Lance Lewis - 6'2" - 207 lbs. - College: East Carolina - 2010 Stats: 89 Receptions/1,116 Yards - 12.5 Yards Per Reception - 14 Touchdowns - From what I can gather from stats, it seems like he had a pretty productive career at Eastern Carolina until suffering an injury in 2011.

 

Skye Dawson - 5'9" - 183 lbs. - Texas Christian University - 2012 Stats: 34 Receptions/455 Yards - 13.4 Yards Per Reception - 1 Touchdown - Doesn't seem like Dawson has a great chance of making the roster with these kinds of numbers but maybe I will be wrong. He may be able to serve as a punt returner somewhere down the line.

 

Chip Reeves - 5'11" - 175 lbs. - Troy - 2012 Stats: 65 Receptions/1,050 Yards - 16.2 Yards Per Reception - 6 Touchdowns - Reeves is an interesting prospect. He may have the best chance to make this roster as a 7th Wide Receiver.

 

Nick Williams - 5'10" - 184 lbs. - Connecticut - 2012 Stats: 30 Receptions/334 Yards - 11.1 Yards Per Reception - 0 Touchdowns - Probably wont be making the roster and is just a camp body. He may surprise though.

 

Overall, I think we have a decent receiving squad going into 2013. I really want to see what some of the younger guys can do during preseason, though. It should be exciting to watch for all Redskins fans! Hail to the Redskins!

 

 



What does Vick re-signing mean for Redskins in 2013?

Many football have heard by now that the 32-year old Quarterback is still not done in Philly. He has re-worked his deal with Philadelphia and is still able to make 10 million dollars. I think their new head coach Chip Kelly is off to a good start. It wouldn't have been good to let Vick walk without any attempt to re-sign him. I don't believe Vick wanted to leave Philadelphia in the first place.

We have seen what Nick Foles can do this season. He wasn't too flashy but still remains a potential threat as a Quarterback. Michael Vick could be a great Quarterback in Philly if he just got a better offensive line. I think re-signing Vick eliminates the chances of Philadelphia drafting Geno Smith if he falls to them. The Eagles already have two good Quarterbacks capable of leading a team and they will probably go ahead and draft a Right Tackle with their fist pick.

So what does this mean for Washington? Well it could possibly create better competition for them in 2013. Lets be honest, nobody in Washington felt the Eagles as a potential threat in 2012. I feel like they can be a lot better next year if they improve their offensive line and avoid injury. I still think that the Redskins can make it to the playoffs pretty easily next year, however. Even with Vick, I don't see the Eagles being able to stop the Redskins more than once during the season.

The return of Vick also keeps the door open for a RG3/Vick showdown. I think it would be cool to see these two guys who have changed elements of the game play against each other in a couple of games. Some Redskins fans are probably concerned about this Vick re-signing but I think it will make for another exciting year of intense competition in the NFC East! Hail to the Redskins!

Will the Redskins Trade up to gain an Additional Second Round Pick?

I have a feeling the Redskins will have another great Draft this year and just because they don't have a 1st round pick doesn't mean it cant be as exciting as last years Robert Griffin the Third trade. The Shanahans definitely know how to draft and it will be exciting to see them work their magic in April when the time comes for the 2013 Draft.

All signs point to Free Safety Phillip Thomas out of Fresno State being drafted by us in the second round. The Redskins would be crazy not to take him with their first pick because he is a versatile player who can play Free Safety or Strong Safety, he has great size, and he actually want to be drafted by the Redskins. Free Safety is also there biggest concern heading into the offseason because lets be honest, Madieu Williams stunk this season and he just isn't starting material. Drafting Phillip Thomas would be ideal for the Redskins.

Now, what there was still a good Wide Receiver available after the Redskins pick in the second? I have heard from some sources that Terrance Williams, Robert Griffin III's go to guy at Baylor, could be available even after the Redskins pick in the second. I would definitely try to trade up to get the Baylor star at that point, after all, we did it last year. The Redskins don't really need that many more spots to fill in before they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They could solidify the number two Receiver spot by trading up to get Terrance Williams.

It may sound like I have some kind of love for Terrance Williams being our number two guy but there are other guys that, if they are available, I feel the Redskins should trade up to get in the second. Quinton Patton out of Louisiana Tech could still be available. I also feel that the Redskins should try to trade up and get Aaron Dobson out of Marshall. Any of these guys could come in and really make a difference on offense. We need as many weapons for RGIII as possible, especially because he will be coming off that knee injury.

So what will we have to do in order to have a chance at drafting these guys? We would have to find a team that is looking to fill some holes due to players leaving for Free Agency. Teams like the Patriots or the Broncos could probably use some more picks. We still have 7 picks in the draft and we could use a couple of them to trade up. I'm thinking we could probably trade up if we bundle a 3rd, a 5th, and a 7th rounder. Some of you may be thinking that I have lost my mind but think about it. We would still have a 4th round pick that we could use on and a Corner, preferably B.W. Webb out of William & Mary. Then we could select a Strong Safety or Free Safety to play next to Phillip Thomas. I'm thinking that we would select someone like Duke Williams out of Nevada. He is a hard hitting Strong Safety that could really excel in Washington. Then that still leaves us with a 6th round pick to spend on some other position. I think they should use that last pick on an inside linebacker like Steve Greer out of Virginia. He has led his team in tackles 2 season and would be a great value pick.

If the Redskins did manage to trade up for a number 2 Wide Receiver in this draft and only trade away their 3rd, 5th, and 7th, picks then that would still leave them with their 2nd rounder next year. They might need to throw in one extra pick from next years draft but I think it would be well worth it. I think 2013 will be London Fletcher's last year in the NFL and we would be able to use that second rounder on and Inside Linebacker next year instead of a Wide Receiver. No matter what the Redskins decide to do, I bet this will be a great Draft for the Burgundy and Gold! Hail to the Redskins!

Players who could possibly be at the Chopping Block this Offseason

D.J. Johnson  (pictured above) was the first up to the chopping block this offseason and there will be many more to come. I kind of expected a guy like him to be one of the first to go. Who wouldn't expect it? The Redskins signed him to the practice squad mid-season then moved him up to the active roster after nickel corner Cedric Griffin was suspended for PED's. He didn't really make a huge impact for the team so I could see this coming easily.

There are many other players just like Johnson that are still on the roster that I expect will be cut soon, also. I'm sure that everyone is aware of the injuries that the team had to endure this season. We needed to fill some holes during the season and now since we will be getting those players back, there isn't much need for the other players who haven't made much of a difference anyways. Below I will give a list of players that I think will experience a similar outcome to Johnson's.

Keiland Williams - Running Back - 5'11" - 230 lbs. - 26 Years Old - Keiland Williams is a name that is probably more familiar than others on this list. He spent a year with the Redskins in 2010. We released him and then he spent some time with the Detroit Lions. Now he is back and likely on his way out again. He only had 2 attempts for 3 yards this season. It is fair to say that we didn't give him that much playing time, though. However, Williams was pretty productive in his first stint with the Redskins. He has shown that, given some playing time, can produce at a pretty good rate. In 2010 he rushed for 261 yards with 65 attempts averaging 4 yards per carry. Those numbers are okay and that was in his rookie season. He could probably get better given the chance but he sure wont be starting in Washington anytime soon. That job belongs to Alfred Morris. I would still take Roy Helu and Evan Royster over Williams, though. If Helu's foot injury doesn't heal then we could probably end up seeing Williams again next season. However, if Shanahan is confident that his foot will heal then Williams will be gone again.

Doug Worthington - Defensive End - 6'5" - 311 lbs. - 25 Years Old - Worthington really didn't see the field too much this year having only played in 6 games. He didn't make much of an impact either. He made a whopping total of 2 tackles and 1 pass deflection. He played a back-up role for Jarvis Jenkins this year and he will likely be gone next year. Unless the Redskins make the decision to cut our starting Left End Adam Carriker to save money. That would allow Worthington the possibility to stay on the roster to play back-up. He is still young and he's got good size so who knows? I think it is possible that Worthington could be back on the roster next year but it is more likely that he is gone.

Roddrick Muckelroy - Inside Linebacker - 6'2" - 250 lbs. - 26 Years Old - This guy will most likely be gone. I don't see any reason in keeping him on the roster. He only made 1 tackle for us since we signed him mid-season. I believe we will pick up a some Linebackers in the draft to develop and Muckelroy just hasn't proven to be productive. Maybe if he is given some more time during a season he could produce but I don't think it will be happening here.

Vic So'oto - Inside Linebacker - 6'3" - 263 lbs. - 25 Years Old - We signed So'oto mid-season just for depth purposes. He has been in Green Bay and Oakland. He only has 8 career tackles and 1 sack. I don't think we will end up keeping him but anything is possible. He is a young guy that probably hasn't reached his full potential because he hasn't gotten the opportunity. There really isn't too much to go by so I can only say that he will stay if Shanahan likes what he sees with him but I don't really think he will be staying in Washington much longer.

Jerome Murphy - Cornerback - 6'0" - 200 lbs. - 26 Years Old - There is a little bit more to go with when you talk about Jerome Murphy. He is currently second on the depth chart behind DeAngelo Hall. I don't think he will ever be starting for us but he could be a good back-up. He had been with the St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, and the Detroit Lions before coming to Washington. He was given a lot more playing time with the St. Louis Rams in his rookie season. He played 14 games in 2010 and made 30 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception, and 3 pass deflections. That was the last time that he ever got a significant amount of playing time. Ever since then he hasn't been with a team long enough to show them what he's got. It all depends on what the Redskins plan on doing in the Draft. I think it would actually be a good decision to keep Murphy around to see what he can do at a larger scale. Then again it is very possibly that the Redskins decide to part ways with the Corner like his 3 previous teams.

Reed Doughty - Strong Safety - 6'1" - 206 lbs. - 30 Years Old - I have a feeling that Reed Doughty could be on his way out this year. I loved the way he came in and started for us this year and he has been with us ever since 2006 but I think this is the year. He is definitely a tackling machine but other than that he doesn't do much to separate himself from Dejon Gomes. Doughty had to take the starting role after Brandon Meriweather injured his knee this season. He made 69 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass deflection. Doughty is due a little bit over 1 Million next year so the Redskins will save some money if they release him. I don't want to see Doughty go but I just have the feeling that this is his last year with the Redskins.

Brandon Meriweather - Strong Safety - 5'11" - 197 lbs. - 29 Years Old - I don't believe the Redskins will choose to keep Meriweather because of his injury problems this past season. He only played in one game this season. He did prove to make a difference in the defense but he has to actually get on the field more than half a game to be a starter. He is due over 2 Million dollars next year. The Redskins wont be getting too much money but I don't think they want to be paying him that much money to just get injured next year. I think the Redskins will Draft a couple of Safeties in the high and middle rounds and they will be cheaper than Meriweather. We will still have Dejon Gomes and he has done a pretty nice job filling in during his time with Washington. Meriweather could probably go either way. It's a fifty-fifty chance. I think we will end up releasing him in the end.

Jordan Pugh - Free Safety - 5'11" - 210 lbs. - 25 years Old - Jordan Pugh has been a pretty good back-up this year for the Washington Redskins. He made 19 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass deflection. I think it would actually be a good idea to keep Pugh around because we don't want to get rid of too many Safeties. Pugh isn't going to hurt our cap room, either. So I think it would be a good idea to keep him around as a back-up.

Santana Moss - Wide Receiver - 5'10" - 189 lbs. - 33 Years Old - I would love to see Moss on the roster again next season but for some reason I feel like he will be gone. There are plenty of signs pointing to Moss' release. He is 33 years old for one. Ever since Mike Shanahan became the Head Coach he has worked towards turning the Redskins into a younger team. Moss was a great relief to have this season in the absence of Pierre Garcon. I think RG3 really liked to throw to him because Moss is a very reliable pass catcher. On top of that, Moss is due 4.15 Million dollars in 2013 and that seems like a little too much for the role that he plays in the offense now. Do not get me wrong, I think Moss is an amazing receiver and has been great his whole career. It just wouldn't surprise me if the Redskins decide to release him to gain some of that money back to put it towards someone else. They might just end up restructuring Moss. That seems like the most logical thing to do. He will want to retire a Redskin after all the years that he has spent with us and it would be great if we would give him one more go-around.

DeAngelo Hall - Cornerback - 5'10" - 193 lbs. - 29 Years Old - I'm sure a lot of people were expecting this. Hall is looking at 7.5 million dollars in 2013. Not going to happen. I don't know what will happen with Hall. The way I see it there are three possibilities. We can restructure him down to about 3 million. I think that is a fair amount of pay considering the way he has been playing. Hall is a pretty good Corner but he isn't good enough to be receiving 7.5 million dollars. Restructuring him would be nice because we already know we have a good starting corner in him and we wouldn't have to take a risk on anyone else. The second option is possibly trading him. I know I sound crazy for this. Who would want DeAngelo Hall, right? Well he is and experienced, fiery corner with an attitude. He has talent though and its likely that some teams would be interested in him. It wouldn't be a bad idea to shop him around to see what we can get. I would think that we could at least get a 2nd or 3rd round pick for him. His stats have been pretty impressive this year, also. He made 95 tackles, 4 interceptions, 14 pass deflections, and even got his first career sack. There are some teams that would probably be willing to trade away a 2nd or 3rd for him. I would even be happy with getting a 3rd round pick for him because we would be able to draft a quality corner with another top-100 pick. The last option is just cutting him and saving all the money and trying to replace him. We might be able to pick up another Corner in Free Agency with the money saved. One thing is for sure, cutting Hall would put the Redskins in a much better financial situation in the Offseason.

Adam Carriker - Defensive End - 6'6" - 305 lbs. - 28 Years Old - I am really not too sure about Adam Carriker right now. He went down in the Week 2 in 2012 and was placed on injured reserve for the season. He is supposed to be making 3.7 million dollars in base salary next year and I don't know if that is worth it. In 2011 he played the full season and recorded 34 tackles and 4 sacks. Will he be able to come back in 2013 and be even more productive? He does play a part in a great front seven defense. When he comes back he will be playing alongside Barry Cofield, Ryan Kerrigan, Stephen Bowen, Brian Orakpo, London Fletcher (most likely), and Perry Riley. That is a pretty scary front seven if you ask me. I think they will completely dominate offensive lines next season. I think he will be worth that 3.7 million dollars. It is still possible that the Redskins cut him and have Jarvis Jenkins replace him, though. Jenkins filled in the starting role this season and did a pretty good job so it wouldn't surprise me if they did end up cutting Carriker.

Joshua Morgan - Wide Receiver - 6'1" - 220 lbs. - 27 Years Old - I would be really upset if the Redskins cut Morgan this Offseason. I am only including him in this article because I have been seeing his name on every single cut list and I wanted to voice my opinion. A lot of people do not see it, but Morgan does most of the dirty work in this offense. He is a superb blocker downfield and has pretty sure hands, too. He is a big, physical receiver and I just don't see the Redskins letting him go.
He caught 48 passes for 510 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. He isn't too flashy and he doesn't have all the moves but he has just about everything you could want in a receiver. He is due 3.8 million dollars in base salary in 2013 but I think he can be a solid number two receiver for at least three more years. We shouldn't just let him slip through our fingers, he is a great player who really contributes to this team.

Jammal Brown - Tackle - 6'6" - 317 lbs. - 31 Years Old - He has barely seen the field because of a hip injury that just will not go away. The Redskins have to release him now. There is just no point in keeping him on the team if he is always on the physically unable to perform list. He is due 3.5 million dollars in base salary next year. They need to make the move now.

Well there you have it. I think these will all be big decisions that the Redskins have to make this Offseason. They are definitely going to have to cut, restructure, or both to make room for Free Agents and rookie signings. Please let me know your thoughts and ideas for this Offseason! Thanks for reading!



 

Offensive NFL Free Agents the Redskins Should Consider: Wide Receivers

We may not see the Redskins pursuing a Wide Receiver in Free Agency this year but if we do I have a list of Free Agents that could really make a difference on this offense. Some of these guys are a little more realistic than others but hey, it could happen. There aren't many on the market who I think the Redskins would truly pursue but lets go ahead and take a look at some of these guys.

Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City Chiefs - 28 - 6'2" - 221 lbs. - 2012 Cap Hit: $9,515,000 - Dwayne Bowe seems like a very unrealistic prospect for us. He has a lot of talent and is a big, physical Wide Receiver. His contract is his biggest problem. As you can see, he is already making almost 10 million in Kansas City. He might want even more once he begins contract talks. He could also go back to Kansas City but it is unlikely that he will. This isn't a knock on Kansas City in any way. I think they can be a great team if they fill a few holes. It's possible that Andy Reid lets him go because he could cost too much for his liking. Plus, Reid likes to draft his own Receivers to work with. The Redskins could end up cutting someone like DeAngelo Hall in order to make a deal like this. Cutting Hall will free up 7.5 Million dollars in cap space. Don't forget about the RG3 effect, too. Receivers like Bowe will want to come to Washington to have him throw them the ball. However, another concern is Bowe's age. He is basically on the bubble when it comes to Shanahan's Free Agent strategy. He mostly likes to sign young guys before they hit their prime, but are still experienced and ready to go. Bowe can still fit into that category. He definitely has the talent but can the Redskins afford him? Probably not but it still remains a possibility. If anyone can pull off a huge signing with limited cap room, it's us.

Kevin Ogletree - Dallas Cowboys - 25 - 6'1" - 198 lbs. - 2012 Cap Hit: $615,000 - Ah yes, the Dallas Cowboy. I think Kevin Ogletree fits absolutely perfect in this situation we are in. He has shown that he can produce in Dallas. His stats in 2012 looked a lot like the stats of our own Receivers. He pulled in 32 receptions for 436 yards and 4 touchdowns. Sure, you may not think those numbers are that impressive at first glance. However, Ogletree has gotten better each and every year since he has been with the Cowboys. Pierre Garcon had also been making the same progress in Indianapolis before he came to Washington and look where he is now. He is our number one receiver and producing at a high rate. Ogletree has not yet reached his prime in my opinion. He is young and will be a lot cheaper than some of the other Wide Receivers on the market. This is a very realistic option that I think we could be seeing this offseason. I don't know if Ogletree would want to even come to Washington, well, because of the whole rivalry. However, if the pay is good enough then I believe he will come. Dallas would be crazy to let him go but if they do then we have to make this guy an offer.

Danny Amendola - St. Louis Rams - 27 - 5'9" - 188 lbs. - 2012 Cap Hit: $1,972,000 - Danny Amendola is another realistic Free Agent that we could pursue. He is a speedy receiver with pretty good hands and he can get open. He totally burned our defense on back-to-back plays in Week 2 this year and played a huge part in our defeat against the Rams. He hasn't had a season with over 1,000 yards in his career yet. That definitely wont stop the Redskins from taking him into consideration. He wouldn't break the bank if we were to sign him, either. I think it is very possible that the Redskins go after Amendola this offseason.

Austin Collie - Indianapolis Colts - 27 - 6'0" - 204 lbs. - 2012 Cap Hit: $565,000 - This would turn out to be a very exciting signing for the Redskins. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie were teammates at Indianapolis and now, they could become partners again in Washington. I would love to see that happen, especially because Collie has a lot of talent. However, he has been plagued with head injuries and has been working to prevent injuries like that with special types of helmets. In 2012 he ruptured his patella tendon and was put on season-ending injured reserve. It seems likely that the Colts will release Collie because of his past injuries. If that does happen, Redskins will have to make an offer. Collie has a pretty small contract and wont be drawing all that much attention due to his injuries. The way I look at it is, why not? He wont cost that much and the guy can produce on the field when healthy. He had 500+ yards in his first 3 seasons with the Colts. He is another one of those guys that really hasn't reached his full potential yet. He can, however, if he manages to stay healthy. I would love to see Collie in a Redskins uniform next year, and I think Garcon would, too.

I can envision the Redskins signing one of these guys during the offseason. I would really like to see them sign Austin Collie or Kevin Ogletree. Those two would be the best decisions given the situation that we are in. I can see the Redskins continuing their search for a true number two Wide Receiver.

Updated Redskins Mock Draft 2013

2nd Round - Phillip Thomas - Strong Safety - Fresno State - 6'2" - 210 lbs. - I've changed my mind about taking Phillip Thomas in the 3rd. We want a playmaking Safety and that is exactly what Phillip Thomas is. He can be our starting Strong Safety for 2013 and that will allow us to release Meriweather who has been plagued by injury. I used to believe that Thomas would slip to the time that we pick in the 3rd round but I just don't see that happening anymore. Thomas is a talent that we simply cannot pass up. He hauled in 8 interceptions his Senior year and returned 3 of them for touchdowns. We need that kind of playmaking ability on defense. I also believe that the Redskins will pick up a Free Safety in Free Agency so whoever they pick up there can be paired up with Thomas. That would be a very dangerous Safety tandem. People will knock Thomas and say that he only played well because he plays in a small conference but I don't listen to that. If you can play football, then you can play football. Remember Alfred Morris? People knocked him all over the place because he came from a small conference and guess what? He finished 2nd in the league in rushing only behind Adrian Peterson. Not only do we want Thomas, he wants us! Thomas has been a Redskins fan since he was playing Nintendo 64 at 6 years old. He always played as the Redskins and imagined that he was actually on the team. Well, this April during the Draft, he could be hearing his name called in the 2nd Round by the Washington Redskins.

3rd Round - Blidi Wreh-Wilson - Cornerback - Connecticut - 6'1" - 192 lbs. - Since I believe that we will pick a Safety in the 2nd round then it makes sense to pick up a Corner in the 3rd. Wreh-Wilson could very well be a starter in this league and with a year or two of development could be a very great player. He will also have a good coach in Raheem Morris. He has good size for a corner and can cover pretty well. We already have Richard Crawford who has shown his stuff this season with an interception and a game winning punt-return. We also have Chase Minnifield coming back off of injured reserve and he was lighting it up in practice camp before he got injured. Why not add to that depth at corner? We want to build as much talent as possible underneath Wilson and Hall so we can have adequate replacements after they leave. If we do end up cutting Hall then Wreh-Wilson, Crawford, or Minnifield could all be starters if we needed them to be. He can also be a leader on this team because he is a good character guy and was voted a team captain at Connecticut.

4th Round - Jonathan Cyprien - Free Safety - Florida International - 6'0" - 209 lbs. - The Redskins better hope that everyone else passes on Cyprien by the time they pick in the 4th because this will be a steal. I used to have us taking a Linebacker at this spot in the draft but we can bring a lot of talent to our secondary with this pick and the other two previous picks. Cyprien plays at a school in the Sun Belt Conference and could fall under the radar for other teams. He has pretty good size and is a hard hitting Safety from what I have seen and is not afraid to get physical. Kind of like a LaRon Landry 2.0. If the Redskins end up not getting a legitimate starting Safety in Free Agency then Jonathan Cyprien and Phillip Thomas could also make for a very good Safety tandem. They are both good, young, talented players. Hopefully the Redskins see it my way and focus on the secondary with their first couple of picks.

5th Round - Jelani Jenkins - Inside Linebacker - Florida - 6'0" - 230 lbs. - The Redskins need to find some depth at the Inside Linebacker position. With Fletcher most likely leaving after 2013, it makes sense to build as much talent underneath him as possible. Started two games at the beginning of his Senior season at Inside Linebacker but then injured his thumb forcing him to miss 3 of the next 4 games. Despite the injury, Jenkins still managed to get 29 tackles for the season. Jenkins has also managed to stay consistent with sacks and interceptions throughout his college years. He's gotten 2 sacks and 1 interception every year since his Sophomore season. Jenkins seems like he can be a pretty good player in the NFL and he could slip to us in the 5th round.

5th Round - Sio Moore - Outside Linebacker - Connecticut - 6'1" - 240 lbs. - Like I said, the Redskins need as much depth at Linebacker as possible. Sio Moore is a good prospect with good size and if Jackson leaves, can be a nice backup for Orakpo. It's very possible that Moore is gone before the 5th. It wouldn't surprise me if he is gone by then. However, if he is still available then the Redskins have to take him. I think the 5th Round is the round where they should focus on filling in the depth at Linebacker, obviously. It wont happen in the early rounds, and the later rounds is a possibility but it is more of a reach. It is possible that we see a Linebacker taken in the 6th or 7th but the 5th round seems like a better bet for talent right now.

6th Round - Brandon Kaufman - Wide Receiver - Eastern Washington - 6'4" - 214 lbs. - I just came across this guy and he could be another 6th Round gem for us in 2013. At first, all I really noticed was his size. Then I took a look at some of his game film and I was really impressed with his play. Then I took a look at his stats and they were very, very impressive. I don't know if anyone else has heard about this guy but he should be someone that the Redskins consider drafting. I might even go as far to say that we draft him in the 5th Round because this guy is great and he could fall under the radar for many teams. In 2012, Kaufman hauled in 93 receptions for 1,850 yards. That is 19.9 yards a catch. He also scored 16 touchdowns in his Senior season. I don't care if he is from a small school. Like I said before, if you can play football, then you can play football. While I was watching some of his film I noticed that he isn't afraid to go after the ball and make the catch. Not only does he have incredible size but he has good speed to create separation from the defender. Having this guy on the team could help out a great deal.

7th Round - Manase Foketi - Right Tackle - West Texas A&M - 6'5" - 320 lbs. - This pick could really go anywhere. I believe that the Redskins will select a Right Tackle some time during this draft. They could take a chance on a guy from a small school like they did last year with Tom Compton. Foketi has good size and we can groom him just like we have with Compton. We may not even have to draft a Right Tackle because they might address that position in Free Agency. I don't see the Redskins drafting a Right Tackle in the early rounds either so this pick makes sense. It doesn't really have to be Foketi. They will draft whoever they feel is the best Right Tackle on the board. It is almost impossible to predict who a team will draft in the 7th round. This is just my best guess.

So there you have it. My updated Redskins Mock Draft. Let me know what you think!