With free agency and the NFL Draft fast approaching, Redskins.com breaks down the Redskins' roster position-by-position and identifies potential need areas. Today: Defensive ends.
At midseason last year, questions swirled at Redskins Park about the lack of quarterback pressure generated by the team's defensive line.
In Week 10 at Tampa Bay, the Redskins' defense was unable to sack Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms, allowing him to pass for 279 yards in a 36-35 loss. A week later, against Oakland at FedExField, the defense was held to one sack--by linebacker Chris Clemons--as Raiders quarterback Kerry Collins passed for 289 yards in a 16-13 loss.
How should the Redskins address the defensive end position this offseason?
Sign a top-tier free agent
Draft a rookie prospect
Add to depth
We're fine...Stand pat
Assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams kept encouraging his players.
"Each week, we hope to continue to get better in some of those one-on-one pass-rushing situations," Williams said. "Even when you pressure or blitz, you need to be able to win one-on-one pass rush situations."
Toward the end of the regular season, the Redskins' defensive linemen started to win their one-on-one battles regularly. The group was led by defensive end Phillip Daniels, who was dominant down the stretch, recording six sacks in the Redskins' final three games. He had a memorable four-sack performance in the Redskins' 35-7, Week 15 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Daniels finished the season with a team-high eight sacks, and added another sack in Washington's 17-10, Wild Card win over Tampa Bay on Jan. 7. He also had 72 tackles and two forced fumbles on the season.
On the left side of the defensive line, Renaldo Wynn is regarded as a steady player who may not produce many spectacular, game-changing plays, but makes up for it with consistency and intelligence.
Wynn started all 16 regular-season games for the fourth time in his tenure in Washington. He recorded 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks on the season. He also blocked a field goal in Week 16 vs. the New York Giants, a key play in a game the Redskins would win 35-20.
Wynn's season came to an end in the Wild Card round of the playoffs when he suffered a fractured forearm. He is expected to return next season fully healthy.
The Redskins' primary backup at defensive end was fourth-year veteran Demetric Evans, a player who continues to improve. He recorded 32 tackles and three sacks last season. Like Daniels, Evans was strong down the stretch last season.
Demetric Evans sacks Chicago's Kyle Orton.
In the Wild Card playoff game, Evans had a sack of Simms. He would have had another sack in the Divisional Playoffs in Seattle, but quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had just escaped the pocket and started to scramble when Evans tackled him.
Coaches love Evans's versatility. Evans saw playing time at tackle due to injuries to Cornelius Griffin and Joe Salave'a last season.
"Demetric took a lot of snaps at defensive tackle," Williams said. "Those are snaps that will come back in memory and retention when we're throwing them in the heat of battle. The more a player can do, the longer your career is in this league."
After having spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons on the Redskins' practice squad, Nic Clemons got his first taste of NFL action last season. He played in eight games, mostly as a reserve, and recorded six tackles.
Melvin Williams, a third-year player who signed with the Redskins in December 2004, spent last season on injured reserve due to a triceps injury. He has not had any NFL action since 2003, when he played for the New Orleans Saints.
Karon Riley signed with the Redskins as a free agent in January 2005. He is attempting to revive his NFL career after spending last season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He has had NFL stints with the Chicago Bears (who drafted him in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft) and the Atlanta Falcons.
Positional Analysis
Despite the late-season surge by the defensive line, it seems likely that Redskins coaches and personnel officials will look closely at defensive linemen in free agency and the draft. Daniels, Wynn and Evans are steady players and, perhaps more importantly, versatile enough to move inside to play tackle if necessary.
Evans is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and his future with the Redskins is uncertain. He turns 27 in March, so he is just entering his prime. Defensive coaches have worked to develop Evans's skills the last two seasons and it seems unlikely they would be reluctant to bring him back.
Is more depth needed at the position? Clemons, Williams and Riley have limited NFL experience. Also, with Daniels turning 33 in March and Wynn turning 31 in September, does the position need an infusion of young talent? Washington has drafted just one defensive end since 1998.
FIVE DEFENSIVE ENDS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY:
Aaron Kampman, Green Bay Packers
John Abraham, New York Jets
Darren Howard, New Orleans Saints
Kimo von Oelhoffen, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tennessee Titans
FIVE DEFENSIVE ENDS AVAILABLE IN THE NFL DRAFT:
Mario Williams, North Carolina State
Tamba Hali, Penn State
Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
Darryl Tapp, Virginia Tech
Ray Edwards, Purdue
I would love to pick up Kyle Vanden Bosch from Tennessee, or Aaron Kampman from Green Bay.
Abraham will be too expensive, and Darren Howard will be too other wise it would be nice to have one of those guys. Robert Mathis will be a RFA which means we would have to give up a draft pick to get him. These guys could be the best bang for our buck.
Then we can take a DE with our 2nd or 3rd round pick for depth since Wynn and Daniels are aging, provided of course we pick up a solid wide out in FA.
If Darryl Tapp fell to us in the 2nd round that would be a miracle, but there are plenty of talented WR's and DE's that may be available at that point. With a smart offseason, we should definitely be playing next Feb.
