(photo by Brian Murphy)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the world of professional sports over the last two decades, it’s that the life of a Washington Redskins fan is never easy.

Ever since the fateful day when Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs walked away from the storied franchise (the first time), there have been much more lows than highs for fans of the burgundy and gold.

The last decade in particular has been especially brutal — with the Redskins winning far more often in the offseason than the post season. While the front office was always eager to gas up the jet and chase the stars, the results in the end were almost always disappointing.

Now, Mike Shanahan’s inaugural season in Washington by all accounts was more of the same. The roster featured aging veterans who accomplished much more elsewhere than they ever did here and the Redskins ultimately ended the 2010 season at 6-10.

And yet, all is not lost. It finally appears the front office has seen the error in their ways. No longer were the biggest names in free agency awarded bloated contracts to come to Washington. No longer were draft picks given away like free samples at a mall food court.

No, the current administration finally appears to be embracing the kind of youth movement ‘Skins fans have dreamt of for years and years. Instead of trying to build the best fantasy football roster money can buy, the Redskins are quietly stockpiling lesser-known players to compete for playing time.

The roster, almost overnight, is now full of younger and hungrier players dying for a chance to earn playing time. Washington is no longer the premiere destination for over-the-hill free agents to cash in. It’s a place where unheralded youngsters like Darrel Young are given a fair shot to unseat former Pro Bowlers, like Mike Sellers.

Names don’t matter nearly as much as on-the-field production these days, and that sentence alone is enough to bring a tear of joy to my eyes.

Sure, there are still going to be growing pains as Shanahan and friends look to overhaul a roster from the ground up, but it’ll be a lot more encouraging watching this team than anything we’ve seen in recent history. Even if they go 6-10 for a second-straight season, at least they’ll be doing it while developing the next wave of players who will hopefully carry the load.

At least, that’s my take heading into the 2011 season. I’m not booking a flight to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl or anything, but I’m not blindly writing this season off either. Apparently not everyone feels the same way.

I made the mistake of tuning in to ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning yesterday on my way into work. In preparation for the upcoming NFL season, they’ve been spotlighting all 32 teams in a segment called “Two-a-days,” and I just so happened to catch their “expert” analysis on the Redskins.

Look, there’s a reason why I try to avoid ESPN whenever possible. The self-proclaimed Worldwide Leader of Sports is filled with talking heads all trying to talk louder than the guy sitting next to them. And yet, while each of them is rambling at full volume, none of them everhave anything of substance to say.

Case in point, here’s what Mike Greenberg had to say about the Redskins heading into the segment:

“The Redskins had a very bad year last year,” Greenberg said. “They lost a lot of big-name players who didn’t play well. Donovan McNabb, Clinton Portis and Albert Haynesworth among them.”

He then named some of the newly-acquired players, such as Barry Cofield, Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth and pointed out that they’re not as big of names as those who were in town last year.

Greenberg didn’t follow that up by saying something along the lines of, “The Redskins seem to finally be steering clear of big name players who fail to live up to their end of the bargain” or anything like that. He just wanted you to know that Cofield, Gaffney and Stallworth didn’t have the same star power as McNabb, Portis and Haynesworth.

Okay, got it.

From there, the Mikes then asked and answered five questions about the 2011 Redskins, which I’ve included below. And since they basically mailed in the entire segment, I figured I would actually try to put some thought into tackling the topics at hand.

With out further adieu, here are the five questions guys named Mike have for this year’s Washington Redskins:

1. Do you have any confidence in the Redskins quarterback depth?

“No, I don’t at all,” said Mike Golic. “Rex Grossman, I had issues with when he came out as an NFL quarterback out of Florida, so I don’t believe in him. John Beck? What do we know? John Beck hasn’t played since 2007, and if he’s not injured, he’s going to be your starter.”

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

While no one other than Mike and Kyle Shanahan is running off to purchase a John Beck jersey to wear on Sundays, I continue to have no problem with their approach to the current quarterback situation.

The coaching staff knows what they have in Grossman. This is his third consecutive year in this offense and his strong showing against Pittsburgh in the preseason opener showed that Grossman is capable of being effective as the starter.

So why not throw Beck into action and see if the guy is actually any good? What’s it going to harm?

If he excels, then you’ve got yourself a diamond in the rough. If he fails, then you’ve got Grossman waiting in the wings. These two aren’t ever going to be confused for Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but they’re both players who this two-time Super Bowl winning coach has confidence in.

If Shanahan would rather roll with a Beck-Grossman combo platter rather than signing Matt Hasselbeck or Vince Young, then who am I to argue? If he wasn’t sold on Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Mallett or any of the rookies available in this year’s draft, then why reach and risk setting the franchise back another five years or so?

Clearly I’m not as confident in Beck as the coaching staff is, but I’m fine with him being given a fair shot. And if he can’t seize the opportunity, then I’m fine with Grossman holding down the fort.

The Redskins are trying to get away from chasing the stars, so rolling the dice with guys who might not sell a ton of jerseys isn’t nearly as big of an issue with me as it appears to be with ESPN talk radio hosts.

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

There will be plenty of intrigue and noteworthy subplots between now and the start of the regular season for the Washington Redskins.

The question of who will be the starting quarterback – John Beck or Rex Grossman – for the season opener will garner the most attention. It’ll also be interesting to see how many of the team’s 12 rookies will make the final 53-man roster.

But one of the position battles that’s most interesting to me is taking place at receiver, with several fringe players doing their best to stake their claim to a spot on the roster.

It’s safe to assume that the top three wide outs will be Santana Moss, Anthony Armstrong and Jabar Gaffney.

If that is indeed the case, the passing game should be in much better shape than a season ago – when over-the-hill players like Joey Galloway and Roydell Williams conned their way into a paycheck.

The next two names on the depth chart will likely be Leonard Hankerson and Niles Paul, both rookies who might not put up monsters numbers this year, but should become more involved in the offense as the season progresses.

And that brings us to an interesting question – will the Redskins keep more than five receivers? The only way I see it happening is if the sixth and final player on the depth chart is a special teams guy.

That would leave three players fighting for one possible roster spot, and a case can be made for each of them.

First up is second-year player Brandon Banks, who has already become a fan favorite thanks to his abilities in the return game.

Banks might be a receiver with just two catches for 10 yards on his resume, but he’s the most exciting return specialist in Washington since Brian Mitchell. He might only have one kickoff return for a touchdown to his credit, but Banks is someone opposing teams must gameplan for.

Look no further than Washington’s 16-7 preseason victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Banks returned a kickoff 58 yards and a punt 19 yards, both the longest in the game by either team.

Plays like those can make a huge difference – especially when the offense is still such a work in progress. That being said, I wouldn’t consider the 23-year-old a lock to make the roster by any means.

Generously listed at 5-foot-7 and 155 lbs., Banks is rarely 100 percent healthy. He might be an elusive runner, but a guy that small is going to take some serious punishment once defenders finally catch up to him.

Add to that the off-the-field concerns that come when a young and immature player gets stabbed in the abdomen because he decided to mock someone’s attire at a D.C. night club and the question becomes: how much trouble is one player worth?

Sure, Banks is electric with a football in his hands, but how much patience will head coach Mike Shanahan have for an injury-prone player with baggage?

I asked half a dozen media members which player is most likely to end up in Shanahan’s dog house now that Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth are elsewhere and Banks was the unanimous choice.

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

1. “Look At Me Now” by Chris Brown (feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes)

Plenty of people poked fun at Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman’s appearance once he re-signed with Washington, but regardless of whether or not he could stand to lose a few pounds, the nine-year pro turned in a respectable performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in his preseason debut.

Against a talented Steelers defense coming off a Super Bowl appearance, Grossman was on target from the first time he took the field. The 30-year-old completed four of five passes for 53 yards on Washington’s opening drive of the game – including a 16-yarder to receiver Santana Moss on a drive that started on the 1-yard line.

“Anytime you start the season backed up on the 1-yard line and get it all the way down to the 10, that’s a good start,” said Grossman, who completed 19 of 26 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown. “We got into a rhythm and pretty much played consistent throughout the first half.”

John Beck’s name might have garnered more headlines throughout the offseason, but Grossman is now in his third season in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s system. The Redskins went on to defeat the Steelers 16-7 largely because Grossman and friends got the night started off on the right foot.

“I thought Rex did a very good job,” Mike Shanahan said. “He managed the game well. I thought he showed a lot of poise in the pocket. I was happy with the two-minute drive right at the end. He utilized the clock well, and made some good throws.”

Beck will have his chance during the preseason to stake his claim to the starting job, but games like this show why Grossman could ultimately be the team’s starter when the regular season kicks off Sept. 11.

2. “Made in America” by Toby Keith

The Redskins had two priorities this offseason – get rid of the off-the-field distractions that plagued this franchise a year ago and get younger across the board.

Granted, we’re only going off of one game – and it’s a meaningless preseason game to boot – but there were definitely more than a few reasons to be optimistic on this night.

The offensive line, which is still viewed by many to be a work-in-progress, was able to buy Grossman enough time to make those plays. Newly-acquired running back Tim Hightower showed why the front office targeted him – rushing for 44 yards on 10 carries.

Not bad for a guy who the Arizona Cardinals basically gave away for free.

On the other side of the ball, the new and improved front seven was able to get pressure in the Pittsburgh backfield thanks to guys like defensive lineman Stephen Bowen, who did a solid job of winning his one-on-one match-ups.

Earlier in the week, defensive lineman Barry Cofield was vocal about wanting to play, and he made his presence known as well. All in all, the Redskins outgained the Steelers 452-186 on the night and dominated time of possession 39:25 to 20:35.

“Quite frankly, we got outplayed in just about all areas: blocking, tackling, running, throwing, kicking,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “That team was better prepared tonight than us.”

Trying to break down offensive and defensive schemes during the preseason can be a fruitless exercise because too often coaches are happy to stick to the basics when the games don’t count. But you can still get a look at individual players and see how they fare.

On that front, it’s so far, so good for the Redskins after Week 1.

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

Tonight marks the preseason debut of the 2011 Washington Redskins, as the burgundy and gold host the Pittsburgh Steelers. And while most teams are content to limit the starters to 10 plays or so, this is the perfect chance for fans to see Washington’s rookie and free agents in a Redskins jersey for the first time.

With that in mind, I humbly present to you my take at the top 10 Redskins players over the last seven days. For those who aren’t familiar, these are the players who have risen to the challenge and made a strong impression during the second week of training camp.

And, as always, these rankings are completely subjective, biased and, ultimately, meaningless. They simply represent one person’s take during training camp. If you see things differently and/or feel like I’m forgetting someone, that’s okay. Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts on the subject.

1. Barry Cofield, defensive tackle – Clearly, we’re in the honeymoon stage with Cofield, but it’s impossible not to be excited about his arrival. I mean, the guy flat out said he’d be devastated if the coaching staff didn’t let him play a ton in the preseason opener. Considering the drama that followed the nameless defensive lineman Cofield is replacing, that’s more than enough reason to rank him in the top spot.

2. Fred Davis, tight end – While Pro Bowler Chris Cooley has been sidelined with a knee injury, Davis has quietly stepped in and carried the load. Davis is noticeably slimmer this year – having dropped 15 lbs. since last season – and seems dead set on proving that at least one high draft pick from 2008 wasn’t a bust.

3. Jarvis Jenkins, defensive end – The only reason Jenkins drops from the top spot this week is because I’m trying to temper expectations for the rookie. He still continues to stand out for all the right reasons and is the player I’m most excited to see play during the preseason.*

*Even if he’s a Clemson player.

4. Trent Williams, left tackle – The Redskins quarterback situation is far from settled, but at least the left tackle spot is locked down. Williams, who will anchor the Redskins work-in-progress offensive line, remains highly motivated to build off of his up-and-down rookie campaign.

5. Tim Hightower, running back – I’m still terrified of how often he fumbles, but when Hightower is able to maintain possession of the football he’s looked good. With Ryan Torain injured and Roy Helu still learning the offense, the running back position is definitely there for the taking.

6. London Fletcher, linebacker – London Fletcher is good at football.

7. Anthony Armstrong, receiver – Since last season ended, the Redskins have selected three receivers in the NFL Draft, traded for Jabar Gaffney and signed Donte Stallworth. And yet, Armstrong continues to find a way to stand out and make plays on a consistent basis. He also remains the biggest deep threat in the wide out rotation.

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – no player is more valuable to the Washington Redskins than linebacker Lorenzo Alexander.

Sure, other players garner bigger contracts or more headlines, but if the Redskins are to become a consistent winner, it’s going to be because of guys like Alexander.

In addition to being Washington’s most consistent special teams performer over the last four seasons, the 28-year-old has also managed to play guard, tackle, tight end, fullback, defensive tackle, defensive end and linebacker.

I caught up with the man teammates refer to as “One Man Gang” recently to see how he spent his offseason and to try to figure out once and for all if there’s anything Alexander can’t do on a football field.

Alright man, once you got word that the lockout was finally over, how stoked were you to be able to get back out here and put a helmet on someone?

“Seriously, I was ecstatic,” Alexander said. “I was getting that itch while I was just sitting around waiting. It was tough sitting around listening to all that legal jargon, so I’m happy to be out here doing what it is I love to do. I feel like I’m back into my normal flow with the guys playing ball and it’s a lot of fun to be back out here.”

Since you love to spend your offseason like no one else in football, these first few weeks are always spent trying to figure out how you’ve changed your body and what new positions you’re learning. I mean, it’s only a matter of time before you start calling yourself a safety or a quarterback, right?

(Laughs.) “You’re right about that,” he said. “If I keep losing 15 to 20 lbs. each offseason, pretty soon I’ll be playing strong safety or something. You know, the more you can do, the better you are for your team. That’s my role on this team and I’m always trying to create more value for myself. I’m here for them to plug in wherever they need me. We’ve got a lot of great depth at linebacker, so my job is to rotate in wherever they need me.”

I’ve always believed that the more you can do, the harder it is to get rid of you. Obviously you feel the same way, right?

“Exactly,” Alexander said. “Each year they bring in younger guys to take your spot, so the older you get, the more you’ve got to create value for yourself. Teams are always trying to look for someone younger, so I’m just going to continue to be as versatile as possible.”

I need you to be honest with me. Those player-run practices during the lockout were really just an excuse to get out of the house and take a break from your families, right? Were you actually getting anything out of those other than not having to do chores around the house?

(Laughs.) “Nah, nah, nah,” Alexander said. “I was getting something out of it because I was going to inside linebacker. I had Fletch [middle linebacker London Fletcher] out there teaching me, which is why I feel like I wasn’t so hesitant when training camp started. I’m probably a step faster than if I hadn’t started learning the position until I got to camp.”

That makes sense. How sorry do you feel for the rookies out here who didn’t get OTAs or minicamp to learn what’s expected of them?

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

I think it’s safe to say that most people believe Super Bowl XLVI will not involve the Washington Redskins. And honestly, who could blame them?

For a decade or so, the front office was content to cut corners and take shortcuts when assembling the roster. Draft picks were routinely traded away, and when they were utilized, too often they went towards skill-position players who were better suited to sell jerseys rather than fill a specific need.

Trades and free agent signings often brought great headlines during each offseason, but little in the way of results once the season actually began. Washington officially became a destination for players looking to get paid, rather than players looking to win games.

For all of the millions upon millions of dollars management has thrown around in pursuit of a championship, the Redskins have exactly one playoff win since 2000.

During head coach Mike Shanahan’s inaugural season in Washington, it appeared as if the Redskins were happy to repeat the cycle. The Redskins had plenty of over-the-hill players, but not much in the way of depth.

That, of course, leaves little room for error. So when a starter gets hurt or the team faces any sort of adversity, it’s only a matter of time before the losses start to pile up.

But I will say this about Shanahan: he’s not afraid to make changes if things aren’t working out.

Just look at the franchise one year later – the distractions are gone and the roster is noticeably younger. Draft picks were stockpiled.

Rather than reaching for a flashy quarterback in the draft who may or may not have fit the current offensive system in place, management opted to trade back and target players who filled specific holes in the lineup.

Veterans acquired in free agency weren’t awarded the biggest contracts. Again, they were younger, lesser-known players who were targeted because of their specific skill sets.

It might not be newsworthy in other NFL cities, but these are drastic changes for the thought process at Redskins Park.

And looking at the team’s current roster, it appears the franchise is finally heading in the right direction.

Tight end has been the one position of strength in Washington’s offense for as long as Chris Cooley and Fred Davis have been in town. But I’m excited to see what the receivers can do, now that youngsters like Leonard Hankerson and Niles Paul join veterans like Santana Moss, Anthony Armstrong and Jabar Gaffney.

History shows Shanahan’s offense can turn seemingly any running back into a 1,000-yard rusher, which is why the battle between Ryan Torain, Tim Hightower and Roy Helu should be fun to watch.

The offensive line looks better than the train wreck Washington trotted out a year ago, although, if I’m being honest, none of the back-ups inspire much in the way of confidence.

Basically, if one of the quarterbacks can be anything better than mediocre, Washington’s offense could very well be respectable in 2011. That’s my stance, heading into the team’s first preseason game.

Apparently though, I might be setting the bar a little bit lower than others around town.

“We’re fine being the sleepers right now,” said quarterback Rex Grossman during an interview with Comcast SportsNet. “You know, we’re just waiting in the wings, ready to take over the NFC East. Nobody’s talking about us. That’s right where we want to be. You look at us from top to bottom out here, there’s a bunch of great players. And we don’t need people saying we’re the best right now, but when it’s all said and done, I really feel like this team’s gonna win the East.”

Sexy Rexy wasn’t done there.

Continue reading this post

(photo by Brian Murphy)

There’s a lot to like about what’s taking place with the Washington Redskins this season.

Management is finally utilizing the draft as the primary way of building the franchise from the ground up as opposed to overpaying free agents. Attention has been given to upgrading both the offensive and defensive lines. And distractions such as disgruntled defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth are long gone.

Unfortunately, the Redskins still appear to have one major hurdle – the lack of a legitimate franchise quarterback.

Head coach Mike Shanahan might fall asleep at night dreaming of the trio of John Beck, Rex Grossman and Kellen Clemens taking over the league by storm, but there aren’t too many other people who feel the same way.

In fact, many believe that Washington’s quarterback situation is so dire that it rivals Miami’s rotation* for the worst in the NFL in 2011.

*Interestingly enough, while even Dolphins fans are mocking the team’s current QB situation – chanting for players who aren’t on the roster every time Chad Henne throws an incomplete pass – Miami is the same team who cut Beck. So if they’ve got the worst quarterback situation in football, but the Redskins are going into the season with someone Miami gave up on, what does that say about Washington?

It’s not unreasonable to believe that if the Redskins could get any sort of consistency out of one of their quarterbacks, that the offense could be worth watching.

The running back rotation appears to have three players worth watching – with Ryan Torain, Tim Hightower and Roy Helu. The receiver corps is much improved from a year ago, when bums like Joey Galloway and Roydell Williams somehow conned a paycheck out of the front office. And tight end remains the deepest position on the team, with Chris Cooley and Fred Davis.

One player in the mix who appears to be a strong candidate for a breakout season is receiver Jabar Gaffney, who the Redskins acquired in a trade with Denver involving defensive end Jeremy Jarmon.

Gaffney might never be a Pro Bowl player, but he’s dependable enough to have racked up 119 catches for 1,607 yards and four touchdowns over the last two seasons.

If he’s able to post similar numbers in his first season in Washington (60 catches for 800 yards and two touchdowns), it’s a safe bet the Redskins will have gotten the better end of that trade.*

*Nothing against Jarmon, but he was never a Shanahan guy. He was drafted by a previous regime for a different defensive scheme, so even though he’s still only 23, Washington was fortunate to get value for a player they weren’t interested in keeping around.

And here’s why ‘Skins fans should be cautiously optimistic about Gaffney in 2011 – with the exception of a few seasons with Tom Brady in New England, Gaffney has never been fortunate enough to play with an above average quarterback.

Instead, he’s been stuck with the likes of David Carr, Tony Banks, Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow for much of his 10 seasons in the NFL. So he should feel right at home catching passes from Beck, Grossman or whoever.

“It was a bit shocking when I first found out, but then it was followed by a bit of relief,” Gaffney said of being traded. “I’m excited to come over here and play for Coach Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan, who I obviously know a lot about from Houston. It’ll be great to play for those guys.”

For those in town who might not be familiar with your game, what type of receiver are you?

Continue reading this post