Wonder how close Warpath will come to predicting the final 53? Any thoughts as to who you will make it, and who won't?
Ultimate Survivor: The Final 53
Will Warner's play help him survive the cut? By Robert Large WarpathInsiders.com
Date: Sep 2, 2005
With the deadline for cuts just hours away, the Redskins coaching staff is hard at work at the one task that is in the way of starting to prepare for the Chicago Bears in earnest—making the final cuts and getting the roster down to the 53 players that they will take into the 2005 season.
Only the last few spots were influenced by Thursday night’s performance and the task of trimming the roster is as much about strategy as it is about evaluating talent. Do they keep just five wide receivers in light of Taylor Jacobs’ questionable health Antonio Brown’s questionable hands? If they keep a sixth, where does that spot come from. Health issues also dominate decisions in the defensive backfield. Given the banged-up status of Matt Bowen and Ryan Clark, do they keep a fifth safety at the expense of a fifth corner? And since linebackers can be such valuable special teams performers, do they keep just seven and go with eight linemen or will Danny Smith be able to persuade Gibbs to juggle things to give him one more great athlete?
Our shot at those answers are below:
FINAL 53 MAN ROSTER PREDICTION
OFFENSE
QB’s (3) – Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell
RB’s (4) – Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, Nehemiah Broughton, Rock Cartwright
WR’s (6) – Santana Moss, David Patten, Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash, Antonio Brown, Kevin Dyson
TE’s/H-backs (4) – Robert Royal, Chris
ey, Mike Sellers, Brian Kozlowski
OL (9) – Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Ray Brown, Jim Molinaro, Cory Raymer, Lennie Freidman
DEFENSE
DL (8) – Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Joe Savale’a, Demetric Evans, Ryan Boschetti, Nic Clemons
LB’s (7) – Lavar Arrington, Marcus Washington, Warrick Holdman, Lemar Marshall, Robert McCune, Chris Clemons, Khary Campbell
CB’s (4) – Shawn Springs, Walt Harris, Carlos Rogers, Ade Jimoh
S’s (5) – Sean Taylor, Matt Bowen, Ryan Clark, Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire
SPECIAL TEAMS
LS (1) – Ethan Albright
K (1) – John Hall
P (1) – Andy Groom
Last Five On
Last Five Off
Brian Kozlowski TE
Robert Johnson TE
The injury to Manuel White, the need to now keep 6 receivers (meaning keeping only 4 TE’s/H-backs on the active roster), the fact that Lennie Freidman is used as a TE in jumbo packages and a solid outing in the final preseason game against the Ravens puts the experienced Brian Kozlowski onto the final roster ahead of Robert Johnson. Johnson is still eligible for the practice squad – and will get a spot there - which is also a key consideration in this decision.
Lennie Freidman OL Mark Wilson OL
With Wilson struggling and missing time due to injury suffered in the preseason opener, and Freidman being viewed as both inside insurance at G and as a blocking TE in jumbo packages, Freidman is no longer competing with Raymer for the backup spot at C. Molinaro backs up LOT, Brown/Molinaro backs up ROT.
Andy Groom P
Chris Mohr P
This is close – very close to call. With Tupa on Injured Reserve, the smart money would be on the experienced Mohr to win the job. However, I think it’s about time we picked a punter with real talent and Andy Groom has that. He can hold for kicks – he was fine holding on the pressure kick at the end of regulation in the Ravens game - so that should not be a problem.
Omar Stoutmire S
Garnell Wilds CB
Ade Jimoh’s ST’s play has him now slotted in at the 4th CB position, which means that Garnll Wilds and Rufus Brown are in competition with a safety for the last DB spot. Given the recent injuries to Bowen and Clark, and the fact that Stoutmire plays FS, will now settle this battle. We can’t afford to be down to two fit safeties so the experienced Stoutmire grabs the last DB spot. Wilds and Brown are still eligible for the practice squad which is also a key consideration in this decision.
Nic Clemons DE
Ron Warner DE
Ryan Boschetti has virtually played his way onto the roster, and its now DE Ron Warner who’s spot is in the firing line. Warner has done little in preseason and has hardly done much to get noticed in camp. Clemons on the other hand has impressed the coaching staff and will win the job.
THE PRACTICE SQUAD
Here’s my final 8 man practice squad prediction, assuming the 53 man roster I posted above is the final one and initial cut players are still available…..
1. LB Zach Kearsey
2. DT Aki Jones
3. OL Mark Wilson
4. DE Charles Howard
5. LB Jared Newberry
6. CB Rufus Brown
7. TE Robert Johnson
8. CB Garnell Wilds