2004 draft is history
2005 June 1st cap cuts are right around the coner
We still have work to do. Coming out of the draft, I look at the Redskins and wonder what this team will look like on September 11th 2005. There should be plenty of competition in camp this year and competition can only make our team better. Some starting positions are locked up. Like
Running Back…Clinton Portis will be back has our #1 RB
Offensive Tackles is set with Jansen and Samuels
Randy Thomas is INKED in at one Guard spot.
Casey Rabach shouldn’t be handed the starting Center spot but it’ll happen
ey at HB (won’t be any arguments here)
QB is set with Ramsey (no arguments here… 1 We all saw Brunell last year, and 2. Gibbs will not start a rookie)
Patten and or Moss will be starting on opening day at WR which will be the No.1 is still undecided but the question of the second receiver remains open.
On defense we look to have some holes with the free agent losses of Freddie and AP but those holes will work themselves out. There are at least 9 LB on the roster behind projected starters LA and Marcus Washington. The CB position has good depth but only one real starter (Springs). Walt Harris will be an adequate replacement for Smoot until younger guys step up. Cornelius Griffin will continue to hold down the middle of the D-line, but beyond that who knows…. Safety is set with Taylor and Bowen
That brings us back to the Camp competitions that we should see. I’ve identified the following positions as needing to be addressed Guard, Wide Receiver, Tight End, and Middle Linebacker. There will also competition for Punt and Kickoff return man and all positions will need depth. There is plenty to look forward to over the next few months and lots to debate.
So here we go…
Coming out the draft we have 1 quarterback too many, Gibbs loves QBs but not that much that he would carry 4. I think Tim Hasselbeck will be released at his own request but after the early June 1st cuts. Brunell will be the #2, unless another QB is picked up on the cheap. (Brunell’s release would free up $0.765 mil of Cap space after Jun 1).
We also have 4 centers on the roster. Rabach is a lock and unless something unforeseeable happens Ethan Albright won’t be going anywhere. That leaves Cory Raymer and Lenny Friedman both whom would provide cap relief (Lenny Friedman $0.650 mil versus Cory Raymer $0.975 mil) Friedman has a better shot here but only because he has played guard and this may help him. One will go but the competition will make the other better. (I’m thinking Lenny stays in the end unless someone like Josh Warner steps up).
For the past few years we have gone into camp saying Derrick Dockery will step it up. This year he had better be ready to go from day 1. Joe Bugel has given him a year and there are enough youngsters on the roster that can be groomed. I think Ray Brown was re-signed to be a back up only, but there are a lot of young guys on the roster that could get a shot
TE will be fun to watch because Gibbs offense asks a lot of the Tight End. Let’s not get TE and HB confused…
On second thought lets do get them confused, the best way to do that is to throw in a FB. Like the TE the HB has a lot to do in a Gibbs scheme but no on has more to due than the FB. As stated before
ey is the man at HB. Robert Royal ended the 04’ season as the starter and was doing a pretty good job. Kori Dickerson was signed to active roster a few times last year and Jabari Holloway was signed to compete. David Kashetta was effective as both a blocker or pass catcher at B.C.
We have at least 11 Receivers on the roster not including Gardner so everyone will be watching this. Patten will probably be the top receive because moss chose not to workout with his new QB. It wouldn’t surprise me if Taylor Jacobs finally steps up this year and Darnerien McCants may surprise us all. This competition will for EVERY WR pos. #1, #2, Redzone receiver and so on. Some seem to think Gibbs will keep Gardner well think about this Coles cost us $9 million because he didn’t want to be here and Gardner will save us $2.1 million if he’s gone.
That about covers the Offense for now.
Let’s look at the Defense
On the Defensive line it’s anybody’s guess. To go along with Griffin in the middle there is Joe Salave'a and question marks no real depth. Other than Ryan Boschetti we only have Brandon Noble who isn’t as dependable as we would like and he to would free up Cap space after Jun 1st ($0.540 mil) Some again we need our youngsters to step up
Defensive End is in more need than DT on paper (but only on paper). We have Renaldo Wynn who is consistent but getting up there in age and Phillip Daniels who can’t seem to stay healthy. Unlike at DT we have options here….
Demetric Evans and Ron Warner both got valuable playing time in Gregg Williams’s system last year, as did Nic Clemons. I could see Warner and Evans coming out the pre-season as the starters.
Middle Linebacker will be interesting; here we have Lamar Marshall coming off a very good year and possibly switching to inside this year, Brian Allen picked for special teams depth, and rookie Robert McCune all competing for a spot that should already be filled. Had Barrow been able to play at least part of last year Pierce would not have gotten the coverage that he did last year and we could plug him into the this year. My guess for starters here is just that (a guess). Looking up and down the roster I wouldn’t be surprised if we started Washington and Marshall on the outside and convert Jared Newberry to MLB but if Lavar is ready to walk the walk then we should be set with Washington, Marshall and LA.
There will other Camp battles also like
Chad Morton versus Antonio Brown… what about Moss and Betts
John Hall versus Jeff Chandler or Tom Tupa versus Andy Groom
Camp will be fun to watch for those of you that can make there but my question is this
Who do we get rid of come June 1st in order to free up cash to pick up others that can compete…..?
Here’s my short list and the cap space they would free up
Rod Gardner ……....$2.097 mil
Rock Cartwright …. $0.656 mil
Michael Barrow ….. $1.740 mil
Khary Campbell …...$0.455 mil
Brandon Noble …….$0.540 mil
Michael Sellers ….....$0.470 mil
Gardner is definitely gone ….doesn’t want to be here, don’t want here
Cartwright will be gone because of the number of coverage people brought in for ST and we did drafted a big back this year (Nehemiah Broughton)
Barrows should retire and join the staff
Campbell is caught up among a number of talented backups that will cost less; the same goes for Sellers
Noble may avoid being cut if it looks like he won’t have to go under the knife before the season ends.
For the record when going of the list of which players we could cut to free up money, I excluded some players because their salary cap number is not in the top 52 on the roster. The players left out of consideration were… Antonio Brown WR, Melvin Williams DE, Jabari Holloway TE, Joe Tuipala LB, Roosevelt Williams CB, Dan Goodspeed TE, John Simon TB/KR, Chris Clemons LB, Jeff Chandler K, Mark Wilson T, Jim Molinaro T, Dennard Wilson S, Brandon Barnes LB, Devin Lemons LB, Ryan Boschetti DT, Garnell Wilds CB, Rufus Brown CB
, Dahrran Diedrick RB, Kori Dickerson TE, Nathan Black WR, Josh Warner C, Pita Elisara T, Clifton Smith LB, Nic Clemons DE, Korey Banks CB, James Bethea CB, Maurice Jones LB, and Ben Nowland C
If some of these guy beet out some of the higher paid guys then that’s a plus….
There are others that could be added to the this list but I’m trying to start a conversation and not a argument
Some constructive criticism will be given some thought
