Vick to the 'Skins?

Things have been rather slow at Redskins Park since the draft. The roster is essentially set for the training camp, and the players are preparing themselves for the upcoming season.

It's kind of nice to see things quiet around there for once, but fans want to stir the pot by throwing Mike Vick's out as a possible addition to the roster.

I say let's do it!

I mean, obviously, it would be a great addition to the team. Jason Campbell needs to be pushed, and bringing in Vick, who was just released from a 23-month jail term, would be great for that. I mean, he's had two years off from football, that's gotta be good for his legs.

I can see where you might say he maybe hasn't thrown a football during his time in the joint, or at least to an NFL caliber receiver, but who cares?! Vick was an elite passer during his 6-year career, posting a phenomenal 53.8 completion percentage over his career. Since the West Coast offense needs an accurate passer, this should be an upgrade from Campbell's lousy career numbers.

Vick may be most known for his passing abilities, but he also has the ability to break long runs at any moment. He should be poised for a breakout season after resting his legs for so long, there should be no problems there either.

Pretty much, this is a no brainer. Amazing arm, big play potential, and I didn't even have to touch on his leadership qualities. I would not be surprised if the team contacted Vick as soon as he's reinstated to the league. He's the quarterback we've been waiting so long for.

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.