Vision Quest: The State of the Redskin Offense, Pre-Draft 2006

The Redskin fans got a lot of their wishes in Free Agency this year. Once the CBA was extended the Redskins were allowed to spend freely and move on players they wanted early on. And though we have seen dizzying Free Agency shopping sprees under the Snyder era, none have been as good as this year.

You say we are undermanned at Wide Receiver and need another starting quality player to draw attention away from Santana Moss? How about two in Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El (who also fills a desperate need in the return game). Defensive line a problem? Ok how about Andre Carter. Starting TE has left to the land of mullets and cows? Enter Christian Fauria with his three Super Bowl rings and solid work effort. So your starting safety won’t resign with you? No problem we will get Adam Archuleta who is ten times better and has an incredibly hot girlfriend as well.

And those are just the big signings. Smaller signings will play tremendous roles this year. Todd Collins (QB) will teach Brunell and Campbell the Saunders offense. Mike Pucillo and Tyson Walters add reserve offensive line depth. Kenny Wright will compete for the nickel corner spot. That along with quality resigns in Rock Cartwright, Demetric Evans, Ade Jimoh, Derrick Dockery, Khary Campbell, Chris Clemons, and Cedric Killings keeps intact the hear and soul of the team.

So where are we now? Sure we have added nine new players, at least seven will see significant playing time this year. Where are the holes that need to be filled? Are there any? Where do we go to fill them?

The Draft is the obvious answer to the last question. While the Redskins have six picks in the draft, don’t be fooled, there is not much help coming. Having traded our first and fourth round picks this year for Jason Campbell and our third round pick to bring Brandon Lloyd to town, the Redskins are left with just one pick, their 2nd round (#53), in the first four rounds of the draft. A couple of trades (Ramsey and Gardner) have netted us two additional 6th round draft picks and the NFL gave us a lonely 7th round compensatory pick for our Free agent loses last year.

That’s 5 picks #153 and below. Barring a trade up of some kind you are not talking about a lot of starting quality out there. Many of these players, if our own history is any indication, will not make the squad or perhaps spend a few years in a reserve role at best. You have a better chance at finding Osama Bin Laden in your bathroom then a ready to start player below the 5th round.

So the Redskins have to be selective in their picks. But to do so we need to know where we are. So I will now go through our team position by position and try to identify our strengths and needs to formulate a Draft Strategy for April 29th (and more importantly April 30th). I will list projected starters, notable bench, analyze each position, and make a draft recommendation. The plan is to do the offense this week, the defense next week, and the week of the draft I will post my recommended draft strategy.


Quarter Back
Projected Starter: Mark Brunell
Bench: Jason Campbell, Todd Collins

Analysis: Mark Brunell will return as the starter after one of the best years of his career in 2006. Sure he turns 36 in September and broke down due to injury last year, but he is the best option the Redskins have to make a serious Super Bowl run this year. Coach Gibbs made one of the best pr moves of the off-season stating Jason Campbell will fight for the backup QB spot. Make no doubt about it; this was done to protect Brunell from harsh pre-season criticism. As soon as Patrick Ramsey was traded for a 6th rounder to the NY Jets it made sense that Campbell will serve as the primary backup, and eventual successor to Mark Brunell. As a Backup Campbell can take valuable pre-season snaps and Gibbs has said he will cut down on the in-season work of Brunell, which means Campbell will get valuable time with the first unit. Todd Collins comes over from KC, following Saunders, and will act as a mentor for both Campbell and Brunell to teach them the nuances Saunders will add to the Redskin’s offense this year.

Draft recommendation: Don’t bother even looking at a QB in the draft. Hell, don’t even bother looking at change in case you might see a quarter.


Running Back
Projected Starter: Clinton Portis
Notable Bench: Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright, Nehemiah Broughton

Analysis: All Clinton Portis has done since coming to the Redskins is put together two of the finest back to back rushing seasons in Redskin history. Last year he set the all time rushing record for the Redskins yet some still say they rather have another back. Excuse me? Listen Clinton Portis is spending at least 8 years in DC, just like the last Clinton to come through town, and possibly the next. He is tough, fast, a great locker room guy, and also an asset in the front office. Ladell Betts is serving his final year in DC. Everyone should appreciate him. He will be starting somewhere else next season but for now he can spell Clinton and provide excellent Depth. Rock is a special team stud and will not a bad third option in a pinch. I am hoping Nemo shows makes a run at being the big goal line back that he was drafted to be. If not it is his last year in DC.

Draft recommendations: If Reggie Bush freefalls to #53 or the Texans offer us to trade up to #1 for a stick of bubblegum and a bag of footballs, maybe, maybe we take him. Other then that the Redskins will avoid running backs like Basic Instinct 2, it may have been a good idea 10 years ago, but not now.


Wide Receivers
Projected Starters: Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd
Notable Bench: Antwaan Randle El, David Patten, James Thrash, Taylor Jacobs.

Analysis: Only Joe Gibbs and Daniel Snyder can take a glaring weakness in the off-season and turn it instantly into an incredible strength. Will them and $60 million dollars. Brandon Lloyd will pair with Santana Moss and opposing defense will not be able to roll coverage to either side of the field. Randle El will be the ultimate weapon coming off the bench playing in the slot or spelling either Moss or Lloyd on a couple of series a game. David Patten may just be the best #4 wide receiver in the league. James Thrash almost has the #5 spot locked down because of his special teams play. Taylor Jacobs needs a miracle to survive the cut at the end of the year, or an injury to someone else.

Draft Recommendations: Again the Redskins have no need to draft a WR at all. They are not only deep but talented and our top three WRs should create mismatches in any defensive set.


Tight Ends and H-Backs
Projected Starters: Chris Cooley (H-Back), Christian Fauria (TE)
Notable Bench: Robert Johnson (TE only), Manny White (H-Back only), Mike Sellers (Both)

Analysis: In Gibbs system, which will be tweaked not discarded by Al Saunders, you need two starting caliber TE players to be effective. One to play H-back, a hybrid TE/FB position, and the other a more traditional TE. Chris Cooley is a prototypical H-back player. He can run routes from either on the line, split out wide, or in the backfield. He can sustain blocks on the line or at a running start. The loss of Robert Royal and addition of Christian Fauria alone upgrades the TE position. Fauria not only brings improved blocking but he is an underrated sure handed receiver. But Fauria is 34 and has been injured before. Depth is an issue here. Mike Sellers can adequately backup Cooley and comes in on occasion to run block or catch the opposing defense sleeping for a TD catch or two. Robert Johnson has a lot of potential but is extremely raw. Manny White, well I am still trying to understand this pick. He seems to be a younger less talented version of Cooley and was having trouble adjusting to the H-back role before his season ending injury last year.

Draft Recommendations: The TE position is deep in this year’s draft, but I don’t see a big need to try and move up into a first day pick for this position. What we need is a young TE to serve as depth and eventual starter. Using our 6th round picks in an attempt to move into the 4th round could be advisable, if there is a player that Joe Gibbs sees that he likes (ala Cooley in 2004).

Offensive Line
Projected Starters: Chris Samuels (LT), Derrick Dockery (LG), Casey Rabach (C), Randy Thomas (RG), Jon Jansen (RT)
Notable Bench: Jon Alston (T), Jim Molinaro (G/T), Ikechuku Ndukwe (G), Mike Pucillo (G/C), Tyson Walter (G/C),

Analysis: This is another unit that had depth issues last year that Gibbs and Snyder seemed to have solved in Free Agency. The front five are all set and will have a second year of continuity to get used to each other and build upon their solid performance last year. Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen, the bookend tackles, should have a shot at going to the Pro-Bowl next year, and Randy Thomas at right guard always plays at a high level. Casey Rabach was a big improvement from Cory Raymer at Center. Derrick Dockery needs to prove himself this year though. He improved over the course of the season, enough for the Redskins to tender him at the high option. However this being a contract year he really needs to shine to get the big payday he wants. With Ray Brown retiring and Cory Raymer being cut the inside reserves are very thin. Enter Mike Pucillo and Tyson Walter who can play both Guard and Center. Holdovers Jon Alston and Jim Molinaro will backup the Tackles and Ikechuku Ndukwe, who was active the last few games, will fight for the remaining roster spot.

Draft Recommendations: At first glance this looks pretty set. Pucillo and Walter started last year and should be available in spot start duty. Alston and Molinaro have had 2 years under Joe Bugel to back up the tackles. However there is not one reserve I would be comfortable with if a long term injury happens to one of our linemen. That is today’s NFL though. I would look for a gem in the 6th and 7th rounds to push the reserves and possibly to be a practice squad player, just in case.

Next week is the Defense and Special Teams.

Hail Redskins!!!