Wednesday, May 22, 2013

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!
 
 


Monday, February 11, 2013

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!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

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!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

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!



 

Saturday, February 2, 2013

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.






Monday, January 28, 2013

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!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Offensive Linemen that are probably on the Redskins' Draft Boards

Let me start off by saying that I think it is unlikely that the Redskins do pick a Right Tackle in the early rounds of the draft unless they absolutely fall in a love with one of their prospects. However, if there is nobody else available worthy of a 2nd round pick (which I think there will be) then the Redskins could pick a Right Tackle. It all depends on who else is available by the time they pick in the 2nd round. There are some very nice looking prospects at Right Tackle in the 2nd this year and I can't say I would be upset if they did end up picking up a Right Tackle. After what happened to RG3 this year the Redskins are going to do everything in their power to help protect their franchise Quarterback. The only position on the O-Line that could use an upgrade is Right Tackle so maybe they will address that where we don't expect it. Lets take a look at some of the guys that have a chance to be on the team next year.


Lane Johnson - Oklahoma - 6'6" - 303 lbs. - In Johnson's Senior year he played 11 games starting at Left Tackle but in his Junior year he started 12 of 13 games at Right Tackle. So he can play either position. Obviously we would be using our other Oklahoma star Trent Williams to start at Left Tackle. Johnson hasn't always played on the Offensive Line. He actually played Tight End at the beginning of his Sophomore season and then was switched to Defensive End. He even played Quarterback at Kilgore College before transferring to Oklahoma. He seems like a pretty versatile player just like our very own one-man-gang Lorenzo Alexander. Johnson would be a nice pick-up and could really help protect RG3.


Oday Aboushi - Virginia - 6'6" - 310 lbs. - Aboushi has great size and could be a great addition to the Offensive Line. I have a feeling that he could come right in and play at a high level. He wouldn't have to travel far to play with the Washington Redskins either. Aboushi was an early selection to go to the Senior Bowl which means he is playing at the highest level at his position. I wouldn't mind having a guy like this on our team. He also played defense in High School and recorded 70 tackles and 7 sacks. So if needed in an emergency, he could play on defense. I have even seen some people have the Redskins taking Aboushi in the 2nd round. It isn't likely but they just might do it. It wouldn't be the first time the Redskins have done something we weren't expecting. Remember when we drafted Kirk Cousins?


Ricky Wagner - Wisconsin - 6'6" - 320 lbs. - Another prospect with good size and talent. In his Junior season Wagner started every game at Left Tackle but he is listed as a Right Tackle. He can play either Left Tackle or Right Tackle but we will be using him as a Right Tackle if we draft him. I think he is another guy that can come in and contribute right away.

In my opinion there will be guys at other positions available when we draft. We will most likely be looking for Cornerbacks and Safeties. We are lucky because the pool goes pretty deep for defensive backs this year. If all of them are taken, however, then we just might end up drafting a Right Tackle in the 2nd round.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Cornerbacks Who Will Be Available in the 2nd Round


Jordan Poyer - Oregon State - 5'11" - 190 lbs. - Poyer is probably my favorite Cornerback prospect going into the draft. He is a playmaker and is a big utility player. He can play as a return man and he can light it up on defense. He has pretty decent size and can start in the NFL right away. Lets take a look at his stats. In his Senior year at Oregon State he made 51 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also made 7 pass deflections and 7 interceptions. He didn't play as a return man much during his Senior year but before that when he returned kick he averaged around 25 yards which is pretty good. We probably wouldn't be using him as a return man if we drafted him. Crawford is set to be the guy returning punts and Niles Paul has done a pretty good job of returning kicks. Poyer is also majoring in elementary education and that makes me think that he is a guy with pretty good character. There is definitely a ton of upside in drafting Jordan Poyer with our 2nd round pick if he is still available.


David Amerson - North Carolina State - 6'2" - 193 lbs. - Amerson is one heck of a prospect. If he was selected by the Redskins in the 2nd round I don't think you would hear a complaint anywhere. The guy has tremendous size so he is able to go up and snatch the ball out of the air, making him a good matchup for any big receiver. If you don't believe me when I say he can go up and get the ball, then check out his stats from 2011. To start off he made 59 tackles which is a good amount. He also made 1.5 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery but his number of interceptions in 2011 is what really impressed me. In 2011 Amerson hauled in 13 interception for the season. That is averaging 1 interception every single game. If you have a guy on your team that can create that many turnovers then you have struck gold. Due to his size and performance, Amerson could very well be gone before the Redskins pick in the 2nd round but if he is still there, then it would be an amazing pick-up for the Skins.


Desmond Trufant - Washington - 6'0" - 185 lbs. - Trufant doesn't impress me as much as Poyer and Amerson but he could still end up being a guy that the Redskins pursue in the 2nd round. His stats don't impress me all that much and neither does his game film. He has stayed consistent with interceptions throughout his college career, however, logging at least 1 interception each year. Aside from that in his Senior year he made 36 tackles which isn't too impressive either, 1 sack, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble and recovery, and 9 passes deflected. He can probably be a pretty good corner with some work. He has two cousins, Isaiah Trufant and Marcus Trufant who also play in the NFL. Like I said, I don't think he has as much star talent as Poyer and Amerson, but to be honest this could be the only guy that falls to the Redskins. Then I think the decision would be, "do we draft Trufant or should we draft the Safety Phillip Thomas?". If it comes down to this I have a firm belief that they will go with Thomas over Trufant. Drafting Trufant wouldn't really be an instant upgrade and that is what we are looking for in this draft.

If the Redskins do plan to draft a corner with their 2nd round pick then this is definitely the year to do so. I think Poyer, Amerson, and Trufant could all come in and instantly contribute. Plus, if they plan on drafting a corner early on then they can think about cutting Hall and using his contract money to sign a different secondary play like a Free Safety or a Right Tackle or maybe even both if they play their cards right. I think 2013 will be a great year for the Redskins. I know they will be bringing in a lot of talent through this Draft. Who is your favorite prospect at Cornerback going into this Draft?

Will London Fletcher be Back Next Year?


 A question that has been on a lot of peoples mind since the start of the offseason is "will London Fletcher be back next season?". Will Fletcher want to play just one last season as a Washington Redskin? I think so. I don't think he was completely satisfied with the way the season ended even though the Redskins went on a 7-game winning streak at the end.

The way the last game went just didn't seem like the last game for him. There were emotions everywhere and Fletcher still looked like he was fired up especially after breaking up the Williams/Sherman "fight". That same fiery attitude will probably carry into the 2013 season where Fletcher will finish his career.

I think London Fletcher will feel a lot more content finishing next year rather than this year too. I believe 2012 was just the start of something great in Washington. It was the start of the RG3 era and everyone was just getting used to everything. Now everybody knows what we are working with and we know for sure what we can do. I mean just go through some of the teams that we've beaten this season. We have beaten the Saints, Buccaneers, Giants, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Ravens, and more. The Redskins are a good team and they know it, the whole NFL knows it. Mark my words, London Fletcher will return for an even bigger 2013 season for the Washington Redskins.

Sebastian Vollmer, Anyone?


So, rumor has it that Sebastian Vollmer could be on his way to Washington. It's nothing legitimate but I have heard and read that there are a lot of Redskins fans that would be excited about him coming to Washington. Sebastian Vollmer is the starting Right Tackle for the New England Patriots and is credited with protecting Tom Brady. That is a pretty huge job, Tom Brady is thought to be the best Quarterback in the league by some. He is an unrestricted Free Agent this offseason and could be on his way out of New England due to some back problems. He is listed at 6'8", 320 lbs. so he is just about as big as our current Right Tackle Tyler Polumbus but with a greater skillset. He is also 28 with 4 years of experience in the NFL so he has plenty of years left in him. However he isn't even making over 1 Million a year in New England. We could offer him a deal that includes around 2.5-3 Million a year for 3 years. It might have to be more than that since New England could still be interested in keeping him. It's not like he is downgrading teams either. The Redskins are on the rise and the Patriots are slowly but surely going into a slump. If he likes the way the Redskins performed in 2012 and thinks there is opportunity here then I think he would make the decision to come here. We would have to offer a good amount of money though and it would have to be played carefully because Right Tackle isn't the only position they have to address in Free Agency. This would be a great investment for the Redskins. What does everyone else think? Do you think the Redskins should pursue Sebastian Vollmer? Is there another Right Tackle in Free Agency better suited for the job?

Big Decisions the Redskins Must Make this Offseason


Keep or Cut DeAngelo Hall? - There has been a lot of talk about DeAngelo Hall these past few years. There are big question marks around him whether its about his play or his character. Lets evaluate his play first. I will defend any one of my Redskins players no matter what. DeAngelo Hall is definitely not a bad player. His contract just does not match up with his level of play. He is due 7.5 Million dollars and I can almost guarantee that he will not be getting that much from us next season. Hall had an okay season in 2012. He started to tighten up during our 7-game winning streak. He had 4 interceptions, 68 tackles, and even got the first sack of his career I believe. It would be good for the Redskins to keep Hall for a reduced price. Hall even stated that he is willing to re-work his schedule to be able to stay on the team. Maybe they will re-work his deal somewhere around 3 Million. That would save us about 4.5 Million dollars and that would be a pretty big sum of money considering the cap hit we are taking this offseason. Sure, D-Hall has some character issues but we are just going to have to live with it because one day I think Hall will show us we made the right decision by keeping him. He can create turnovers and is a physical corner so I don't see the problem in keeping him and re-working his deal. On the other hand we could just cut him and save 7.5 Million dollars. Would it be worth it? I think it would only be worth it if we put that money towards another secondary player.


Should We Pursue Rob Jackson? - Rob Jackson took Brian Orakpo's place after he tore a pectoral muscle in week 2. He would be the starter for the rest of the season and boy, did he fill in nicely. He even did some things that I don't think Brian Orakpo could have done. He only had 26 solo tackles but he had 4.5 sacks, 6 passes deflected, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 touchdown. I don't know about anyone else but he is the kind of guy that I would want to have on my team. He is a Free Agent now and the Redskins have to decide if they want to re-sign him or not. He will definitely want more money than he is getting now. I think Jackson wants to start and he will definitely not be starting at Right Outside Linebacker if he comes back, that is Orakpo's job. What if we tried to convert him to a Middle Linebacker though? He could lose some weight and then after Fletcher leaves we could have a legitimate Middle Linebacker ready to take his place. I guess it is a possibility. I just don't want to see a talent like Rob Jackson walk away like that.


Should We Re-sign Fred Davis? - I would love to see the Redskins re-sign Davis and his suspension in 2011 and injury in 2012 should lower his price. He is a great Tight End and I think he can bounce back from all his problems in previous years. We should just go ahead and sign him to a long term deal. Sure, Logan Paulsen performed nicely in Davis' absence but he doesn't play at the same level of Davis. I do, however, think that the Redskins should also re-sign Paulsen. Having two Tight Ends who can catch, run, and block pretty well is great. You cant let talent like Fred Davis just walk away. If we let Davis go we cant just draft another great Tight End. Before Davis went down earlier this season he had 24 receptions for 325 yards and he was RG3's favorite guy to throw to. I don't see the Redskins letting him walk.

Fresno State Star Strong Safety Phillip Thomas Wants to be Drafted by the Redskins


Phillip Thomas played Strong Safety for Fresno State and judging by his stats and game film has been very successful at his position. Growing up as a kid, Thomas liked the Washington Redskins. He wanted to play as them all the time when he played his Nintendo 64. He would even imagine himself on the team while he was playing. I think that he will be available come the time to pick for the Redskins. If he is still available then I have to believe the Skins will pick him up. Thomas seems to be very excited about the idea of coming to Washington and playing for us. Let me tell you why I think it's very possible that Thomas will be on this team next year. In his Senior year he totaled 84 tackles and 12 of them were for a loss. He also had 4 sacks, 8 interceptions, 3 touchdowns, and 4 forced fumbles. It seems to me like this guy can do it all. If you don't believe the stats then you can go right on Youtube and watch him play. Given all of this AND he wants to play for us? He can have an awesome career here in Washington. Will he be a 2nd Round pick or a 3rd Round pick? If he does fall to the 3rd Round, will the Redskins trade up to get him. He could just slip all the way to the time we pick in the 3rd Round. I don't know how it will happen but I do know for sure that the Redskins will have struck gold if they drafted Phillip Thomas.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Wide Receiver Prospects the Redskins are Looking at in the Early Rounds

 

Terrance Williams - Baylor - 6'1" - 190 lbs. - Terrance Williams is the most exciting prospect going into the draft for me right now. He was Robert Griffin III's go to guy at Baylor and he would continue that trend here in Washington. The question is, will he fall to the Redskins? He is a first round talent and could very likely go in the first round long before the Redskins pick which will be late in the second round. Williams is not listed as the number one Wide Receiver in the draft, that title belongs to Keenan Allen. However, Williams could turn out to be a huge playmaker on offense. He has decent size and could play opposite of Pierre Garcon. Plus, he already has that chemistry with RG3 from playing with him at Baylor. Here's another fun fact. In 2012 Williams caught 97 balls for 1,832 yards averaging 18.9 yards per reception. If he falls to the Redskins, you better believe they are going to snatch him right up.
 
 
Robert Woods - USC - 6'1" - 184 lbs. - Woods could also be another great addition to the team. He had a productive Sophomore year with 111 receptions for 1,292 yards. Let's be honest too, it would be pretty cool to have Robert throwing Robert the ball. Woods also seems like a good character guy. He spent 5 days in Haiti with 15 of his other teammates building homes for people and helping the locals. He sounds like the kind of guy that you would like to be around. Would the Redskins spend their 2nd round pick on him if he were to fall to them? Maybe. It all depends on who else is available. Robert Woods probably isn't the first guy on their list but he is a talented player who could turn into RG3's go to guy in the future. You can expect that, if most of the talented defensive backs are gone and aren't worth a 2nd round pick and Woods is available, then they will probably be willing to draft him with their 2nd round pick.
 
 
DeAndre Hopkins - Clemson - 6'1" - 200 lbs. - Another great prospect for the Redskins. He is expected to go just a little higher than what the Redskins are hoping for. With all of the guys that are expected to go high in the 2nd, you have to wonder that at least one of them will fall to us. I don't think any of them will disappoint either. Hopkins also had impressive stats in 2012 with 82 receptions for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is the kind of productive receiver that teams look for and there just seems to be a lot of them in this draft. Like I said, one or more of them will probably fall to the Redskins in the draft. The only question is, will they be willing to spend a 2nd round pick on a receiver over a defensive back?
 
 
Justin Hunter - Tennessee - 6'4" - 205 lbs. - I can see Justin Hunter being an elite receiver when he comes into the NFL. He definitely has the size to become one. He has dealt with some injuries in his college career but I don't think that takes anything away from his talent. If he were to fall to the Redskins I don't see why they wouldn't take him. He would easily be the biggest receiver in the whole receiving group. Pierre Garcon is only about 6'0" so Hunter would compliment him well. Can Hunter stay healthy though? If yes, he can be a huge contributor on offense. If no, he can be another Jammal Brown situation at a lower scale. The guy definitely has talent though. In 2012 he caught 73 passes for 1,083 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is another productive receiver who I would love to have on the team.
 
 
Aaron Dobson - Marshall - 6'2" - 205 lbs. - Dobson could end up being taken late in the 2nd or early in the 3rd. Dobson has not been as productive as the receivers previously mentioned. He does have elite size though. In his 2012 season he caught 57 passes for 679 yards and 3 touchdowns. He is more of a reach but he can be developed into a nice receiver. It may not be as likely for the Redskins to select him with a 2nd round pick but if he falls in the 3rd then it could be a possibility.
 
 
Quinton Patton - Louisiana Tech - 6'2" - 195 lbs. - Another interesting prospect is Quinton Patton. He is a productive wide receiver with very good size. With all of the other well known wide receivers that play in big conferences, I believe that Patton could drop to the middle of the 3rd round. It is also very possible that he goes as early as the late second also. In 2011 he caught 74 passes for 1,135 yards. Any receiver with over 1,000 yards and a decent amount of catches is good in my book. He could possibly fall to the Redskins in the 3rd round and if he does then I cant help to think that they will draft him at that point.
 
 
Da'Rick Rogers - Tennessee Tech - 6'3" - 215 lbs. - Da'Rick Rogers was kicked off of the Tennessee football team for failed drug tests. He could be a possibility with the Redskins 3rd round pick. He has enough talent to be a first round pick. I think this would be a good pick in the 3rd round. I don't think drugs would be much of a problem for the Redskins locker room. There is just too much of a positive attitude in there to not be able to overcome something like that. Trent Williams apologized for his drug violation in 2011 and looks to be a bigger, better person. I think the same thing can happen for Da'Rick Rogers. Before he was suspended by Tennessee he caught 67 passes for 1,040 yards and 9 touchdowns. That's good production for a projected 3rd round pick.
 
 
Cordarelle Patterson - Tennessee - 6'3" - 205 lbs. - Last but not least is Cordarelle Patterson. That's right, another Tennessee product. They sure are cranking out some good receivers this year. Patterson is no exception. He has great speed, great size, and can catch the ball. What more can you ask from a receiver? In 2012 he caught 46 passes for 778 yards and 5 touchdowns. He may not be as productive as some of the other receivers listed but he would definitely be a great 3rd round pick for the Redskins and would be another great weapon for RG3.
 
I would be happy with the Redskins drafting any of the Receivers listed. My favorite prospect by far is Terrance Williams. I just think it would be awesome if the Redskins could reunite RG3 with his former go-to guy. The Redskins may not take any of these guys. Whatever they decide to do and whoever they pick will benefit the team in some way in 2013.


Looking at all Possible Redskins Free Agent Targets at the Defensive Back Position


Jairus Byrd - Free Safety - 26 - Unrestricted Free Agent - 2012 Total Cap Hit: $1,070,000 - Judging by the way Byrd has been playing throughout his rookie contract he will be looking for a pay raise. The Bills have not been doing very well as of late and since he is an unrestricted free agent he could be looking to go somewhere else. The 10-6 Redskins could be appealing to the young Safety. They are on the rise and made an appearance in the playoffs. They need help at Safety and Byrd could be the guy to give them all the help they need. He is the kind of ballhawk that we need in the secondary. In 2012 he hauled in 5 interceptions, made 76 tackles, and recovered 2 fumbles. He has 4 years of experience under his belt and is only 26. That age fits the profile of Mike Shanahan's draft strategy. He likes to draft guys that haven't quite reached their prime yet but have a lot of potential. Kind of like what he did with Pierre Garcon. The Redskins will probably be going after Byrd this offseason.
 
 
 
Louis Delmas - Free Safety - 25 - Unrestricted Free Agent - 2012 Total Cap Hit: $1,747,000 - Delmas is another very intriguing prospect that I think Mike Shanahan will seriously consider. He had a knee injury going on for most of the 2012 season. This could drop his value a little bit but by the way he plays he will probably be asking for a lot. Detroit is another team that really didn't perform well in 2012 and Delmas could be looking for a change of scenery. He seems like that kind of fiery defensive back you would like to have on your team. He plays with emotion and has good instincts. He is still very young at the age of 25 and has a lot of potential. I definitely would not mind having Delmas on our team. Like Byrd, Delmas also has 4 years of experience in the NFL with him. His stats fell in 2012 due to injury but he still managed to bring in 1 interception and made 38 tackles. However, in his rookie campaign he made 90 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery. One of those interceptions he returned for a touchdown and he also returned the fumble recovery for a touchdown. It's one thing if you have a guy that can create turnovers and give your offense the ball back. It's even better if he can score without even making the offense come onto the field. If the Redskins decide to sign Delmas or Byrd, expect a long term deal in both scenarios.
 
 
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - Cornerback - 26 - Unrestricted Free Agent - 2012 Total Cap Hit: $3,123,750 - DRC is just flat out a beast. He has been playing in the same division as the Redskins for 2 years now so we have gotten a good look at his talent. Of course, in 2012 we didn't see much of anything aside from RG3. DRC knows the Eagles defense pretty well at this point and it would be a huge mistake for Philly to let him go but with Chip Kelly running the show as the Head Coach he could be considering letting him go. If he does then I couldn't see why the Redskins wouldn't offer him a long term deal to play corner. They would be able to release Hall to save 7.5 Million dollars too. So whatever we offer DRC doesn't have the full potential to kill us in cap room. In a perfect world, what if we were able to pull off the signing of DRC and a trade for Darrelle Revis? Our secondary would be seemingly unstoppable. I would love to at least have DRC on the roster. In 2012 he had 51 tackles, and 3 interceptions, and that was on a 4-12 Eagles team. The whole teams morale was lowered which affected the players individual play. If he could play alongside a pumped up Redskins defense in 2013 it could really pay off well.
 
These three guys will probably be top priority for the Redskins this offseason. My favorite prospect out of all of them is probably, well, who am I kidding? I like all of these guys and I hope at least one of them lands on the roster for the 2013 season. We will most likely only be able to afford one of them if we want to keep some money for other depth Free Agent signings. They will all be looking for big bucks and we just don't have a whole lot to spend with the $18 Million dollar cap penalty. Whoever we get should be able to contribute in big ways in 2013.
 



Darrelle Revis to Washington?


So has anyone heard about the possibility of the Jets getting rid of their best player? They are going to be shopping Revis around this offseason to see if they can get something from him. Most of you probably know about the horrific season the Jets had and I guess that are looking to change the whole roster. Might as well start with getting rid of your best player right? Well I read up on it and Revis is coming off of an ACL injury. This could lower his value just a tad but when healthy, Revis is arguably the best corner in the league. His contract next year is worth 6 million and Washington's own DeAngleo Hall's contract is worth 7.5 million. Hall doesn't play at the level of Revis and he is about two years older. Cutting Hall and trading for Revis would make sense financially but it seems that we just don't have enough draft picks to trade away. We don't even have a first round pick until 2015. Lets just look at this a couple of different ways. It isn't impossible for the Redskins to acquire Revis through a trade. Everyone knows about the Quarterback situation in New York. Mark Sanchez had the worst season of his life and Tebow-Mania is most likely going to be packing his bags to leave this offseason. All potential starting talent at Quarterback is gone at that point. The Redskins have 2 starting caliber Quarterbacks. What if (and this is a huge what if) we were to offer Kirk Cousins and a 2nd round pick or a combination of lower round picks? The Redskins front office is no stranger to dealing picks and players like that. How much of an impact could Revis make on this team? If we play our cards right we could maybe even pull off a deal that included trading Kirk Cousins and some picks for Revis and Tebow. Is it really that bad of an idea? We would need someone to be Griffin's back-up and Tebow really isn't a bad Quarterback, he just needs to be used correctly. Tebow can also be mobile and in my opinion would be a reliable back-up. Plus, Tebow is another guy with great character and could bring a lot of positive emotion to the team with him. He is another leader who took the Denver Broncos to the Divisional round of the playoffs in 2011 and won the Heisman in college. I would not be surprised if one of these trades were to happen and I can't say I would be upset with them either. It would be one heck of a trade.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Reviewing and Grading the Redskins' 2012 Draft Picks


The Redskins' 2012 Draft Class played a huge part in the teams success this year. I know RG3 is probably the first thing that rings in your head when you think about this draft class but lets take some time to evaluate the rest of the talent that we acquired through this draft.

1st Round - Robert Griffin III - Quarterback- Do I even really have to say it? RG3 was the player behind it all. He brought confidence and emotion to Washington. He brought versatility to the offense with his dual threat Quarterback abilities. RG3 is known for his ability to scramble outside the pocket but he can also stand tall in the pocket and make great throws. It all changed after the Ravens game when his leg almost bent completely in half due to a nasty hit from Haloti Ngata (however you spell it). This injury happened outside the pocket so the offensive line cannot be blamed. Luckily, the injury only turned out to be a grade 1 knee sprain and RG3 only needed to wear a brace for the closing weeks of the regular season and the post season. His playing performance decreased significantly after that injury though. He just wasn't the same player with that knee brace on and he could not run the same. It got a whole lot worse during the Wildcard round of the playoffs. RG3 slipped on the turf after a botched snap and his leg bent in an awkward position. The Redskins nation later found out that he tore his LCL, ACL, and a had a minor medial meniscus tear. RG3 had to undergo total knee reconstruction. We as Redskins fans are just left hoping for the best now but I believe he will be back by the start of next season. Aside from the injuries there were a lot of bright moments during the season for RG3. In his first game against the Eagles he threw for a perfect QB rating. He torched a lot of teams this season and I expect him to do it again next season.
Final Grade: A+



3rd Round - Josh LeRibeus - Guard - LeRibeus really didn't see too much playing time this season. It kind of surprises me that they didn't use him too often. The Redskins had to start LeRibeus for the Wildcard round of the playoffs against the Seahawks because Lichtensteiger suffered an ankle injury. LeRibeus filled in nicely and it was only his first start against a great defense. He played very well and I can see him being the starter at Left Guard for the future. In fact, he could be starting as soon as next year.
Final Grade: B


4th Round - Kirk Cousins - Quarterback - When Washington selected Kirk Cousins everyone was asking the same question. Why would the Redskins draft another Quarterback in the 4th Round if they already sold the farm for RG3? That question was answered in Weeks 14 and 15. Cousins had to come in after RG3 got injured late in the Ravens game. He was within scoring range. He tossed a couple passes and then hit Pierre Garcon in the corner of the end zone for 6 points. The Redskins were still down by 2 points so they were going to have to go for the 2 point conversion to tie the game up and take it into overtime. Kyle Shanahan called for a designed QB run that the Ravens were not expecting and Cousins ran it in for the 2 point conversion, tying the game. The Redskins went on to win that game in overtime. Cousins also started the game in Cleveland. He broke RG3's single game passing record with 329 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Not a bad day for the back-up. Here's the thing. Cousins is a starting-caliber Quarterback. He will be starting for a team at some point in his career. I don't think he is going to be a back-up for long and if he shows more great play next year like he did the past year, he could be gone as soon as the 2013 offseason. However, for right now I like him staying with our team. RG3 needs to show that he can avoid big hits before we trade Captain Kirk. When the time comes to trade Cousins though, I think he can fetch a first round pick or two 2nd rounders.
Final Grade: A


4th Round - Keenan Robinson - Middle Linebacker - I liked Keenan Robinson coming to the Redskins. When I saw his gameplay I knew that he could be a great player for this team. It is a shame that he got injured mid-season and was placed on injured reserve. I think this pick marks the beginning of the search for a player to replace London Fletcher when he decides to retire. Don't get me wrong, I think it will be very hard to truly replace London but Keenan is learning and he seems like he has a lot of potential. He is also learning from the best. He could be the starter for the future if he performs well next season and can avoid big injuries. Like I said, he is a good player and I wouldn't mind if he started for us when Fletcher leaves.
Final Grade: B-

 
 
5th Round - Adam Gettis - Guard - I don't really know how I feel about this pick. Adam Gettis didn't see any playing time aside from preseason. He will not be a starter any time soon in my opinion. He is backing up Chris Chester and he will be our starter for the next couple of years. I think Shanahan just brought him on the roster for depth. I cant really say anything bad or good about him. Hopefully I get to see more of him next season.
Final Grade: C
 

 
6th Round - Alfred Morris - Running Back - We all know how this one is going to go. I don't think many people expected Alfred Morris to have the amazing season that he did. After the draft I went back and watched gameplay videos of all the players that we drafted. I saw that Morris was a very hard runner and didn't go down easily. People knocked him though because they said he was from an easy conference. I didn't believe that talk though. I knew Morris would be a great runner for us. I didn't know that he would rush for over 1,600 yards in a season, trailing only Adrian Peterson. Alfred Morris was a gem that I am so glad we found. He will be our guy at Running Back for a long time. He is also a player with very good character. He has a positive attitude and never stops working. That is what makes him great in my opinion. We may not have achieved all that we did this season if it weren't for Morris.  
Final Grade: A+
 

6th Round - Tom Compton - Tackle - We haven't seen much from Tom Compton this season but I have a feeling he will play a bigger role next season. He spent almost all year on the practice squad then was bumped up to the 53-man roster towards the end of the year. With Tyler Polumbus expected to be replaced for the starting Right Tackle job, Compton could be the guy. Mike Shanahan expressed his confidence in Compton and said that "he will be with us for a long time". Compton will be cheap and he could another 6th round gem for us. After a year of grooming I think Compton could be ready to start. He may not play at a higher caliber than Polumbus in 2013 but he definitely has a higher ceiling of potential. Oh yeah, did I mention that he can squat 700 pounds?
Final Grade: C+


7th Round - Richard Crawford - Cornerback - Richard Crawford showed a lot of promise this season. I think he could be a starter in the NFL. In his rookie year he hauled in an interception and set up an overtime game winning field goal with an incredible punt return against the Baltimore Ravens (shown above). Sure he got beat some of the time but you can expect that from a rookie 7th round pick. The way he played this year with limited time you would think he was a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Like I said, I think he could be a starter and hopefully he starts for us some time in the near future. A lot of people are calling for DeAngelo Hall to be cut and 2013 is Josh Wilson's last contract year. Richard Crawford could be getting his chance as soon as 2014, maybe even 2013 if the Redskins decide to release Hall and Wilson for cap room. I don't see that happening because the Cornerback squad would be very inexperienced if that were to happen but crazier things have happened.
Final Grade: B


7th Round - Jordan Bernstine - Cornerback - Didn't get to see much from Bernstine this season. He was injured very early in the season. I don't know what will happen to him next year. It all depends what Mike Shanahan sees in him. He needs to prove that he can stay on the field long enough to be a contributor. If he can play well in preseason in 2013 then you can expect to see him on the 53-man roster next year. If not, he probably will not make the cut. I am not one to give a bad grade due to injury so he will remain an average pick for me. Hopefully he can come back next season and show what he's got.
Final Grade: C

As you can see, the Redskins had a whole lot of picks this past year and a lot of them turned out to be great. As of right now the Redskins have 7 picks in the 2013 draft. Not as many as last year but still a good amount of picks to be able to fill some holes. The way the Redskins front office is, don't be surprised if we see some trades going on before the draft hits!