Since there seem to be some taking exception to the brevity with which I expressed a couple of my opinions in today’s Injury update article, allow me to elaborate a little in this blog, and hopefully clear some of the air.
Malcolm Kelly, and why I think he’ll NEVER see the field as a Redskin again…
What good can come of it? Think about it, if you’re the Redskins do you put him back on the field and risk that he gets hurt again and you’re on the hook for his salary? Or even worse, he doesn’t get hurt and looks all world, and then you’re forced to think about dumping one of the receivers on the current roster.
Nothing can be gained by letting him play in the final preseason game regardless, and both parties know that. Kelly will force the Redskins hand if he’s still on the shelf, because they can’t waste a roster slot on a guy that isn’t playing, and has a history of his regular seasons seeing as much active duty as this training camp did.
If he gets a clean bill of health before the final cut-downs, I think he’ll be cut immediately. If he doesn’t get healthy, I think an injury settlement will be reached, and Kelly will still get his walking papers at the final cut-down. Either way, Kelly’s days in Washington are over. Just one guy’s opinion, but I don’t see how the organization could go in any other direction. If we didn’t have such a strong stable of WRs, I might feel differently. But we do.
On why I think Brandon Banks will end up on injured reserve…
Yes I fully realize that Brandon is slated to return for the final preseason game, but I personally don’t think even that would prevent him from ending up on the IR. He wouldn’t be the first player, or even Redskin, to suffer a fairly non-descript injury that ended their season. Banks played one game, and then went back on the shelf – his knee may be improving – but it’s not hard to sell as an ‘issue.’
From the Redskins standpoint – you can’t let a playmaker like Banks go. He’s electrifying and arguably one of the team’s most valuable weapons – but only on kickoffs. Considering that 99% of the kickoffs this year are going to be touchbacks thanks to moving the kicking line up 5 yards, that drastically affects Banks’ ability to make game-changing impact. If he was an option at wide receiver, then I think we’d work him into the line-up regardless, but the fact that he is only a role player, and in a role that will be limited this season, it’s hard to justify the roster spot when you have at least five other receivers on it, maybe six. Moss, Gaffney, Armstrong, Hankerson are locks. Stallworth and Austin not locks – but one of the two will make it – maybe both. Niles Paul can be put on the practice squad, but is he safe there? That’s 7 wide receivers PLUS Banks, you just can’t accommodate them all.
I think in the end, Moss, Gaffney, Armstrong, Hankerson, Stallworth and Austin all make the team – but only 4 or 5 will be active each week. Paul goes to the PS, Kelly gets cut, and Banks ends up on the IR for 2011. The only option is to keep Banks otherwise, and that means getting rid of Stallworth in all likelihood – a good veteran player, that is arguably the best slot back-up to Moss. Still a possibility, but my hunch is still BB to IR.
Hopefully this blog keeps me from having to explain myself 140 characters at a time on Twitter. But feel free to hit me up there @TheHogsdotNet.
Hail!