Positional Analysis: Running Backs

Starter: No doubt about half back, it'll be Clinton Portis. If anyone on the team is safe with their starting position, it's Portis. He's ruthless on the field, especially when pass blocking. He tries to pay back defenders for hits they've put on him. He gives everything he has while he's on the field. It's a great way to play, but also a great way to get injuries, which he usually plays through.

He's slowed down over the years, and doesn't break long runs. Upgrades on the O-line will help him get longer runs, but he has to make some stuff happen on his own. He also has to be willing to share the load so he can last the whole season.

Mike Sellers will be starting at fullback. He's feared as a run blocker and is an effective receiver. His biggest problem is taking care of the ball once he gets it, fumbling in a late game last year. He will hopefully be used more in the offense this year, but if the line is struggling blocking, he'll have to stay in to block more often.

Reserves: Ladell Betts will be the primary backup to Portis. Every year, the coaching staff talks about getting Betts more involved in the offense, but it never happens. I'm thinking this could be Betts last season with the team. He is effective as a pass catcher out of the backfield, but is getting older, losing speed, and becoming a less effective compliment to Portis.

Rock Cartwright is the third running back on the roster, but is really just a special teamer. After an injury to Betts, it looked like Cartwright's number would get called, but the 'Skins opted to bring in Sean Alexander instead. This was mid-season too after no one had wanted to come close to him previously. Alexander is now gone, but Cartwright does have a familiar challenger returning to battle him for the roster spot.

Marcus Mason was signed by the 'Skins after the draft after being released by the Jets. He has spent the last two off seasons with the Redskins and is familiar with the system. He has experience on special teams, and should pose a large threat to Cartwright.

At fullback, there usually hasn't bee backup on the roster, so the backup will probably land on the practice squad. Fighting for the spot are Jonathan Evans and rookie Eddie Williams. Both are very raw players and will have to learn and adjust to the system quickly. My gut would be to see Williams winning the spot merely because he was a draft choice. Last season, Vinny Cerrato kept all ten of his draft choices, even though some seemed to be beaten out. It will be interesting to see if he treats this draft class the same way.

Draft: Orakpo is First Selection

The draft has finally come and gone, and with their first selection the Redskins selected University of Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo.

PHEW!!!

Going into the draft, the 'Skins had been rumored to be in the mix to trade up so they could draft USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Though Sanchez has a great chance at being a top performer at this level, taking him would have set the Redskins back several years. They would have traded future draft picks and most of their picks of value this year, not to mention probably driving Jason Campbell to request a trade. But...they didn't...so let's just be thankful for that.

Instead, they got extremely lucky with Orakpo landing at the 13th pick. He was the elite pass rusher in this years class, but he brings much more than physical gifts to this team. At his introductory press conference Monday, he showed that his head hasn't ballooned with all the draft coverage he's been getting.

"It's a dream come true," Orakpo said. "Basically it's a great defense that I'll be a part of...these guys have been winning games without me. I just want to come in and help and keep this train rolling."

"I just want to show Redskins Nation that I am a guy who's here ready to work, come in humble, compete, and most importantly win." he said. "That's the most important thing."

And that's exactly what you want to hear from a rookie. He's a very skilled player who should shoot into the starting lineup, but to come in and think anything is guaranteed would be a mistake. The Redskins have a welcoming locker room, as long as you come in with the right attitude, and it seems like Orakpo should fit in just fine.

Positional Analysis: Pass Catchers

Starters: At wide receiver, Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El should be the starters, who alone will have trouble making any damage. Moss is a great receiver, but he's not a number one guy. He doesn't have the size to dominate larger corners or in the red zone. He is still very quick and can ruin a team down field if they forget about him, but since he's the only threat down field, they have him pointed out before every play.

Randle El is still a solid player, but he's most effective when playing in the slot, but as the number two receiver, he'll see a lot of time on the outside. He has trouble gaining separating and is no longer the deep threat he was when he was younger. He may be entering his last season as a starter in this offense with several young draft picks nipping at his heels.

Pro Bowler Chris Cooley will be the starter at tight end. He plays tough every down, always fighting for the extra yards, and does his part to get teammates open while blocking down field. He is probably the 'Skins biggest threat in the red zone, which teams are aware of, only allowing him one touchdown last year. Other players are going to have to step up this year to take away all the double coverage that goes Cooley's way.

Reserves: The 'Skins have a several young, raw pass catchers who have to prove themselves this year. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, both 22, were second round draft choices last year at wide receiver and both rarely saw the field last year.

Of the pair, Thomas saw the field more, but had little impact as he struggled with the playbook. Kelly was impressive during training camp last season, but missed eleven games because of injury, finishing the season with only three catches. Both players need to come in to training camp in peak condition prepared to make an impact this season, which is desperately needed.

In addition to the two receivers, tight end Fred Davis was selected in the second round of last years draft. His work ethic has been questioned, and he struggled to see the field last year. He is going to have to make big improvements this year to see more playing time.

There are two veterans that the youngsters will have to outperfrom in training camp in order to see the field. James Thrash, 33, has more experience in the West Coast offense than the other wide receivers. He blocks well down field and plays well on special teams.

The other veteran is tight end Todd Yoder. Yoder's name doesn't show up on the scorecard too often, but his role is mainly on blocking downs and special teams, and he does a heck of a job in that role. He doesn't worry about not getting receptions and does what the team needs him to to win.

Draft: Don't look for the 'Skins to use any draft picks at these positions. They used several picks for them last year, and it would be foolish not to use valuable picks on other positions that really need to get younger.

Positional Analysis: Offensive Tackle

Starters: Chris Samuels is the only sure starter at the left tackle position. He posted another great season last year, but started to wear down as the season went on. He seemed to have several nagging injuries that didn't allow him to perform to his highest capabilities as the season went on, even forcing him to sit out four games, including the last three. Samuels will be looking to prove that he is still a Pro Bowl player, and should come into the season in peak physical condition so he can make it through the whole season.

The right tackle starting spot should be a competition between incumbent starter Jon Jansen and Stephon Heyer. Jansen will be entering his eleventh season and has a lot of experience, but can't put a full season together anymore. He was solid in the first half of last season, but seemed to slow down in the second half. Heyer, 25, won the starting job during training camp last season, but lost it because of an injury during week 3. He should have a chance to win the starting job back this training camp as well.

Reserves: The main reserve will be whoever loses the battle between Jansen and Heyer. If Samuels goes down, expect Heyer to start at left tackle and Jansen to be on the right side. Heyer is a little quicker than Jansen, and would be better suited on the left side.

Also, look for the team to address this position in the draft. There are a number of prospects that could jump in and start for this team, and if the right person is available when the 'Skins are on the clock, this could definitely be a position they address.

Positional Analysis: Guards and Center

Starters: The starter at center will be Casey Rabach. He has become one of the most consistent players along the line, often blocking opposing defensive tackles one on one with considerable success. He still has decent mobility, but his greatest asset is the ability to make the proper protection changes before the snap. Though Jason Campbell took over some of those responsibilities last year, Rabach is still savvy enough to realise mistakes and point teammates in the right direction. If he goes down with an injury, the 'Skins could find themselves in a heap of trouble.

At left guard, newly signed Derrick Dockery will be starting. Dockery, who was originally drafted by the Redskins but spent the last two years with the Buffalo Bills, is hitting the prime of his career as he enters his eighth year in the league. He's a durable player, starting every game for the past 5 years, and staying healthy on this line is very important. He is great while run blocking, and should help sustain a running attack that tailed off as the season wore on last season.

Randy Thomas enters his seventh season as the starting right guard. He has noticeably started to deteriorate over the past few years, especially after a 2006 season where he was injured nearly the entire season. He has lost burst off the snap, but can still get the job done. He's only got a year or two left in his system, so the 'Skins better being looking for a youngster to groom behind him.

Reserves: The Redskins list all their reserves on the offensive line as "offensive lineman" since each could fill several different roles. A priority this off season should be grooming last years third round pick Chad Rinehart into a capable backup at the guard position. When he was drafted, he was projected to play either guard or tackle, but the coaching staff never had enough faith in him to give him a shot during a regular season game. With the left guard spot locked up for years to come, Rinehart's best option is probably to be groomed as the eventual replacement to Thomas on the right side.

Behind Rinehart are a bunch of no-name youngsters with limited NFL experience. This leads me to believe that the 'Skins are still looking to sign a veteran lineman. Joe Bugel, the offensive line coach, places great value on veteran players who can play several positions along the line, so securing a veteran for him could be key.

Last years starter at left guard, Pete Kendall, is still a free agent and the team has expressed interest in him. He has performed well at the left guard spot over the last couple seasons, but has started at center during his career, and the 'Skins currently don't have a player on the roster with experience at center. The solution currently would be to move right tackle Jon Jansen to center, which would make pretty nervous since he hasn't played there during his NFL career. This just puts more weight on the importance of Rabach staying healthy for all 16 games, or disaster could ensue.

Positional Analysis: Safeties

Starters: Laron Landry will be the only unquestioned starter, playing free safety. He has improved over his first two years in the league, even while playing away from the position he was drafted for, strong safety. He has the ability to drop back in to coverage and play center field while landing punishing hits on receivers who dare to go across the center of the field.

The starter at strong safety will be a close competition between 4-year veteran Reed Doughty and second year pro Chris Horton. Doughty entered last season as the starter, but his season was cut short with an injury, allowing Horton to step in to the starting role, in which he performed at a much higher level than expected. Both players play the run well, but can be exploited in coverage. Play during preseason games should decide the starter, but the other will be sure to see playing time with Greg Blatche's creative scheming.

Reserves: Kareem Moore will be the primary backup for Landry. Moore, a sixth round draft choice by the team last year, didn't see the field much last year as he had trouble grasping the playbook. His playing time should increase this year, but he will also be a solid contributor on special teams.

As training camp approaches, I wouldn't be surprised to see the team add a veteran to this group. Last year they added Mike Green to the mix, and he made good contributions while injuries were keeping players off the field. This is the youngest group on the team and there is no reason for them to address it during the draft.

Redskins 2009 Schedule Released

It's finally here, the 2009 schedule!

There's nothing to complain about this schedule, unlike last years when they played all their road division games in the first five weeks.

There's only on time where they have to play consecutive road games, which happens to be against NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Dallas. On the upside, the team plays back to back home games twice throughout the year.

The toughest stretch will be the last three games, playing the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at home, and the San Diego Chargers on the road. If the 'Skins accidentally find themselves in playoff contention at the end of the year, they will inevitably have to get several wins at the end to clinch, and all three teams will present considerable challenges.

The easiest stretch (if there is such a thing) may be weeks two and three when they play the St. Louis Rams, a team that surprised them last year with a heartbreaking loss, and the Detroit Lions, who set an NFL record with 16 losses last year. This could also be the hardest stretch if the 'Skins go into these games underestimating these teams, and find themselves in the loss column like they did last year.

Another perk in the schedule is that all the primetime games will be played at home, and against division opponents. The intensity is always kicked up a few notches for night games, and the 'Skins will need all the help they can get against the NFC East.

Positional Analysis: Cornerbacks

This off season began with a major signing to bolster the cornerback unit. DeAngelo Hall, who finished the second half of last season with the 'Skins, signed a long term contract to stay with the team during the first minutes of free agency. Hall, 25, has long been viewed as a big time playmaker, and that's exactly what this unit needs. He has a knack for finding the football, and even taking interceptions back for touchdowns.

Hopefully his counterpart, Carlos Rogers, will be able to learn from his example. Rogers has performed well as a cover corner, showing great strides last year after coming off a major knee injury, but has had trouble creating turnovers. The 'Skins ranked at the bottom of the league last year in turnovers, and if they want to make improvements, Rogers, 27, will have to be a big part of that. Rogersis set to be a free agent after this season, and if he is going to get the kind of contract he desires, he'll have to step up his game.

Behind the two starters, things are looking pretty grim. The veteran leader of the unit will be Fred Smoot, who is entering his 7th year with the team. He will be the nickle corner, but has very little experience playing this position which has much different techniques than playing on the outside. He can be easily exposed by defenses while playing on the slot, and could be a major weakness for the defense.

As if things couldn't get worse, behind Smoot there are no proven players. Justin Tryon, a draft choice last year, barely saw the field last year, and will be depended on a lot this year. It's only going to take one injury for this kids playing time to spike dramatically, and things could be scary if that happens. He has been critiqued for his lack of size and physicality, both qualities a nickle corner needs.

The fifth corner on the roster is Byron Westbrook, a graduate of local DeMatha Catholic High School. Westbrook has been on the practice squad the past two years, and should challenge Tryon for the fourth corner spot. It seems inevitable that he will make the team this year with the lack of players at this position right now. Westbrook is also undersized, but is a hard worker and will put the time in needed to get better.

With a huge lack of picks in the draft this year, it could be difficult for the 'Skins to address this position during the draft. They need players at this position, but there are much greater concerns to be addressed first. If there are a slue of injuries to this position, however, the team could find themselves in a hot mess trying to cover pass happy team.

Positional Analysis: Linebackers

At the linebacker position, the Redskins find themselves with a mix of veteran leadership as well as young, unproven players.

The leader of this unit, as well as the entire defense, is 12-year veteran middle linebacker London Fletcher. Fletcher, 33, lead the team in tackles last year and should be poised for a similar performance this year. He is viewed as an extension of the coaches while being on the field, making sure players are in the right places and on top of their assignments.

Starting at weak outside linebacker will be Rocky McIntosh. McIntosh, 26, is still young and improving. He took strides in the defense last year, finishing second on the team with tackles, but needs to find a way to make more impact plays for a defense that was at the bottom of the league in forced turnovers.

The starting strong side linebacker position is still up in the air. For now, it appears there will be a three way battle during training camp between H.B. Blades, Alfred Fincher, and newly signed Robert Thomas.

All three fit about the same mold: undersized big hitters who don't particularly fit the strong side too well. Blades and Fincher have a step up on Thomas having been in the system before, but Thomas is a veteran and will have every opportunity to challenge for the spot. However, these may not be the only players competing for the spot. With the draft around the corner, the Redskins could take a linebacker with one of their early picks to come in and challenge for the job.

Positional Analysis: Defensive End

Defensive end has long been a problematic position for the Redskins, and this season will be no different.

Andre Carter is returning to start at right end, and hopefully will have a greater impact with the addition of Albert Haynesworth in the middle. Carter is supposed to be the best pass rusher along the line, but only got three sacks last season. A bigger push up the middle and less double teams sent his way should up that total, but he is not the real concern along the line.

The starter at right end will have to be decided during training camp. After the 'Skins failed to re-sign Demetric Evans, who led the team in sacks last year, and releasing Jason Taylor, there was a huge void left.

Vinny Cerrato's plan to fill the empty spots? Sign two veterans familiar with the organization and defensive coordinator Greg Blatche's scheme, but both well out of their prime: Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn.

Daniels, 35, and Wynn, 34, both signed one year contracts close to the veteran minimum. Both fit the same mold of large, run-stopping ends with little ability to pressure the quarterback, and should split snaps. Blatche loves to rotate his linemen, and the rotation with these two will be monitored closely. Both are old and injury prone, and there aren't many reliable players behind them who can go in.

Backing up the starters is a group of unproven youngsters. Two players who fit essentially the same mold are Chris Wilson, 26, and Rob Jackson, 23. Both are undersized speed rushers that can easily be taken advantage of in running situations. Since they fit the same mold, the team will probably have to choose one to keep on the roster for the season.

Another youngster is Alex Buzbee, 23, who was out the entire season last year with an Achilles Tendon injury. He is still raw and unproven, and will have to fight for a roster spot.

With the draft coming up, look for the Redskins to target an end with either their first pick, 13th overall, or their third round choice, 80th overall. They have long needed to get younger at this position, and the time to do it is now.

Positional Analysis: Defensive Tackle

After all the madness with Jason Campbell, it's time to get back to reviewing the roster. Let's start with the big boys up front, the defensive tackles.

Heading in to free agency, the Redskins had been rumored to have interest in what many experts believed was the best player available, Albert Haynesworth. The Redskins signed him in the opening hours of free agency, and he adds to a group that is now arguably the deepest position on the defense.

Starting alongside Haynesworth will be 10-year veteran Cornelious Griffin. Griffin has been solid when healthy, but has his fair share of injuries over the past few years, though he often played through them. With Haynesworth now taking on the double teams, Griffin should be freed up more to be the playmaker he looked like when the 'Skins first signed him.

Backing up the two starters will be youngsters Anthony Montgomery and Kedric Golston, both 25. They both have seen a lot of playing time since being drafted four years ago, and I wouldn't expect to see a large decrease in their playing time with the addition of Haynesworth. Defensive coordinator Greg Blatche loves to rotate his linemen to keep them fresh, and he trusts both players to perform. Both, however, may be battling for a long-term starting position with the team, as Griffin gets in to the last years of his career.

The addition of Haynesworth has made the defensive tackle position better, but should also enhance other positions play. With a great push up the middle, defensive ends will get to the quarterback quicker, causing them to throw the ball sooner. Now, the corners won't have to cover their receivers all day, allowing them to make plays on the ball. The tackles will also eat up blockers on run plays, freeing linebackers to make more plays at the line of scrimmage. The upgrade at tackle was a shrewd move, and shoould prove beneficial right away.

Cutler to Chicago

The Chicago Bears ended up being the winners in the Jay Cutler sweepstakes, dealing quarterback Kyle Orton, along with two first round draft choices, and a third rounder. The Bears also received a fifth round choice in the draft.

The Redskins never fail to bring the circus to town, but I never expected Cirque du Soleil to be coming to town this year. Seeing the Giant Man sign a $100 million contract was just the opening act to a much greater show.

These trade allogations now place the Redskins in pretty much the same position the Broncos were in a month ago, trying to trade their starting quarterback, and failing. The biggest difference has been the quarterback's reaction. Campbell has been showing up for practice, not letting any of the show around him detract from his focus.

"I still went and worked out," Campbell told local reporters. "My teammates said, 'Jason, why are you here?' And I told them: 'I'm still the quarterback of this team until they get rid of me. You haven't seen the best of me. I'm not here for ownership. I won't miss days working out with you, and I won't miss time preparing for the season. Who knows? A trade may not work out.' "

And let's be happy it didn't. If every player on that team doesn't see that this guy isn't here for the money, or anything else other than to win, they'd be crazy. This situation, in some sick way, could help this time. A team always looks to their quarterbacks in times of despair, and right now their are seeing theirs in his lowest moment, and seeing him react with courage. This should be in the back of every players minds the rest of the season, and take any doubt out of their minds that he's ready to lead.

Trade at QB coming?

Newsdays's Bob Glauber reported today that the Redskins could be in the mix for a trade involving Denver quarterback Jay Cutler.

Please let him be wrong.

The trade would go against everything this organization has been saying they need to do to get back to the Super Bowl. They preach about consistency. They speak of a desire to minimize player overturn so everyone can grow together in the schemes.

NEWS FLASH: Trading for a new quarterback would be starting over...again.

Last year the 'Skins started over by hiring first time head coach Jim Zorn. Zorn, 55, brought his version of the West Coast offense with him, which the entire time had to learn. And in any offense, the quarterback has the most work ahead of him.

The man in this position, Jason Campbell, performed admirably in his first year in the new system, which was his third system in four years. He didn't throw an interception in the first 8 games, but also threw only eight touchdowns in that span. While playing behind a deteriorating offensive line, he never threw around blame and concentrated on getting himself better every week.

So what would be beneficial from trading a quarterback who performed well in a system and can only improve in it with more familiarity, for a quarterback that comes in with no knowledge of Zorn's system?

Well, Cutler, 25, does have a big arm. He also has been to a Pro Bowl. Furthermore, he's thrown a whopping 19 more touchdowns than Campbell, 27, over the last three years. What could this kid possibly be lacking?

Try character, a quality Campbell has shown many times throughout his career. He always has the team as his priority, not letting outside distractions (like these trade rumors) get in the way of doing his best. Cutler, on the other hand, is on the trading block because he can't get along with his boss, newly hired head coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels, the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots last season, reportedly tried to trade Cutler in a three way trade, receiving the Patriots backup quarterback, Matt Cassel, as compensation. Cassel, 26, was forced into the starting role last year after a season ending injury to famed starter, Tom Brady, and Cassel excelled.

The only guy McDaniels would have wanted to trade Cutler for was Cassel. He wouldn't have to teach a quarterback a new system, which, I'm not sure if you've heard, is kind of hard. McDaniels had to take a shot at it. The deal, however, wasn't struck and Cassel landed in Kansas City instead.

McDaniels reassured Cutler after this saga that he was their quarterback, and they would no longer be trying to trade him. Cutler responded by requesting to be traded while not showing up for the beginning of off season workouts, which is critical for quarterbacks to be at because they are supposed to be the leaders of their teams. Even if you aren't going to get along with someone at work, you can't bring everyone else down too.

Campbell, of course, showed up right on time.

I know many people don't have confidence in Campbell, but it's not all about numbers. It's about leadership and determination. Campbell has become a leader on this offense because he plays for his teammates. He hasn't had the luxery of starting in the same system for consecutive years, but has still performed well. With a full off season becoming more comfortable in the offense, Campbell is getting the consistency that he and this organization needs to succeed, and it would be ridiculous to give that up now.