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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:03 pm
Lots could change between now and then, but here’s a look at how things could play out, position by position.
Quarterback, 2 – Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy
The two veterans are locks, and sixth-round pick Nate Sudfeld will try to convince coaches and team officials that they should carry three quarterbacks. People inside the building, though, describe the Indiana product as “very much a project,” so it’s possible he winds up on the practice squad. Sudfeld didn’t get a lot of action during the full-squad offseason practices, but he’ll try to take advantage of every repetition in training camp and the preseason.
Running back, 3 – Matt Jones, Chris Thompson, Mack Brown
Jay Gruden has said the team could keep four, but players must show they’re worthy. We’ll go with three for now. Jones is the starter. Thompson missed all of the offseason practices while recovering from shoulder surgery, and durability has always been an issue. But coaches like him as a change-of-pace back. Brown looked good at times, and coaches like him.
Keith Marshall, the seventh-round pick out of Georgia, missed a number of practices with a hamstring strain, but he could have the edge over Robert Kelley, for now, because he’s a draft pick, even though Kelley displayed great speed and versatility. Thompson and Marshall must get healthy and stay on the field; otherwise the 6-foot, 228-pound Kelley (an undrafted rookie out of Tulane) could shake things up.
Wide receiver, 6 – Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson, Ryan Grant, Rashad Ross
Garcon and Jackson remain focal points of the offense despite the presence of promising young prospects. Crowder looks to build on a strong rookie campaign. Coaches and officials have no doubt that Doctson will contribute despite the first-round pick’s injury-induced absence during offseason practices. Jay Gruden said this summer that Grant will be on the team whether he catches 20 balls a game or two. He works hard and has good versatility. Ross will try to again land the kick-return job.
Tight end, 4 – Jordan Reed, Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen, Vernon Davis
No real surprises here. Paul looked good during offseason practices, serving as the main tight end while Reed nursed an ankle injury, and will also handle some fullback work. Davis wasn’t particularly explosive, and although Scot McCloughan likes the 11th-year veteran, he might not be a lock unless he shows more, both as a pass-catcher and a blocker. Paulsen returns as the best blocker. Derek Carrier (anterior cruciate ligament) probably won’t be ready to compete in training camp, so it could mean starting the year on the PUP list.
Offensive line, 8 – Trent Williams, Spencer Long, Kory Lichtensteiger, Morgan Moses, Brandon Scherff, Arie Kouandjio, Ty Nsekhe, Shawn Lauvao
Left guard is the big question. Can Lauvao return to top form and reclaim that job? If so, then Long serves as a backup both at guard and center behind Lichtensteiger. Scherff and Moses have their jobs firmly in hand, and Kouandjio and Nsekhe likely will round out the bunch. Long’s strides at center, and his versatility, could make Josh LeRibeus and Austin Reiter dispensable.
Defensive line, 8 – Chris Baker, Kedric Golston, Kendall Reyes, Ricky Jean Francois, Stephen Paea, Trent Murphy, Matt Ioannidis, Ziggy Hood.
Tough to call this early, but Joe Barry definitely has two starting jobs up for grabs in the trenches. Baker is the left end, but nose tackle and right end remain undetermined. Reyes and Jean Francois could battle for the end spot throughout camp. Golston served as the main nose tackle during offseason practices, but Jean Francois, Hood and Reyes also got snaps there. Murphy is trying to make the transition from linebacker to end, and Ioannidis, a fifth-rounder out of Temple, is learning on the fly. Paea missed the last two weeks of offseason practice because of personal matters, but he’ll try to return to the mix after missing much of 2015 with an injury.
Linebacker, 9 – Ryan Kerrigan, Will Compton, Mason Foster, Preston Smith, Junior Galette, Martrell Spaight, Su’a Cravens, Lynden Trail, Houston Bates
Kerrigan, Compton, Foster and Smith look like your starting four for now. Galette should return to action starting with training camp. But how will coaches use him? Situational pass rusher behind or alongside Smith? More? With Compton and Foster having played well last season, Perry Riley Jr. (still hobbled by the broken foot that ended his 2015 season and required offseason surgery) could be the odd man out.
After a year lost to a concussion, Spaight could wind up beating out Adam Hayward and rookie Steven Daniels for a spot behind Foster and Compton. But it actually remains to be seen whether Hayward will have returned from his ACL rehabilitation to compete at the start of camp or will need more time. Cravens continued to work with the inside linebackers throughout the spring, and we’ll see what happens in camp, but he’s definitely more linebacker than nickelback, for now. Bates, Trail and Willie Jefferson will battle it out for the final spot, most likely. Special-teams play will be key.
Defensive back, 10 – Josh Norman, Bashaud Breeland, Quinton Dunbar, Kendall Fuller, Dashaun Phillips, DeAngelo Hall, David Bruton Jr., Will Blackmon, Duke Ihenacho, Geno Matias-Smith
Cornerback should have good depth and versatility. Norman and Breeland lead the way, and Phillips fits in well as the nickelback. He’ll likely draw competition from Fuller once the third-round pick receives the green light to practice fully, which should come at training camp. Dunbar had a good spring, and aims to continue gaining experience behind the veterans. Hall will start at free safety, and Bruton seems to have the leg up on the competition at strong safety. Ihenacho has struggled with durability but has talent to offer, and Blackmon gives the team additional versatility both as a new safety and as a cornerback. Matias-Smith (undrafted rookie out of Alabama) or another young safety could make the squad as a special-teams contributor and developmental player for the future.
Special teams, 3 – Place kicker Dustin Hopkins, punter Tress Way, long snapper Nick Sundberg
No surprises here. This solid bunch will remain together for another year.