Redskins Set Final Roster

Saturday night, the Washington Redskins decided who would be on the final roster, and of course, there were a few surprises.

The biggest surprises for me were on the offensive side with the decision to cut offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges as well as undrafted rookie quarterback Chase Daniel in order to keep young offensive linemen D'Anthony Batiste and Edwin Williams.

I thought for sure Bridges would make the final cut, with the lack of a veteran lineman to jump in if any injuries were to occur, but the team decided to get younger at the position (which the needed to) and keep two younger guys instead. The cutting of Daniel was a risk, as the team seemed to greatly desire him on the practice squad, but he has already signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad and is probably forever out of the Redskins system.

On the defensive side, linebacker Robert Thomas was cut in favor of cornerback Byron Westbrook. Thomas seemed a good candidate for the team because he was a veteran player who would contribute on special teams. Vinny Cerrato, however, felt Westbrook played his tail off in the preseason, could perform on special teams, and deserved a spot.

So the 53 are set, and all that's left is the season to start this Sunday against the Giants of New York at 4:15. Should be a great one.

Roster Down to 53 Today

With the start of the season only a week away, the Redskins finally have to decide who is coming into the season with them, and who is going to get sent packing.

There were several people fighting for their jobs throughout training camp, but it seems like it's fairly obvious what the team is going to look like. There are always surprises, and I'm by no means an expert on this stuff at all, but this is what I think it's going to look like.

3 Spots: Special Teamers (50 left) The easiest spots to give away are the special teamers. Punter Hunter Smith and long snapper Ethan Albright had their spots locked up when training camp started, but the kickers had to fight for it. The fight was clinched Friday night by Shawn Suisham when he nailed 48 yard field goal against the Jaguars. Hopefully he can keep it up all season.

On the offensive side, I used some detective skills to find out from Jason Reid that Vinny Cerrato plans to keep 25 plays on offense. That makes choosing these guys a little less difficult.

3 Spots: Quarterback (47 left) Jason Campbell will start for his second full year in Jim Zorn's offense, and Todd Collins will be right behind him if anything unfortunate were to happen to him. Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel have been slugging it out all offseason, but with growing concerns over injuries and erratic play in the red zone, Brennan will be on the outside looking in. He may be kept on the team, however, if they decide to put him on the injured reserve list, which would end his season.

4 Spots: Running Back (43 left) Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are going to have to work together real well for this team to go anywhere, but they're the one-two punch for this team; atleast for now. Marcus Mason should be kept on the team, and could challenge Betts for playing time as the season progresses. Rock Cartwright will be returning as well as a key contributor on special teams.

1 Spot: Full Back (42 left) Mike Sellers, enough said.

5 Spots: Wide Receiver (37 left) It looks like Santana Moss and Malcolm Kelly will be the starters, and with good reason. Moss is a beast, and Kelly has shown that he is determined to get in the starting spot and keep it. Randle El will work the slot, and Devin Thomas should be a big deep threat. The fifth spot goes to my man Marko Mitchell, who I've been watching all offseason. He's shown up in all the preseason games, but he'll have to keep working hard to have it carry over to the regular season.

3 Spots: Tight End (34 left) Chris Cooley should be making another trip to the Pro Bowl this year. Fred Davis has performed well during the preseason, but still makes mental errors. Todd Yoder is a consummate professional and will help this teams a lot on special teams.

9 Spots: Offensive Line (25 left for defense) The starting unit is set (from left to right): Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Stephon Heyer. There were a lot of questions about this unit entering the season, and they came out and performed above expectations. The big concern now is what happens if any of these guys go down. The primary backup will be Jeremy Bridges, with Chad Rhinehart right behind him. The last two spots I struggled with, but it'll probably be Will Montgomery and Mike Williams. Montgomery has shown the ability to play center and guard, something line coach, Joe Bugel, loves. Williams is on, well, because there's really no one else.

4 Spots: Safety (21 left) The team didn't bring anyone new in to challenge for these spots because they are stacked as it is. Laron Landry and Chris Horton will be the starters, but Reed Doughty and Kareem Moore should see plenty of playing time since the team loves playing three safeties.

5 Spots: Cornerback (16 left) This unit could make or break the defense. DeAngelo Hall and Carlos Rogers will be the starters, but after them there are several big question marks. Fred Smoot isn't getting any younger, but Justin Tryon and rookie Kevin Barnes may be too young. These three will have to step up their games with the season finally here, or pass happy offenses will pick right through them.

9 Spots: Defensive Line (7 Left) The starters upfront will undoubtedly be Phillip Daniels, Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin and Andre Carter. These guys should be monsters this season, especially since they can stay fresh while defensive coordinator Greg Blatche rotates several proven players off the bench. Renaldo Wynn, Kedric Golston, Anthony Montgomery, Lorenzo Alexander and rookie Jeremy Jarmon make up that list, and should all be ready for plenty of playing time.

2 Spots: DE/LB Hybrid (5 Left) I wasn't sure where to put either of these guys, so they get their own category. Rookie Brian Orakpo is going to dominate from defensive end, and he seems to be making strides at linebacker so expect him to be on the field a lot this season. Chris Wilson also made the switch from defensive end to linebacker, and has made the switch look easy. He's still extremely fast off the edge, and has the speed and agility to stay with players in coverage.

5 Spots: Linebacker (Can I have your playbook?) London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh will be on the field the most, starting along side Brian Orakpo. H.B. Blades is very reliable, and will be the first guy off the bench if anyone needs a breather. Robert Thomas will stay on the team as a trusted veteran. The last spot will go to a rookie linebacker, and the other the team will try to add to the practice squad, but I think they keep Chris Henson. He's shown up on special teams, and the team needs help there.

Alright, that's what I've got. What does everyone else think?

New Face at Wide Receiver

The Redskins shook up the race for the fifth wide receiver position Wednesday with the addition of D.J. Hackett.

After Roydell Williams suffered a broken finger, it was important for Vinny Cerrato to bring in a replacement quick. Cerrato had previously looked at Hackett, and this was finally the time to bring him in.

Hackett, 28, is well versed in the West Coast offense, playing in the system during Jim Zorn's last three years in Seattle. This gives him a huge upper hand over his competition, two rookies (one undrafted) who are just learning the offense, all the while adjusting to the speed of the NFL.

With this advantage, Hackett should push for a roster spot. He looked quick at camp, and made some solid catches, even in the rain. He feels at home in this system, which should allow him to relax, go out, and show his stuff.

Wide Receivers Battling for 5th Spot

As training camp starts to really get going, there a few positions with some roster spots open. A position where a younger guy stands a chance at earning the spot is as the fifth wide out.

After the release of James Thrash this off season, a huge hole was left and the team brought in several players to challenge for the spot. From what I saw at camp Saturday, rookies Marko Mitchell and Keith Eloi, along with four year veteran Roydell Williams look like they are leading for the spot.

Of this group, Eloi stood apart from the others. He held on to one throw while he was falling, and seemed to run his routes with a little more speed than the others.

This will be a competition worth watching. Last year Vinny Cerrato kept all of his draft choices, so it would seem Mitchell has the inside track to a roster spot, but if Eloi keeps making catches like he did Saturday, they're going to have to take a long look at him.

Any Shot at the Super Bowl?

So is this finally the year? Will the Redskins finally make the trip fans have been longing to see for so many years? Is the Super Bowl even in their sights?

Well, everyone has a chance at the beginning of the season, so why no the 'Skins? But if they're going to do it, these three things have to happen.

#3 Jason Campbell will have to show improvement

Jason Campbell is entering his second season as the starter under head coach Jim Zorn's version of the West Coast Offense. This will be the first time Campbell will be in the same offense as the starter for two years in a row, and should be ready for a much improved season.

Campbell already knows the offense, allowing him to play and react rather than think everything through. The progress of second year receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas will also be critical to his success, having few reliable receiving options last season.

#2 The defensive has to dominate, especially in the trenches

The saying goes, "Defense wins championships," and Vinny Cerrato has seemingly upgraded a defense that ranked 4th in the league last season. He replaced two injury riddled veterans, Sean Springs and Marcus Washington, with the two highest draft choices the team had.

The defensive line is deeper than it's ever been, with free agents Albert Haynesworth and Renaldo Wynn joining an already formidle group including Andre Carter, Cornelius Griffin, Anothony Montgomery and Kedric Golston. Returning to this group is Phillip Daniels and draft choices Brian Orakpo and Jeremy Jarmon.

With these players rotating in throughout the game, it will be very different for opposing lines to stop them from reaching the quarterback. This will create sacks and turnovers, which could slot this defense at the top of the league.

#1 Clinton Portis and the offensive line have to stay healthy and hungry

With the addition of Derrick Dockery, the left side of the line should definitely be the strength. When Dock last played next to Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels, Clinton Portis had had his highest yardage total as a Redskin.

The key for these guys is making it through the season. Playing along the line, injuries are going to happen, but the line slowed down in the second half of last season. They seemed to lose their edge; their hunger. The big guys up front know what happened last year, and seem determined to prove they are better than they appeared last season.

If the 'Skins can pound the ball, and Campbell keeps his throws between 20 and 25 times a game, they could be in a position to any game they enter.

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.

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.

Redskins Roster Review: Special Teams

As free agency approaches, I'm going to take a closer look at the Redskins three units: special teams, defense, and offense.

Special teams has long been an area of weakness for the Redskins, and the arrival of Jim Zorn did nothing to change that. In 2009, the unit ranked 21st out of 32 teams in punt return average, 28th in punt coverage, and dead last in field goal percentage.

Something, obviously, needs to change.

The first thing they need to do is to find someone, anyone else to return punts instead of Antwaan Randle El. His main focus needs to be on playing wide receiver, and he hasn't contributed returning the ball like he used to. Instead of making a defender miss and racing down the field, he often dances around in one place, rarely making any significant gains.

Another change that needs to be made is at the punter position. The low ranking of the punt coverage unit is a direct result of the lack of a consistent punter. The Redskins cut Derrick Frost in favor of rookie draft choice, Durant Brooks, who was replaced mid season by Rian Plackemeir. Plackemeir showed some improvement during the season, but was inconsistent, and was cut after the season.

Danny Smith, the special teams coordinator, has been praised by both current head coach Jim Zorn and former head coach Joe Gibbs, but he has never been given any punters with significant skills to work with. The only punter currently on the roster is Zac Atterberry, who has never even played in a regular season game. Obviously, there needs to be a punter with experience added.

Smith also has not been given a consistent kicker to coach up. Shawn Suisham showed promise towards the end of the 2007 season, but posted the lowest field goal percentage in the league this past season. Suisham will be a restricted free agent this off season, and it is expected that the Redskins retain him. They can't solely rely on him, though. Some form of competition, whether it be an undrafted rookie or a veteran, has to be brought in to at least push Suisham to get better.

The kick return and coverage units, on the other hand, shined last season, both ranking in the top ten. Special teams captain Khary Campbell was a major contributor to these units. He becomes a free agent this off season, but the Redskins need to look to retain him. He has been here a while, knows our system, and plays hard every week. He can also be a suitable plug on defense at linebacker when he is needed.

There are a few things Vinny Cerrato, vice-president of football operations, has to look at in the coming weeks, but will he take the steps necessary to improve? In recent years, it seems that Cerrato hasn't taken a long enough look at improving special teams in the offseason. There are often young, unheard of players coming in the door, and walking out a few months later. How about bringing in a veteran with some staying power for a change?

I know this may be asking a lot considering the considerable salary cap bind the Redskins are in, but most of the games the Redskins find themselves in, they are losing or winning by less than a touchdown. These games are often decided by special teams. Whoever wins the field position battle and gets a few field goals through the uprights often finds themselves with the all important "W" at the end of the game. If the Redskins could generate some longer returns off punts, pin their opponents inside the 10-yard line, or even hit some makeable field goals, they could get a few more "Ws" next season.