Vision Quest: 53 Man Roster Opening of Training Camp 2006

Can you smell it? The air smells with the odor of freshly cut grass. The lines are being placed on the field and the pads are being pulled out of the locker. It’s time for Training Camp baby and the Redskins take the field. So now it is time for us to come out of our summer slumber and root on our boys in Burgundy & Gold.

This time of year is used to evaluate talent and start filling out Depth Charts. While the first cut downs won’t happen for some time, decisions are being made now that effect who will stay on the roster. As the coaches line up their guys in one on one drills they are also deciding playing time in the preseason where most personnel decisions will be made. With that in mind it is time to update my predictions for the final 53 man roster.

Barring any major injuries it is my belief the Redskins will revert to a more standard roster breakdown this year. New will be the fullback position gone will be the H-back. At the end of the day the Redskins will probably have the following Roster breakdown: 3 QBs, 3 RBs, 2 FBs, 5 WRs, 3 TEs, 9 OL, 9 DL, 7 LB, 9 DB, 1 P, 1 K, 1 LS for a total of 53 spots.

It’s early enough for anyone to make the roster though and the battle for the last 5 roster spots is going to be fierce.

Quarterback
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Mark Brunell
Projected Backups: Jason Campbell, Todd Collins
On the Bubble: Casey Bramlet

No change here from July. The only interesting thing is Gibbs assertion that Campbell will get the majority of Pre-season snaps. Sounds like the #2 job is his for the taking. Campbell will have to fail miserably in those outings for Saunders and Gibbs to give the backup QB position to Todd Collins, a career 3rd stringer.

Running Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Clinton Portis
Projected Backups: Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright
On the Bubble: Jesse Lumsden, Kerry Carter, Johnathan Combs

Again no change from July. Clinton Portis will be the starter, Ladell Betts the primary backup, and Rock Cartwright the emergency back who specializes in special teams. While the message boards and even some other Redskin sites are ablaze with Lumsden mania, I am still not buying it. I think Lumsden has enough talent to get to the Practice squad, but that is all for now. Kerry Carter and John Combs may have something to say about that in the long run as well.

Full Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 2
Projected Starter: Mike Sellers
Projected Backup: Manuel White
On the Bubble: Nemo Broughton

Once again no change from July. Mike Sellers will be the type of full back Portis will love to run behind and be a red zone pass catching threat. Manuel White gets the edge here because Nemo is switching position while White is a natural fullback. This will be a fierce competition for the backup spot and it will come down to special team play as well as proficiency at the position.

Wide Receiver
Allotted Roster Spaces: 5
Projected Starters: Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd
Projected Backups: Atwaan Randle El, David Patten, James Thrash
On the Bubble: Taylor Jacobs, Ataveus Cash, Steven Harris, Mike Espy, Jimmy Farris, Richard Smith

No change from July. This is about as give me as it gets. Unless the Redskins suffer a pre-season injury necessitating keeping 6 WR or worse yet someone goes on IR I doubt any of the Bubble guys make the roster. That is really bad news for Jacobs, Cash, & Farris who will have to look for another team. Espy, Harris, And Smith most likely are looking for a PS spot.

Tight End
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: Chris Cooley
Projected Backups: Christian Fauria, Robert Johnson
On the Bubble: Buck Ortega, Calen Powell

Chris Cooley’s move back to TE crowds up the field at one of the most productive positions in Saunder’s offense in Kansas City. Add to that the addition of Fauria in the off season and the rest are fighting for one TE spot. Rob Johnson is the odds on favorite being as big as a house and having some skill as well. Buck Ortega is from Miami and we all know how well Miami guys do in Washington, he will probably spend a year on the PS ala Rob Johnson last year. Calen Powell is most likely camp fodder.


Offensive Line
Allotted Roster Spaces: 9
Projected Starter: Chris Samuels (LT), Derrick Dockery (LG), Casey Rabach (C), Randy Thomas (RG), Jon Jansen (RT)
Projected Backups: Jonta Woodard (T), Keli Lefotu (G/T), Mike Pucillo (G/C), Jasper Harvey (C)
On the Bubble: Jon Alston, Ikechuku Ndukwe, Jim Jones, Jim Molinaro, Tyson Walter, Chris Pino

Some slight changes here. The starting five remain the same and will gel with a second year of working together will no doubt improve teamwork and protection schemes. Word out of mini camps and Redskins.com is Jasper Harvey and Jonta Woodard are having awesome camps. I am moving them up to roster spots considering Tyson Walter saw little action in 2005 with the worst team in football (the Houston Texans) and Jim Molinaro has not produced much with us despite being needed several times over the last two years. Line depth continues to be a question and it is anyone’s guess who will make the squad.

Defensive Line
Allotted Roster Spaces: 9
Projected Starter: Andre Carter (RE), Phillip Daniels (LE), Cornellius Griffin (DT), Joe Salave’a (DT)
Projected Backups: Renaldo Wynn (DE), Demetric Evans (DE), Anthony Montgomery (DT), Cedric Killings (DT), Kedric Golston (DT)
On the Bubble: Ryan Boschetti, Nic Clemons, Manaia Brown, Vaka Manupuna, Chris Mineo, Joe Sykes, Karon Riley,

No change here since July either. Andre Carter will start at RE and Phillip Daniels at Left End, Cornellius Griffin and Joe Salave’a at the tackle spots. This unit should provide us with a pass rush from the front four for the first time in years. Renaldo Wynn and Demetric Evqans versatility will allow them to sub in and have a good rotation at both the ends and the tackle spots during passing downs. Killings, Montgomery, and Galston can provide needed rest and sub in if Griffin and Salvea get injured this year. On the outside looking in are two guys who made the squad last year, Boschetti and Clemons. It will be interesting to sse if they push any of the two young DTs to the practice squad.

Line Backer
Allotted Roster Spaces: 7
Projected Starter: Warrick Holdman (WLB), Lemar Marshall (MLB), Marcus Washington (SLB)
Projected Backups: Rocky McIntosh (OLB), Khary Campbell (MLB) Spencer Havner (OLB), Kevin Simon (MLB)
On the Bubble: Chris Clemons, Robert McCune

A lot of change has happened to this position since July but two things are constant. Lemar Marshall and Marcus Washington. However due to Rocky’s injury and the apparent resurgence of Warick Holdman it looks as if at least for the time being Holdman will start at WLB and Rocky will backup. I still believe Holdman will need to start the season as the #1 WLB to retain a job, I just think he has a fairly good chance at doing so. The not so good news for Chris Clemons is his move to SAM. He will be competing with Spencer Havner for a roster spot. Khary Campbell and Kevin Campbell will also compete for the MLB. The last spot will come down to special teams play as the losers of the SAM and MLB battle will duke it out with Robert McCune for the sole remaining spot.

Defensive Back
Allotted Roster Spaces: 9
Projected Starter: Shawn Springs (CB), Carlos Rogers (CB), Sean Taylor (S), Adam Archueletta (S)
Projected Backups: Kenny Wright (CB), Ade Jimoh (CB), Christian Morton (CB), Pierson Prioleau (S), Reed Doughty (S)
On the Bubble: Dimitri Patterson, Dennard Wilson, Curry Burns, Chris Hawkins, John Eubanks, Aric Williams

No change since my July predictions here. Springs and Rogers start at corner, Taylor and Arch at Safety. Pierson Prioleau is our first safety off the bench and Kenny Wright is our nickleback. Ade Jioimoh and Christian Morton provide depth at corner and Doughty at S. Dennard Wilson and Curry Burns will have to compete with Doughty for the backup S spot. Patterson, Eubanks and Williams have outside chances of beating out Christan Morton but more likely are competing for a Practice squad placement.

Specialists
Allotted Roster Spaces: 3
Projected Starter: David Lonie (P), John Hall (K), Ethan Albright (LS)
On the Bubble: Derrick Frost (P), Tyler Jones (K)

I am not backing off my prediction that Lonie will beat out Frost for the Punter spot. It is my contention he simply was one of the worst pounters in the league last year and anyone with a live leg can beat him out. Hall will come back for another year but if tyler Jones looks good in pre-season he will be only 1 phone call away. Ethan Albright is a machine and one of the best long snappers in the NFL

Practice Squad Predictions:

RB Jesse Lumsden: Lumsden has had a good mini camp and a good training camp can get him a PS spot. There is no need to carry more then 3 RBs when you could always promote a guy from the PS in case of injury. This is Lumsden best hope of being with the Redskins next year barring injury to Rock, Portis, or Betts

OL Ikechuku Ndukwe & Jon Alston: They spend one more year on the PS and serve as decent backups for injuries.

TE Buck Ortega: B uck will use Robert Johnson as a role model if he can’t beat him out on the practice field.

DB Dimitri Patterson & Dennard Wilson: If they stay injury free and there are no injuries to those ahead of them then these guys can get a year to grow and learn the GW defense.

WR Mike Espy: Can return kicks in a pinch as well as using a year to mature and learn the Saunder’s system.

LB Robert McCune: McCune better hope Clemons does not beat out Havner or Simon for a roster spot otherwise he may be off the roster completely.

Training camp will change this for sure but this is my best guess for now.


Until next time Hail to the Redskins!!!!