You can reach me by email at rtandler@comcast.net
Offense:
QB’s (3) – Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell
This makeup of this trio was preordained when on draft day when the Redskins
took Campbell in the first round. Ramsey starts, Brunell will back up and
Campbell will be the emergency quarterback.
RB’s (4) – Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Nehemiah Broughton, Rock Cartwright
There was a lot of speculation that Broughton and Cartwright were fighting for
one roster spot, but it became apparent a few weeks ago that both would make
it. Cartwright is on because of his special teams prowess and Broughton because
the team needs a power back to pick up those pesky third and one situations
that have plagued the team last year.
WR’s (5) – Santana Moss, David Patten, Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash,
Antonio Brown
As he so aptly demonstrated during the Ravens game, Brown is still a project at
wide receiver. In releasing Kevin Dyson, the team is taking a gamble here that
Jacobs can stay healthy and productive. He should be back at practice on
Monday.
TE’s/H-backs (4) – Robert Royal, Chris Cooley, Mike Sellers, Brian Kozlowski
It appeared all along as if the Redskins would keep five players here, but
Manuel White Jr.’s broken leg changed the plans. White probably would have been
a game-day inactive for most of the season anyway as he was having a tough time
with the transition from college running back to NFL H-back. Kozlowski beat out
Robert Johnson, who has more physical talent but less experience, for the last
spot here.
OL (9) – Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Ray Brown, Jim Molinaro, Cory Raymer, Lennie Freidman
Before camp started, few would have bet much on the chances of both Raymer and
Freidman making the final cut; the team didn’t need two backup centers,
especially two somewhat pricey veterans. Freidman, however, saved both of their
jobs by making himself valuable as a backup at both guard spots and as a tight
end in “heavy jumbo” package situations. Molinaro is happy that players are
judged on what they have done throughout OTA’s and camp, not just on their
latest performances. On Thursday, he was hapless in pass protection.
Defense
DL (9) – Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Joe Savale’a, Demetric Evans, Ryan Boschetti, Nic Clemons, Cedric Killings
Oddly, Killings was probably the main beneficiary of Manuel White’s injury. It
appears that the slot freed up by the team carrying only four TE/H-backs went
to the defensive line. He’s made the tour of the NFL with stops in San
Francisco, Cleveland, Carolina, Minnesota, the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe and a
coule of stints with the Redskins. Nic Clemons played better and better as camp
progressed and he makes it after two years on the practice squad.
LB’s (7) – Lavar Arrington, Marcus Washington, Warrick Holdman, Lemar Marshall, Zach Keasey, Chris Clemons, Khary Campbell
The single biggest surprise was that Keasey, an undrafted rookie out of
Princeton. In the season preview here, I said that, “It would be an interesting
story if a Princeton product could make a cut or two, but it’s unlikely to
happen. History has shown that winning the Poe-Kazmaier Trophy as Princeton’s
best on the gridiron doesn’t do much for you in the NFL.” Maybe the coveted trophy
did not help, but his hard hitting and great hustle certainly did. Keasey didn’t
really “beat out” Robert McCune, the team’s fifth-round draft pick who was
released as McCune is a middle linebacker whereas Keasey nominally plays the
outside. Even though Gregg Williams says that every LB has to learn the Mike
position, this probably means that the team is counting on Holdman to move to
the inside and back up Marshall once Arrington is back in the starting lineup.
CB’s (4) – Shawn Springs, Walt Harris, Carlos Rogers, Ade Jimoh
In a conversation I had with Jimoh in training camp, he stated flatly that he
hoped that he contributed more the team on special teams and not on defense. Most
Redskins observers agree with that statement wholeheartedly. Truth be told,
most gave him no shot at making the final roster. The fact that he’s there
means that a). Gibbs is dead serious about his commitment to great special
teams play and b). Gregg Williams believes that he can scheme to minimize the
impact of a weak nickel back, at least for a game or two. All it would take is
one corner being nicked up for “Uh-Oh” Jimoh to become the team’s nickel back.
S’s (5) – Sean Taylor, Matt Bowen, Ryan Clark, Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire
Bowen (knee, chest) and Clark (knee) have been in and out of the lineup for
much of the preseason so Stoutmire’s nickname should be “Allstate” as he is on
the roster as insurance. If and when the coaches decide that Bowen and Clark
are fully healed, Stoutmire could be let go to make room for another cornerback
or receiver.
Specialists
LS (1) – Ethan Albright
He had the most job security on the team; not a single challenger or backup was
brought in.
K (1) – John Hall
He dusted off the surprisingly weak challenge of Jeff Chandler early. He
appears healthy and ready for a good season.
P (1) – Andy Groom
It was apparent early in camp that Groom has an NFL leg, but the thinking was
that the coaches’ comfort level with incumbent veteran Tom Tupa would mean that
Groom would be displaying his talents elsewhere. However, Tupa hurt his back
and the door opened for the younger kicker. His stock soared as he kicked well
in two preseason games, displaying both power and good direction on his kicks.
It dropped as the team brought in veteran Chris Mohr, who, after one
unimpressive practice got a one-game tryout after Tupa was placed on injured
reserve. The decision the coaches had to make was if they wanted to sacrifice a
degree of comfort when it came to holding for Hall—Mohr has been doing it for
years in difficult conditions in Buffalo—for the added distance on punts that
Groom would bring. They went with the leg and will trust that Groom’s hands
will get the job done as the holder.
