Vision Quest: The Position Battles to look for against the Steelers

Cut day. It is coming. The first round of cuts are due by Tuesday August 30th, 2005. On that date teams have to cut down to the final 65 players. (On September 3rd they have to get down to their final 53.) . But don’t be fooled, the real cut day is Friday night. After the game the Redskin coaching staff will finalize the first round of who will stay and who will go. 20+ young football players will see their football careers end and 12 more will be on the fence for one more week.

The first round of cuts will be mostly training camp fodder. Long shots brought in to compete in camp and take part in drills, but just not skilled enough to warrant roster consideration. However in that round could be a few veterans who the coaches have already made up their mind on. Tony Dixon and Attrell Hawkins got cut in this vein earlier this week. So players will have to come to play this Friday to get a shot at making the final 53.

And we do need to address last week’s game. Although Ramsey and the offense improved, silly and untimely turnovers stalled several drives, including the last one where we were driving to tie the game. And yes, Ramsey did improve from game 1, but only by a bit. He needs to make a big jump against the Steelers to put out the calls for his ouster.

Turnovers are still the key to victory in the NFL. Preventing them on your side and causing them on the other. Any offensive player committing a turnover might as well just go straight into the locker room and clean out their locker. They may not get that far. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gibbs, a normally calm and collected guy, doesn’t go “woody” on a player and choke them on the sideline.

So with cut downs looming here are my top ten position battles ranked in order of intensity.

Top Ten Position Battles

1.) Running Back: This is shaping up to be the battle of Pre-season. Rock vs. Nemo. While this is not a straight up, make it or be cut battle as I believe all 4 top running backs will be kept on the active roster, it is a long way from sure that roster spots are not indeed in jeopardy. However what is clearly in jeopardy is the ability to play from scrimmage this year. Both running backs had outstanding games combined with one big mistake. Rock rushed well and showed competency in the passing game. But on a crucial short yardage 4th and 1, Rock failed to convert. With the third back expected to fill the role of short yardage guy, this is a BIG mistake for Rock. NEMO faired pretty well also. He even bulldozed his way for a great TD. However with the game on the line he fumbled dashing any hopes for a comeback by the Skins. Turnovers are never good, but especially when you are driving for the tieing score. Nemo is slightly ahead of Rock right now and Rock may have to rely on his special teams ability to make the team. I still say we keep both for the nickname value alone.

2.) Defensive Line: Ryan Boschetti has moved ahead of Nic Clemons for the eigth and final Defensive line spot. Oddly enough though it may be one of the other 7 that has the most to do with who gets the spot. Brandon Noble is going to take the field for the first time this weekend. If does not make the coaching staff comfortable it could mean Boschetti, who plays both end and tackle, and Clemons, who mostly plays end with only situational tackle experience, will be in a race for the third DT spot. This is undoubtedly in Boschetti’s favor.and Clemons can only hope for a healthy Noble to even give him a shot at winning a roster spot.

3.) Wide Receiver: Anyone else sick of hearing about toes? If it is not a rash of Lamisil AT commercials on TV, it is one of our Redskin players having a toe injury. This time it is reserve Taylor Jacobs who was supposed to battle for the #3 spot. The domino effect of this injury will effect several players. James Thrash and Antonio Brown will now battle for #3. but the Redskins may feel they need to keep a 6th WR. This is nothing but good news for Kevin Dyson and DMac. However Dyson has had the edge in the receiving contest. DMAC is one of my favorite receivers but his inability to focus in training camps and games is costing him his job. It may be time for the Skins and DMAC to part ways and let him catch on to another team. Why do I fear DMAC showing up in Fedex with an Eagle’s uniform in the future?

4.) Middle Linebacker: It looks like Lemar is wrapping up the job at MLB and Clifton Smith will be his main backup. Warrick Holdman can still compete here but most likely will hold down the outside until Lavar is 100%. However if Lemar gets injured or if the starting defense looks bad in either of the next two games, Clifton Smith can jump right in there. McCune will continue to do well and will make the active roster as a force on special teams. He is raw but could challenge for this spot next year. At the least he could challenge the opposing team’s linemen to weight lifting contests the night before.

5.) Tight End: Royal’s injury could not come at a worse time for him. He will be out of the game on Friday and Sellers will get to start at TE. If the ground game improves or pass protection, Royal may not get the starting job back. Also benefiting from Royal’s injuries are Billy Baber and Robert Johnson. Both of whom need to impress to convince the coaches to keep a 5th H-back/TE. Otherwise it is to the practice squad for both of them. Gibbs should really look at keeping Johnson, at least on the practice squad, the guy is huge and at least could provide for shade during the trips to Tampa and Arizona.

6.) Offensive Line: This is a 3 way battle for 2 spots between Mark “See no Defender” Wilson, Lennie “Hear no Snap Count” Friedman and Cory “Speak nothing (because mouth is full of dirt)” Raymer. Cory Raymer missed last week’s game due to his wife’s pregnancy. Lennie did allright under center and there were not botched exchanges that we saw in the early games of last year. Lennie, Cory, and Mark Wilson are fighting for the last two spots. Freidman is also helped by the fact he can play TE on jumbo packages. With Wilson being hurt and Raymer possibly not playing, Freidman needs to have another good game to make the squad.

7.) Quarterback: As you can see I moved this up from 10 to 7. I am not panicking yet but Ramsey needs to have a decent game tonight from exploding a full bore QB controversy. Last week he threw another interception in the Red zone. If Brunell had driven the team for the final score, Ramsey could be under even more pressure. That being said Ramsey did improve from the scrimmage against the Ravens to the pre-season opener against the Panthers, to the Game last Friday against the Bengals. Deeper passes are connecting and the offense is more fluid. Not to mention that Ramsey has not had the benefit of Portis in the backfield for a great length of time and Brunell is going against guys who will not make the NFL. But Patrick, you are officially on the clock, time to deliver is against the Steelers.

8.) Defensive back: The redskins are going to keep 9 Defensive backs, and usually that means 4 safeties and 5 corners. However that would change if Omar Stoutmire has anything to say about it. Last week with Clark and Bowen out, he played well and is playing hard on special teams. Combine that with Ade Jimoh’s less then stellar coverage and a case could be made for 5 safeties and 4 corners. Pierson Prioleau started at the second safety spot and did well. Bowen is back this week and if he wants to wrest the starting spot from Clark, this is the time. Clark is still injured and will miss a 2nd straight game. Rogers also will get another opportunity to reclaim the starting CB spot because Walt Harris will also miss his second straight game.

9.) Outside Linebacker: Lavar comes back tonight, but will not start at OLB. He will mostly play defensive end. Holdman will continue to start at ROLB and cement his position as primary backup. Chris Clemons and Jared Newberry are fighting for the last LB spot. Newberry did well in Carolina but Clemons is a veteran and the Redskins may want to give Newberry a year on the practice squad.

10.) Punter: Make no mistake this is Tom Tupa’s job to lose. But he will also miss his second straight game due to back injury. This is starting to remind me of the Barker/Williams battle in 2000. In that contest Williams was the young strong but Barker was the accurate vet. We went with Barker and he was serviceable. However no one is questioning Tupa’s leg strength and if he is healthy he wins the job. However missing two straight games is worrisome. At the very least Groom should not go to Sweden anytime soon (hear that Ola Kimrin?).


Updated Projection

If the season ended today here are my projections on who would make the team. The Final 53 are the players who will make the final roster. The Practice Squad are rookies and/or one year vets who will initially be waived by the Redskins but then signed to the PS as additional depth. On the Bubble represents 5 veterans who can push their way onto the active roster. Players in italics and * are changes from my last prediction. Reasons for the changes are at the end.

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 Cooley, Mike Sellers, Manuel White
OL (9) – Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, Jon Jansen, Ray Brown, Jim Molinaro, Cory Raymer, Mark Wilson
DL (8) – Renaldo Wynn, Brandon Noble, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Joe Savale’a, Demetric Evans, Ron Warner, Ryan Boschetti*
LB’s (7) – Lavar Arrington, Marcus Washington, Clifton Smith, Warrick Holdman, Lemar Marshall, Robert McCune, Chris Clemons
CB’s (4) – Shawn Springs, Walt Harris, Carlos Rodgers, Garnell Wilds
S’s (5) – Sean Taylor, Matt Bowen, Ryan Clark, Pierson Prioleau, Omar Stoutmire*
LS (1) – Ethan Albright
K (1) – John Hall
P (1) – Tom Tupa

Practice Squad (8): Zak Keasay (LB), Charles Howard (DT), Robert Johnson (TE), Jared Newberry (LB), Billy Baber (TE), Rufus Brown (CB), Jon Alston (OT), Bryson Spinner (QB)

On the Bubble (5): Darnerian McCants (WR), Nic Clemons (DE)*, Ade Jimoh (CB)*, Lennie Freidman (C)*, Andy Groom (P)*

Reason for Changes:

Omar Stoutmire Replaces Ade Jimoh on the Final 53. Stoutmire had a hell of a game on Friday and starts on the Kickoff coverage and Kickoff return teams. The Redskins could keep 5 safeties, especially if Clark and Bowen remain injury prone. Jimoh is just horrible in coverage and his special team’s ability alone will not get him a roster spot.

Kevin Dyson replaces Jared Newberry on the Final 53. With Taylor Jacobs injury the Redskins will need to keep 6 wide receivers and Dyson has had an outstanding camp as well as showing up in the pre-season games. Jared Newberry takes Boschetti’s place on the practice squad.

Ryan Boschetti replaces Nic Clemons on the Final 53. Boschetti continues a great camp and the Redskins will reward his versatility with a final roster spot. Nic Clemons moves to On The Bubble as he is not eligible for the practice squad and could, with a strong performance, or if Noble can not go, get back on the roster. Brian Kozlowski drops off On The Bubble and is a long shot to make the squad.

Andy Groom and Lennie Freidman get back On The Bubble and Shideeg Shabazz dropped off. Andy Grooms punts were long and high and he performed well after Tupa’s late scratch. If Tupa cannot heal, Groom could handle the punting duties well. Lennie Freidman improved his stock with good play against 2nd and 3rd string defenses. Shideeg Shabazz is out of the running as long as Stoutmire plays as well as he has.

That is it. That is how things stand this week. Let’s go improve against the Steelers and see if we can start Big Ben’s sophomore slump. Hail Redskins!!!