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May Happenings; Roster Review

Ah, May. The weather warms up. School gets out. The days get longer. And the NFL hibernates.

That’s okay though, at least for the time being. Sure, the players, agents, coaches and executives may be taking a lot of time off right now before going back to work and making critical preseason decisions. This is a perfect time to speculate about what those decisions could entail.

Currently, the Redskins have listed 89 players on their roster. Though this number includes the non-roster minicamp invitees, I feel like I can confidently forage through the numerous replacement level talents in camp and project the final 53 man roster.

2008 Redskins Roster (Projection)**

**Cuts/practice squad players are non bolded.

Quarterbacks

Jason Campbell
Todd Collins
Colt Brennan
Sam Hollenbach
Derek Devine

Running Backs

Clinton Portis
Ladell Betts
Rock Cartwright
Marcus Mason
Eric Shelton

Fullbacks

Mike Sellers
Nemo Broughton
Pete Schmitt

There won’t be any surprises in the offensive backfield. Apparently the team doesn’t plan on keeping more than three running backs. One would figure that if there was going to be a 4th runner kept, they’d open up the competition to include more than just two possible candidates. Neither Mason nor Panther castoff Shelton is a threat to beat out any of the incumbents, but injury could change the circumstances.

Wide Receivers

Santana Moss
Antwaan Randle El
James Thrash
Anthony Mix
Malcolm Kelly
Devin Thomas
Burl Toler
Billy McMullen
Maurice Mann
Horace Gant

The biggest surprise here is would be that I feel the Redskins will keep six receivers.  At this point, it doesn’t look like James Thrash is going to get released.  Perhaps he is in a camp battle with Anthony Mix for the 5th spot, but the Redskins would benefit financially, and from a PR standpoint, if Thrash were released before June 1st.  I’ve felt all along that Thrash was a good bet to make the team and that isn’t going to change now.

It’s Mix’s spot that will be up for grabs with players like McMullen and Burl Toler trying to jockey for it, but Mix just appears to have the upper hand at this point.

Tight End 

Chris Cooley
Fred Davis
Tyler Ecker
Todd Yoder
Jason Goode

Todd Yoder was signed as a stopgap midway through the 2006 season when Christian Fauria’s career really, really needed to be put down.  He joined Vernon Fox as the two Redskins of the second Gibbs era who saw it through to the end after starting the 2006 season out of football.  While there is evidence that Fox’s career may continue (Pierson Prioleau just signed in Jacksonville) in Washington, Yoder’s might have run it’s course.  Clearly, as evidenced by the Fred Davis pick, Jim Zorn values the Tight End position in a way that Al Saunders never did.  Tyler Ecker probably does more for this team than Yoder does right now, and don’t rule out that UDFA Jason Goode lasts longer in camp than Yoder.  Ecker is going need to stay healthy and have a great camp to make the final cut.

Offensive Line 

Chris Samuels
Jon Jansen
Randy Thomas
Pete Kendall
Casey Rabach
Jason Fabini
Chad Rinehart
Stephon Heyer
Andrew Crummney
Todd Wade
Kerry Brown
Justin Geisinger
Devin Clark
Tavares Washington
Kyle DeVan

This one is just a tough call.  The starting 5 are locks, as well as is 3rd round pick Rinehart and 2nd year Stephon Heyer.  Fabini is a near lock.  That leaves one spot, and frankly, though Todd Wade is going to get every chance to protect his roster spot…I think the team is going to get really freaked out about lacking a backup Center.  UDFA Crummney is in line to land a roster spot so long as he can adapt inside at the Center position.

If no one grabs Kerry Brown off waivers, he’ll get first dibs at Fabini’s vacated spot in 2009 after spending a year on the Redskins practice squad.

Defensive Tackle 

Corneilius Griffin
Anthony Montgomery
Phillip Daniels
Kedric Golston
Lorenzo Alexander
Ryan Boschetti
Matthias Askew
Jonathon Mapu

Defensive End 

Andre Carter
Demetric Evans
Chris Wilson
Alex Buzbee
Rob Jackson
Kevin Huntley
Tommy Davis
Dorian Smith

Yes, I did just list Daniels as a DT.  Sue me.  In all honesty, this camp battle is going to come down to Buzbee vs. Boschetti — two guys who play different positions.  The winner will be heavily dependant on Phillip Daniels playing elsewhere.  I think he will be moving predominately inside, so Buzbee will get the nod.  And no, Lorenzo Alexander won’t actually play any defensive tackle.

If, back in 2005, I hypothetically suggested that the Redskins would replace Daniels and Wynn at ends with names like Carter, Wilson, and Buzbee, you probably should have punched me in the face.  Yet, here we are.

Linebackers

London Fletcher
Marcus Washington
Rocky McIntosh
H.B. Blades
Khary Campbell
Rian Wallace***
Danny Verdun-Wheeler
Curtis Gatewood
Matt Sinclair
Bryan Wilson

***I need a disclaimer here.  Wallace gets the nod in this projection, but the Redskins are going to scour through free agency and the trading block for some LB depth.  There is just too much of an injury risk here, and the team was very reliant on Randall Godfrey last year, who is now retired.  Maybe they trust HB Blades in the Godfrey roll, but they still should be looking to add some castoff here.

Khary Campbell’s job is hardly safe.  He’s a special teamer exclusively, so if Gatewood or Verdun-Wheeler has a great camp, Campbell might have played his last game as a Redskin.  Also, that would make your Authentic #17 “J. Campbell” jersey a bit less authentic, so be sure to pull extra hard for Khary in camp!

Cornerback

Shawn Springs
Carlos Rogers*
Fred Smoot
Justin Tryon
John Eubanks
Leigh Torrence
Byron Westbrook
Matteral Richardson
Cedrick Holt

*I don’t know the exact rules here with the PUP list, but if Rogers can’t go at the beginning of the season, Leigh Torrance’s career may last 4 games longer than it otherwise would.

Out of the plethora of practice squad players that the Redskins trotted out as nickel backs last year, it’s John Eubanks that has the best shot of making the team.

Safeties

LaRon Landry
Reed Doughty
Kareem Moore
Vernon Fox
Chris Horton
Patrick Ghee
Eddie Jackson

The Redskins used two late round picks at this position, which suggests to me that they are planning on keeping 5.  While Eddie Jackson and Patrick Ghee could push Fox or Horton, neither is expected to.

Long Snapper

Ethan Albright

And it’s…the Red Snapper in an uncontested landslide!

Kicker

Shaun Suisham

This is a bit more controversial.  Suisham performed well last year…but the way that Suisham was found sort of proves how easily a guy like him can hit a cold streak and cost the team a critical game.  It would be nice to have someone else familiar with the team if they need to make a mid season kicker change.  This would be a great opportunity to get a rookie kicker some NFL exposure.

Punter

Durant Brooks
Derrick Frost

This won’t be much of a competition.  Frost is a legitimate NFL punter, but he’s about as fringe as that category gets.  He ranks 31st overall in net punting average among active players.  The Redskins — who aren’t even bringing in competition for their kicker, spend a 6th rounder on a Punter.  If he doesn’t totally bomb in the preseason, he could be the Redskins’ biggest upgrade this off-season.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 19th, 2008 at 1:27 am and is filed under Washington Redskins Offense, Washington Redskins Off-Season, Washington Redskins Defense. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.