Redskins Update

The Browns come to Fedex to play the Redskins on Monday. Johnny Manziel is expected to start. He will be a good match up with his athletic ability for the Redskins.

The Washington Redskins opened the pre-season with a 23-6 win over the Patriots.
Listed below are the key observations, thoughts and grades after the game.

Note: Due to lack of playing time starters were not graded.

Offence

WRs

Currently there are several players attempting to make the team at a very deep position. There probably 3 positions at WR open the Redskins have 8 players attempting to be selected.

-Aldrick Robinson who is on the roster bubble and he performed well. 3 catches for 45 yards and a TD. Coaches repeatedly said he is doing well in training camp and the off season. A great sign for a player trying to prove he belongs. Grade: A

-Ryan Grant the 5th rounder out of Tulane was impressive with 3 catches with 37 yards . He showed good hands and route running skills. This is no surprise as it was widely reported throughout camp. What few saw coming into camps was the separation he can get off the DB. This enables him to make a easy catch. Questions arose with his selection and he responded with a great performance. Grade: A 

RBs

Alfred Morris and Roy Helu lock up the 1 and 2 spots. This means there are 4 RBs trying to get the 3rd RB position.


Lache Seastrunk: He had 63 yards on 12 carries he repeatedly found holes and exploded out them. His weakness was the urge to go east to west instead of North to South in situations. Several times he attempted to get the extra yard by going around linebacker and not falling forward. Grade: A-

Silas Redd: He had 9 touches for 45 yards and showed a Alfred Morris like technique of running through tacklers. Grade: A-

Chris Thompson: $ carries 5 yards and 2 ccatches for 12 yards he failed to leave a imprint running but with so few touches it's no surprise. Grade: B-

Evan Royster: 7 touches and 23 yards solid play. The problem is he has no flash but doesn't really explode through tacklers. He also fails to show any special teams contributions grade: B-.

Redskin Funny

It is a tradition for the rookies to come up with a small skit, often poking fun of a teammate. This is the end result for failing to come up with a rookie skit. Redskins rookie kicker Zach Hocker posted this photo of himself after he was given a new haircut via the teams veterans as a punishment.

Redskin's Off Season Summery

Training camp is started and the Redskins are in Richmond preparing for August 7th, when they play the Patriots for the first game back. Last year the Washington Redskins went 3-13. This off season, change has swept over D.C. This post will review everything that went on this off season.

Coaching

• Mike Shannahan and everyone but Jim Haslett, Raheem Morris and Sean McVay was fired.
• Hired Jay Gruden (Jon Gruden's brother) as head coach. Led Bengals to playoffs as the OC.
• Promoted Sean McVay a 28 year old to OC was TE coach, considered a genius for his football IQ.
• Retained Jim Haslett as the DC multiple reports say he now has freedom to do what he wants with D as Shannahan is gone and will not "limit" Haslett ideas. 
• Brought in Ben Kotwica for special teams.
• Brought in Brian Baker Outside Linebacker Coach. Attempt to get Orakpo and Kerrigan to improve.
• Kept Rahem Moriss in as Secondary Coach
• Wade Phillips (Cowboy's Ex-Coach) son, Wes is the New Tight End Coach.

Free Agency

    -Welcome Back

• Re-signed DL Chris Baker to a three-year contract
• Placed the franchise tag on LB Brian Orakpo
• Re-signed WR Santana Moss to a one-year contract and LB Perry Riley
• Re-signed S Brandon Meriweather.
• Re-signed CB E.J. Biggers to a one-year contract.
• Re-signed LB Rob Jackson
• Exercised 2015 option on LB Ryan Kerrigan

   -Welcome to D.C

• Signed LB Adam Hayward: Rotation player
• Signed DE Clifton Geathers: Depth at D line
• Signed DE Jason Hatcher: Starter or Stephen Bowen and Barry Cofeild.
• Signed LB Darryl Sharpton: Rotation Player
• Signed K Jake Rogers: Competition
• Signed CB Tracy Porter: Depth at secondary
• Signed LB Akeem Jordan: Rotation Player
• Signed OL Mike McGlynn: O-Line Depth
• Signed WR DeSean Jackson: The new #1 Reciver Makes the WR Corps Excellent.
• Signed QB Colt McCoy: Takes over Rex Grossman 3rd String position
• Signed S Ryan Clark: Former player of the Redskins comes back a veteran presence.Starter?
• Signed P Blake Clingan: Competition at Punter
• Signed S Akeem Davis: More Depth at S
• Signed G Shawn Lauvao: Possible New RG starter depending on Spencer Long
• Signed WR Andre Roberts: Comes in to Challenge for the #3 S0pot.

*Note The sentences in the above section are very brief ideas of the point of signing them.

   -Bye, Nice Knowing Some Of You

• RB Jawan Jamison: Never got to know you  
•  RB Davin Meggett.  Same with you, bye stranger
• DE Adam Carriker, May be resigned if healthy. Good if healthy.
•  TE Richard Quinn: Practice Squad Veteran 
• P Sav Rocca: You were good for a year so thanks for your time.
• S Tanard Jackson: Albert Haynsworth may of been more productive...
• C Will Montgomery: Solid player wouldn't of worked in new system.
• QB Rex Grossman How did you make it this far?
• London Fletcher: Good Bye to the Captain. Thanks for everything!

NFL Draft

Just a brief summery and their roles for this year.

Round 2, Pick No. 47: Trent Murphy, OLB/DE, Stanford

Will play OLB  solid player very good run stopper, smart pick.Will see time as a special-team player and possibly 3rd down run stopper. 

Round 3, Pick No. 66: Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia

YA! New tackle opposite of Williams. Has a strong chance to start. 

Round 3, Pick No. 78: Spencer Long, G, Nebraska

YA! New guard to relive Chester! That is if he turns out to be worth it. Unproven and raw but he may pick up game quickly.

Round 4, Pick No. 102: Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson

Great value pick, if he stayed a year he would of been a early 2nd Rounder. Bright future will help in the nickle.

Round 5, Pick No. 142: Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane

Luxury pick may turn out to be a great steal strong hands+route running. Needs a strong showing to receiving playing time at WR probably will assist on special teams. 

Round 6, Pick No. 186: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor

Small shifty back will challenge Roy Helu and Chris Thompson for a spot.

Round 7, Pick No. 217: Ted Bolser, TE, Indiana 

....No Idea guess it a sign for a Niles Paul. Special teams.

Round 7, Pick No. 228: Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas

Just to make show Kia Forbath he is expendable and a backup plan in case Kia loses control of his accuracy..

PUP List (Physically Unable to Perform) list

DE Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher: arthroscopic surgery

WR Leonard Hankerson:  ACL/LCL

OL Maurice Hurt: out of shape. 

Summery

After a awful season last year the Redskins look poised to make a come back. Big changes were made in the coaching segment as well as the player personal. RG3 receiving weapons and a almost brand new O-line. It will be interesting if the O-line will hold and the WR ball distributions work out. The defense line received numerous upgrades but many wonder if they should of looked at more substantial players at the safety position in the draft. The CB situation also is questionable outside of D-Hall and David Amerson. Preseason will give a look at the 2014/2015 Washington Redskins.

2014 Redskin's Mock Draft

Round 2 Jason Verrett CB TCU
The debate here was either to address secondary or O-line. In free agency they brought in some O-line depth and a starter at the guard position. In the secondary they did nothing but to add a good teacher in Ryan Clark. So they need secondary help. The next question is safety or corner? After getting Phillip Thomas last year it would be logical they consider a SS. The problem is SS is weak with ready to play players in this years draft. Outside of Jimmy Ward, who will probably be taken in the 1st round there are no one who can start right away.

The Redskins need a corner/safety who can start. If Jason was 2 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier would be that unanimous number 1 corner.  There are some questions that he may be gone before round 2 but possible he slips do to his small 5'9 190 size. He reminds several of a Tyrann Mathieu  with his overall physical play and his ball skills..The Redskins lack a slot corner who has the ball skills to make plays on a ball. Pair him with Amerson and D-hall the Redskins CB look solid this year.

Round 3   Chris Borland ILB Wisconsin 
London Fletcher has retired and the Redskins bring in London Fletcher II. You read that right. At 5'11 245 he has Fletcher's small but thick body as well as the smarts to play MLB to improve. The most important skill is his flawless instincts that lead him to be a tackling machine. Not only does he mirror Fletcher but he a leader. 

Round 4 Jack Mewhort OT Ohio State 
They need O-line help but due to lack of picks cant afford to pick up a starter. This is a gamble on my part. He may go in round 2/3 but his skills are averaged and doesn't have much of a ceiling so some teams may not want him for the philosophy 4th rounders are players with potential.He would play RT and may be able to come in and relive Polumbus in a year.

Round 5  Ed Stinson DE Alabama
There is a glaring need on finding another end that can produce solid constant numbers. Stinston has a great push, solid speed and great tackling.  He can come in and immediately contribute on special teams and certain packages.

Round 6  Brandon Linder OG Miami
Big,tough,gritty,smart describes the O-line of most NFL coaches are looking for.Not only durable and experienced he fits in the power run scheme and can become a great mauler Overall solid technique. 

Round 7  Vinnie Sunseri SS Alabama
Reed doughty proved you don't need to be a great athlete to become a solid player in the NFL. You get a leader who a strong tackler but a AVG athlete. Similar to Reed doughty can provide depth to a team on special teams and some packages on third and short.

Tanard Jackson Reinstated

    Remember when the Redskins signed a 27 year old safety from the Bucs? No its okay the last time he really played was 2011. Tanard Jackson the player the Redskins signed to be their starting FS in 2012, but was suspended in August of that year for substance abuse, which got a indefinite suspension, now he is back. Freshly reinstated it is unknown his role is on the team.

Redskins Update 3/11

The Redskins have secured all 4 defensive players that Jim Haslett said he wanted back.

OLB Brian Orakpo: Franchise tag between $11-$13 million

DE Chris Baker: 3 year $9 million

MLB Perry Riley Jr: 3 year $13 million

CB  DeAngelo Hall: 4 year $17 million

Free Agency will be opened in a hour as I write this at 3 EST. The Redskins will be active this year and apparently have agreed to a deal that is unofficial until 1 hour from now.

WR Andre Roberts: 4 year 16 million $8 million guaranteed
 Roberts is a 26 year old wide receiver who posses speed and good hands. He stands at 5'11 and weights in at 195. He coming to D.C as the number 2 wide receiver on the team.

Redskins Update 3/6

This week the Redskins accomplished several things.

1. They tagged Orakpo,

This means he a restricted free agent meaning he can still leave but the team that signs him will forfeit 2 1st round draft picks for the Redskins. To clarify Orakpo will stay with the Redskins.

2. The Redskins cut several players.

Running Backs Jawan Jamison and Davin Meggett Neither played last year and would be long shots to make the team this year

DE Adam Carricker: He would of counted $6.5 Million against the cap. He was injured often and was not worth that type of money. He has been told by coaches that he could still returned if he can get 100% healthy. The Redskins may do something similar to D-Hall who was cut then re-signed to a smaller deal.  

P Sav Rocca: After a awful season last year the 40 year old has been cut.

TE Richard Quin: He never really produced but never got much of a chance.

3. The resigning of Perry Riley Jr. has stalled

This is a concern as the Redskins need 1 replacement for the MLB and now Riley may walk. The Redskins can not let him go.

4.Josh Wilson

Word is he is gone after playing poorly last year.