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(photo by Brian Murphy)

For whatever reason, Rocky McIntosh simply isn’t a fan of the media.

While a majority of the players that come out of the University of Miami never met a camera they didn’t like, McIntosh is simply wired differently.

Now, a decade or so ago that would have been an issue. Without the media able to get anything out of him, McIntosh simply would have become a forgotten name on a roster full of otherwise entertaining characters.

But luckily for ‘Skins fans, we live in the world of new media, which means we get to see little glimpses of Rocky’s hidden personality.

That’s how we learned he loves paintball. And roller coasters. And professional wrestling. We can even track the linebacker via his Twitter account.

With all of this in mind, we set a goal to try and get to know McIntosh a little better in hopes of showing fellow fans just how fascinating this guy really is.

Hey Rocky, we’re not going to lie – we’re expecting big things from you this year. How did you spend your offseason?

“Just working and resting,” he said. “That’s a big key, to recuperate, train a little bit and tune up for the season.”

For our money, you’re one of the most intriguing guys on the roster. Fans don’t know much about you, but little moments of your personality sneak out every once in a while. Like last week, for example, when you showed up on WWE’s Monday Night Raw at the Verizon Center. What was that experience like?

“Oh man, that’s probably the most exciting thing I did this summer,” McIntosh said. “Just being out there with those guys – they put on a great show. We got to meet a lot of the [WWE] guys back stage after the show … a little perk of being a Redskin. It was pretty cool, man.”

If we’re not mistaken you’re a pretty big wrestling fan from way back, right?

“Oh yeah, oh yeah,” McIntosh said. “Definitely. When I was little I caught a couple matches and hadn’t seen it live since then, so it was definitely breath taking to see it again.”

Who was your favorite wrestler back in the day?

“Actually, I got to meet Arn Anderson,” he said. “He’s a pretty good dude, and I was kind of star struck with that one. It was cool, man.”

More than a few professional athletes end up in the wrestling ring. Is that something you could ever see yourself doing?

(Laughs). “Probably … after football,” McIntosh said. “Nah, I’ll be good. But it’s definitely exciting and hey, they make a lot of money doing it.”

Think about it, man. Guys like Lawrence Taylor and William “The Refrigerator” Perry jumped in the ring. We think you could hold your own in there …

“I wouldn’t mind making a special appearance,” he said. “I’ll tell you that.”

Would you be able to put on a better show than Shaq did the night you were there?

“Nah, man, he put on a good show,” McIntosh said. “He put on a really good show. He’s definitely comedic and knows how to play a role.”

Quick sidenote: McIntosh was sitting ringside with Jason Campbell, Mike Sellers and Stephon Heyer during the Raw broadcast. We caught up with Campbell to see what brought him out to the live event and he said he ended up going to Raw because he wanted to take a young kid and his father to the show, but that he definitely enjoyed it. When asked if he could do what Shaq did – namely go toe-to-toe with a professional wrestler like the Big Show – without hesitation he said, “I’d probably have to go against someone smaller … or bring Big Mike [Sellers] with me.”

So for everyone worrying about protection problems this season, Campbell’s at least got that going for him … which is nice.

Anyways, back to McIntosh.

Rocky, you’re a veteran and you’ve been to a few camps by now. What do you try to get out of this stuff?

“I’m just tuning up,” he said. “Each and every week is a tune-up and we’ve got four preseason games, so you just want to keep building and building. Nothing’s going to be perfect, but you’ve just got to make sure you’ve got perfect practices out here.”

Does it make it better for you when the fans are out here cheering you on?

“Definitely,” McIntosh said. “We’re here for them, man. We want to make them proud of us and hopefully convert some these guys around here that are Cowboys fans or Philly fans. We’ve just got to keep all of this Maryland, D.C. and Virginia area all Redskins.”

If McIntosh keeps talking like that, there’s little doubt that he’s quickly going to become one of the more beloved members of this ‘Skins team – with or without the media.

photos by Brian Murphy

It’s quickly apparent to anyone who has attended the Washington Redskins’ 2009 training camp that linebacker Brian Orakpo is not your typical rookie.

While most college kids look out of place and hesitant as they adjust to the speed and tempo of the NFL game, Orakpo is seemingly leaps and bounds ahead of the standard learning curve, which is noteworthy because he’s still in the first week of his first professional training camp.

“You know, I’ll tell you, this young kid is going to be awesome at this level,” said offensive tackle Chris Samuels. “I’m working against him and he beat me a few times out there. I’m just trying to get back into the groove of things and he’s coming out fired up as a young pup. He’s going to be awesome, and I tell you what – I’m definitely glad to be working against him. He’s definitely going to help me get better.”

Wait a minute. We’re talking about Chris Samuels, a six-time Pro Bowler. And here he is, telling us that some rookie who just signed his first NFL contract less than a week ago is already so good that he’s making Samuels step up his game

“Oh, definitely, I’ve got to step it up,” he said. “Any time you go against anyone out here, they’re pros so you’ve got to step it up, but like I said, he’s definitely good. He’s going to be a great one. I compare him to DeMarcus Ware already, with his speed, quickness and power. He’s a tough guy.”

Normally we’d take offense to Samuels comparing a Redskin to a Dallas Cowboy, but Ware did lead the league with 20 sacks a year ago, so we’ll let it slide. And on top of that, Samuels is on record saying Ware is one of the toughest matchups he faces in the NFL.

From there we opted to get a second opinion, if for no other reason than to make sure the heat wasn’t affecting Samuels. We decided to hit up the player we felt most qualified to evaluate Orakpo thus far – London Fletcher. Not only is he a fellow linebacker, but he’s also the quarterback of the defense. If Orakpo is truly worthy of such lofty comparisons, Fletcher would know.

Hey London, Chris Samuels is already comparing Orakpo to a young DeMarcus Ware. What say you?

“Well, Chris’ assessment fits pretty well,” he said. “Obviously he’s faced DeMarcus many times.

“Personally he reminds me of Leonard Little, my teammate back in St. Louis,” Fletcher said. “They both have the same body types. They’re both about 6-3, around 250 lbs. and could rush the passer like crazy. He definitely reminds me of Leonard, and that’s a guy who has had a great career.”

So you’re saying he doesn’t really look like a rookie out there, does he?

“Yeah,” Fletcher said. “He’s got a lot of natural ability, so he’s come in and made the transition smoothly to linebacker. And when he’s had the opportunity to rush the passer, which he’s known for, he’s done great at that too. He’s definitely making the transition very well.”

You mentioned him playing linebacker and rushing the quarterback as a defensive end. The team is already asking him to play multiple positions and piling a ton of responsibilities on him, but he seems to be handling everything they throw at him. Is that actually the case?

“Yeah, that’s the case,” he said. “I’m sure when they did their due diligence on him, he showed the ability to handle a lot of responsibility. Otherwise they wouldn’t have given him so much so early. But he has a great work ethic and he’s a hard-working kid. He’s humble and he’s very talented, and when you add all of those things together, it can’t help but lead to success for you.”

DeMarcus Ware? Leonard Little? We didn’t want to talk to anyone else because we were afraid someone would call him the next Lawrence Taylor. We decided to head straight to the source and talk to University of Texas product, himself.

Okay, everyone we talk to says you’re already ahead of the game and that you don’t even look like a rookie out there. What’s really going on, man?

“That’s just how I am,” Orakpo said. “I’m just a hard-working guy who studies the game, loves this game and doesn’t want to use that excuse of being a rookie. You know, they’ve put a lot of responsibility on me, they’ve thrown me into the fire, and I’ve got to respond. That’s what everyone should be doing – they’ve got to study and make sure they know what they’re doing. Everybody’s going to make mistakes, so do it while giving 100 percent.”

We hear you, but you just got here and they’re already asking you to fill three or four different roles. Honestly, the only way we can tell you’re even a rookie is because you don’t have a logo on the side of your helmet yet.

(Laughs). “Yeah, I know,” he said. “It’s kind of crazy, but you gotta earn that Redskin on your helmet, man.”

Which is cool for you, since you were a Redskin in high school, right?

“Exactly,” Orakpo said. “You know we personified ourselves after the Washington Redskins and did everything exactly like they did. Then I went to UT and now I’m back to being a Redskin again.”

Seemingly every time we see you in one-on-one drills, you’re lined up against Samuels, a six-time Pro Bowler. What can you get out of working day-to-day with a guy like that?

“Oh yeah, I can take away a lot,” he said. “He’s somebody I’ve admired and look up to because he’s one of the best offensive tackles in the league. He’s Pro Bowl caliber, and I get to go against him each and every day in practice. It’s not only going to help him, but it’s going to help me because when I’m going to be seeing other tackles in the league, they’re not going to be anywhere near what he is.”

Well, normally veterans don’t have much in the way of kind words for rookies, but he told us that you remind him of a young DeMarcus Ware. You’re from Texas. You know how good Ware is. What does it mean to you to hear something like that?

“That’s a huge compliment, especially coming from him,” Orakpo said. “Like you said, veterans do not like to give praise to rookies. For him to say that … that’s just a huge compliment and I really appreciate it. I’m just out here working each and every day, trying to get better.”

So have any of the veterans done any hazing or anything like that, yet? Have you gotten to sing your college fight song or anything fun like that yet?

“Nah, nah, it’s been kind of chill,” he said. “I’ve been carrying a couple helmets, but that’s about it.”

And that might be the ultimate sign of respect. Not only are they raving about Orakpo, but the veterans aren’t even messing with him like a typical rookie. Instead of hazing the youngster, they’re comparing him to the best the NFL has to offer. Clearly, bright days are ahead of the young linebacker and he’s more than ready to make a name for himself … just as soon as he gets that logo on his helmet.

photo by Brian Murphy

When the Washington Redskins took the field Saturday morning for the third day of training camp, one thing was crystal clear – the defensive line was leaps and bounds ahead of their offensive counterparts.

So much so that the question needed to be asked – is the Redskins’ defensive line that good or is their offensive line that bad?

Not sure of the answer, we asked veteran defensive end Andre Carter for some clarity.

“Nah man,” Carter said, refusing to get excited over the third day of camp. “They got the best of us early and we had the best of them later. This was the first day with pads on, man.”

We know you’re a humble man and you won’t say it, so we’ll say it for you – you guys on the defensive line were running circles around them. You, my friend, look like the Andre Carter we remember – a speed rusher blowing by guys. Albert Haynesworth was wreaking havoc in the middle and Brian Orakpo was embarrassing people. Seriously, you look like the real deal.

(Laughs). “It’s a process, and I’m going to be honest,” Carter said. “In the red zone we weren’t at our best. But our competitive nature toward each other is great because it builds character and it builds unity as a team. It’s a long process and if what you said is true, we’ve got to apply that on game day.”

What expectations do you have for yourself and for the defensive front four in general?

“You know, this is year nine and I’m just trying to make a legacy for myself,” he said. “They always say when you’re still around at this time, you’re at the end of your career. Whether it be 12, 13 or however many years … who knows? I’m leaving that to the big man upstairs. But this is where I really turn it on and play my heart out. This is a whole ‘nother level. I just need to say ‘This is Andre Carter, and this is who I am,” and then go out and make some plays.”

You said you’ve been doing this for a decade now …

“Almost,” corrected Carter. “Not yet. I’m at nine, dawg. Nine.”

Fine, you’ve been around for nearly a decade. Either way, it’s a miserable day to be out here in the heat, running around in pads. We know you’re a professional and all that, but there are a hundred other places we’d rather be than on that field baking in the sun with all those pads on.

“You can be the guy that’s like, ‘I don’t want to be here,” wishing he was sitting on his couch or you can be the guy sitting on the couch saying, ‘I wish I was here,’” Carter said.

(Laughs). “You know, it can go either way,” he said. “What you put in is what you’re going to get out of it, man. Nothing in life is easy. These are the dog days and everything you put in helps towards the rewards later. That’s how I look at it.”

So what can we expect from you this year?

“I’m gonna lay it all on the line,’ Carter said. “As you get older, you look at a lot of film. And when you play every down, towards the end of the fourth quarter, I noticed I was completely worn out. I think this year, and for as long as I play, I’m going to get into a good rotation so that when the fourth quarter comes, I still have a little bit left.”

We’re putting it out there now – Andre Carter is going to get double digit sacks this year …

“Amen, man,” Carter said.

You wanna put it out there too?

“I’m not going to say it,” he said. “You can say it for me. There you go.” (Laughs).

We’re just saying, with Haynesworth tearing it up in the middle and you flying by people, with more speed than we remember …

“I appreciate it,” Carter said. “That’s all I’ve been working on. I mean, I did my lifting and stuff, but I wanted to get faster this year. People say I look leaner and I ran a lot, but …”

Seriously, how much leaner could you possibly be? You’re already down to three percent body fat and making the rest of us look bad.

(Laughs). “No, It was just a great offseason,” he said. “I worked with the guy I worked with when I was coming into the league – back when I was getting ready for the combine and stuff. I did a lot of martial arts stuff to get my endurance and footwork right, and I feel like it paid off.”

Random fact: Phillip Daniels is the godfather for Carter’s son.

We share this to illustrate just how tight this defensive line truly is. They’re not just co-workers. They all legitimately care about each other and want to see each other succeed. They push each other to be better and now that they are deeper than any Redskins’ defensive line in recent history, we can envision great things from them.

Like Carter, we refuse to get too excited over the third day of training camp, but if they’re rolling like this come week one in New York … all bets are off. As for the offensive line, we’ll worry about them another day.

(photo by Brian Murphy)

So far this week, we’ve cranked out more than 3,000 words to get you, the loyal fans, caught up to speed as the 2009 season officially kicks off for the Washington Redskins. First, we gave you five positions to watch and then we followed that up with five players worth keeping an eye on.

With training camp kicking off today we figured we’d up the ante and present 10 (semi) bold predictions.

1. The downfall of quarterback Jason Campbell in Washington will be the fact that he doesn’t throw enough interceptions.

On the surface that may be one of the most ridiculous sentences ever typed in the history of the world. There are few constants in this world, but it’s safe to say interceptions are bad. Similarly, guys who throw interceptions are bad. But it is our humble opinion that the reason Campbell will ultimately be run out of town is because he plays too conservative and refuses to take chances or throw high-risk, high-reward passes.

The main difference between a guy like Campbell and a guy like Jay Cutler (besides the fact that Denver had zero running game last year and had to throw a hundred times a game) is that Cutler isn’t afraid to take chances. If he thinks he can squeeze a pass through traffic, he’s going to do it and not think twice.

That’s why Cutler had 25 touchdown passes a year ago. Campbell has 25 touchdowns over the last two seasons (29 games). But Cutler also had 18 interceptions a year ago. And he had 14 the year before. He’s clearly a “live by the sword, die by the sword” kind of athlete and for better or worse, this front office seems enamored with players like that. If Campbell wants to win them over and prove he’s the long-term solution here in D.C., the best thing he can do is unleash his inner “gun slinger.”

2. Colt Brennan will continue to excel at holding a clipboard.

If you’re from Hawaii please skip this one. You won’t be happy.

Brennan, while wildly popular with the pothead surfer crowd, still has a ways to go before “The Tasty Drink” Todd Collins should worry about losing the backup quarterback job. Yes, Colt is a “gun slinger,” and yes, management has a chubby for those types of QBs, but Brennan simply isn’t ready to be a starter (or even a backup quarterback) just yet.

Collins is solid, but unspectacular. You know exactly what you’re going to get from him every time he takes the field. He’s not flashy, but he’s certainly dependable. Brennan still has to refine his fundamentals – stuff like footwork and being more consistent every time he drops back – before he can make a legitimate run at playing time.

The sad, harsh truth is that if Colt gets any kind of playing time in 2009 it’s because the season is lost and the team is in “screw it, let’s see what we’ve got with our bench players” mode.

Even if things don’t work out for Brennan this season you can still listen to Jack Johnson on your iPod, drink Fire Rock Pale Ale and relish the fact that you’re living in Hawaii.

3. Linebacker will be an issue and a veteran not currently on the roster will be brought in at some point before the season opener.

We have no inside information and we’re simply stating a hunch, but linebacker is every bit as much of a concern to us as the well-documented offensive line.

You’ve got London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh and Brian Orakpo as your starters. That’s solid. But behind them? You’ve got an undersized H.B. Blades and a bag of balls. Alfred Fincher is fine for special teams, but can he be counted on when the game is on the line? We don’t know.

The team would love for Chris Wilson to successfully convert from defensive end to linebacker, but our money isn’t on it. Robert Thomas is a seven-year veteran, but he may very well be the least heralded player with at least 50 starts in the entire NFL. Cody Glenn and Robert Henson are rookies who need to simply make the 53-man roster before we can reasonably ask anything of substance from them.

The revamped defensive line looks stacked and the secondary has the potential to actually create turnovers for the first time in recent history. If any of the starters at linebacker suffer a serious injury, this paper-thin unit could be the only thing holding back an otherwise dominant defense from reaching maximum potential.

4. Speaking of that offensive line, Stephon Heyer will start more games at right tackle than Mike Williams in 2009.

Again, no inside scoop here. We’re just taking a shot in the dark. Heyer enters the season as the starter by default. Williams is the former first rounder who has amazed locals by dropping more than 100 lbs. as he attempts to resurrect his career. While we have no doubt Williams will get his turn to start at tackle, we’re leaning toward Heyer, the third-year pro out of Maryland, to do well enough to keep the job. As for Jeremy Bridges, the darkhorse in this race, our hope is he slides over to provide depth at right guard behind Randy Thomas.

5. If healthy, Malcolm Kelly will out-produce Devin Thomas and Fred Davis.

One year ago, Kelly caught our attention as he hauled in seemingly every pass thrown his way during training camp. The guy looked like the real deal … until injuries derailed his rookie campaign. While Thomas and Davis could very well become big-time NFL players, we’re inclined to stick with Kelly because he’s the only one of the three who we’ve seen heading down that path.

6. Ladell Betts is a bona fide fantasy football sleeper.

We love Clinton Portis and everything he brings to the table. But that doesn’t mean Betts can’t contribute as well. Before a knee injury got in the way, the Redskins’ offense was already moving towards utilizing both running backs together more frequently. Lining up both Portis and Betts in the backfield at the same time adds a dynamic to this offense that’s been lacking. Over the last seven years Portis has clearly established himself as a top-notch back, but Betts should be considered one of the better backups in the entire NFL. He’s also has very good hands and can provide a safety valve to Campbell in the passing game.

Whether he’s on the field with Portis or stepping in to simply give C.P. a breather, it’s a safe bet that Ladell will be much-more involved this season.

7. Antwaan Randle El will give us an aneurism this season.

If we have to watch one more pitiful attempt at a punt return, we might not survive the 2009 season. On the bright side, with James Thrash, Shawn Springs and Jason Taylor all gone, Randle El is now the only player on the current roster we’re not a fan of.

So we’ve got that going for us, which is nice.

8. Renaldo Wynn will not make the 53-man roster.

This one is a bummer, because we love Wynn. But when you take an objective look at the defensive line, something’s got to give. Andre Carter, Albert Haynesworth, Cornelius Griffin, Phillip Daniels, Kedric Golston, Anthony Montgomery, Lorenzo Alexander, Jeremy Jarmon, Brian Orakpo on third downs … the list goes on and on.

Other players who could possibly find themselves on the outside looking in include Chris Wilson, Todd Yoder, Reed Doughty and possibly even Fred Smoot. We still think Yoder, Doughty and Smoot survive, but you never know for sure until the last playbook is turned in.

9. Albert Haynesworth’s first season in Washington will be a disappointment.

Don’t get us wrong, we think he’ll be a stud this year and make it difficult for teams to get any kind of push with their offensive line against the ‘Skins, but Fat Albert’s lucrative $100 contract has pushed expectations to a whole new level.

If you’re expecting Haynesworth to get 20 sacks, create countless turnovers for his teammates and cure cancer, then failure is in your future. If you’re looking to him to provide a new wrinkle to Greg Blache’s side of the house and to anchor a potentially dominant defense, then you might be alright. It’s all about managing expectations, people.

10. DeAngelo Hall will be the defensive MVP.

We openly admit it, we’re not capable of being objective when it comes to Hall. When the team signed him halfway through last season, we believed the hype that he was a coach killer and a diva. We feared he’d walk around town like he was better than everyone else and get toasted every time the opposition threw his way. Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

The guy is the real deal on the field. It seems all he ever needed was a team to use him in a way that maximizes his abilities. Imagine that.

Something as simple as letting him drop back while facing the QB so he can get a read on the play instead of forcing him to keep his back to the play has given Hall his swagger back, which in turn gives the Redskins a true playmaker at corner for the first time since Champ Bailey left town. With guys like Haynesworth up front making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks, we have a hunch that Hall will have ample opportunities to get his hands on the football. That, my friends, is a good thing.

That’s it. That’s all we got.

Baseball players get millions of dollars to bat .300. We’re going to go out on a limb and say we’ll do much better than that with these 10 (semi) bold predictions. Feel free to add your two cents and let us know if you’re with us or if we’ve lost it. Either way we’re just glad to have football back in our lives.

(photo by Brian Murphy)

[Editor’s note: After enduring the slowest part of the sports calendar, we’re ramping up for the 2009 Washington Redskins training camp with all kinds of goodies. Yesterday, we tackled five key positions heading into the season. Today, we’re digging deeper and looking at some of the names and faces who’ll play a part in the upcoming season.]

Imagine, if you will, that the 2009 Washington Redskins season is a movie. Instead of focusing on the entire organization or even the 53-man roster, our movie is going to spotlight five players who could very well become central characters when its all said and done.

For the purpose of this exercise we’re not concentrating on marquee names like Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis or Chris Cooley. Simply put, their stories have already been told. Instead, we’re simply presenting five characters who you may not know much about now that could become more prominent players as the season unfolds.

Brian Orakpo – “The New Guy”

Orakpo made a name for himself as one of the top pass rushers in the country while playing defensive end at the University of Texas. At 6-3 and 263 lbs., the Longhorn was a first-team All-American and easily one of the most decorated players in the country.

After an impressive four-year career, Orakpo earned the 2008 Associated Press Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He also took home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (given to the country’s best defensive player), the Ted Hendricks Award (top defensive end) and the Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker). Some folks thought Orakpo was so good that he even warranted Heisman considerations. Like we said, dude cleaned house.

Well, after he graduated, Orakpo was ready for his next challenge – namely the NFL. And while ‘Skins fans were hoping and praying he’d fall to them, realistically most people didn’t think he’d ultimately end up here. But once USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was off the board, the Redskins’ front office settled for Orakpo. And what a consolation prize he could be.

Orakpo, known to be a “workout warrior” while at Texas, bench pressed 225 lbs. a staggering 31 times, tops among all defensive ends (and roughly 30 more reps than Fred Smoot). He also posted a ridiculous 39.5 inch vertical and a 10 foot, 10 inch broad jump.

That being said, we’re more impressed with his on-the-field production – such as his 11.5 sacks his senior year – than anything he did at the Combine.

Draft experts considered Orakpo to be a defensive end in a 4-3 defense or an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. So naturally, in Washington he’s being asked to be an outside linebacker in a 4-3. Since coming to town Orakpo has said all the right things. He’ll play wherever the coaching staff feels he’s best suited to help the team win. He’s athletic enough to make the transition from pass rusher to a linebacker who must drop back in coverage. Playing in Washington is a “dream come true.”

While a guy like Chris Wilson, who is also attempting to switch from defensive end to linebacker, is probably not going to make it, Orakpo shouldn’t have such problems. Once he adjusts to the difference in speed between the college and pro games, chances are he’ll have little problem finding ways to make an impact. Plus, he still gets to put his hand on the ground and get after the quarterback on third downs.

The ‘Skins had the fourth best defense in football last year, but lacked true playmakers. Adding Orakpo, along with guys like Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall, should go a long way towards creating more sacks and turnovers. This, my friend, is a good thing.

Devin Thomas – “The Question Mark”

From this year’s top draft pick to last year’s.

The success/failure rate of receivers taken in the first or second round of the NFL Draft is typically 50/50, at best. So when a team bucks conventional wisdom and grabs a trio of pass catchers with their top three picks … well, it’s safe to say people are going to take notice.

As you know by now, that’s the story of the 2008 Redskins’ draft class, which featured Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis. Clearly Vinny Cerrato and friends were admitting their team had a deficiency and took steps to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, a year has passed and it’s still unclear what the ‘Skins have at receiver.

Santana Moss is the real deal. Antwaan Randle El is a serviceable third option. What this offense needs is someone – ANYONE – to step up and lock down the second wide out spot.

After trading away their first-round pick to Atlanta, the Redskins used their top selection in 2008 on Thomas, a speedy receiver out of Michigan State. While the team was able to land Thomas in the second round (34th overall), they’re also on record saying they would have drafted him with the 21st overall pick had they not been able to trade away the pick.

That doesn’t make fans happy, not after Thomas finished year one with just 15 catches for 120 yards. If Thomas is going to shed the bust label that some critics have rushed to apply to him, he’s going to have to not only work himself into regular playing time, but also contribute. Fifteen catches for 120 yards is fine – for the first month of the season. To his credit, Thomas knows what he’s up against and seems to relish the chance to prove his detractors wrong. He’s spent much of the offseason running routes with Jason Campbell in hopes of getting a head start on his sophomore season.

“Big” Mike Williams – “The Feel-Good Story”

Williams was the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft. He was a highly-touted lineman out of the University of Texas who was drafted to stabilize the Buffalo Bills’ offense. After four uneven years, Williams was released and rumors of questionable work ethics came into play, which is understandable when talking about someone who was listed at more than 370 lbs. at the time of his release.

Fast forward a couple years and things went from bad to worse.

At well over 450 lbs., the guy basically ate himself out of the NFL. Not to mention he was living on Derrick Dockery’s couch at some point. When the Redskins signed him this past offseason, we jokingly said it was to help get him out of Dockery’s house. All jokes aside, he’s been nothing short of a model citizen since the team gave him a second chance more than two years after the league turned its back on him.

The NFL player who most resembled “Sherman Klump” has since shed more than 100 lbs. and is legitimately competing for a starting role on the offensive line. Regardless of how this plays out, his story is destined to be remade into a Disney classic in the mold of “The Rookie” and other equally heartwarming tales.

Williams was once a former first rounder who couldn’t live up to the expectations. Now he’s simply a low-risk, high-reward project for the ‘Skins coaches and training staff. Anyone who has spent more than five minutes around the guy says he’s impossible not to root for. If you’re tired of the constant tragedy and disappointment that often fills the sports pages, then feel free to rally around Williams as he continues his comeback. Even if he doesn’t claim the starting right tackle position, he’s still managed to bring a much-needed feel-good story to Redskins Park this offseason.

Hunter Smith – “The Stabilizer”

Who knew that after the team wasted a draft pick on a rookie punter they’d finally see the light of day and bring in a veteran who can be counted on?

Hunter the Punter.

Trust us when we say you’ll learn to love him. A year ago, there wasn’t much to get excited about when it came to the Redskins’ special teams. Sure, Rock Cartwright is reliable on kick returns and Santana Moss was lights out in spot duty on punt returns, but that’s where the good times ended.

Mock Pro Bowl votes aside, Ryan Plackemeier was awful. Kicker Shaun Suisham wasn’t much better. And if we have to watch one more Randle El punt return (one step to the left, one step to the right, fall forward for a two-yard return), we might go postal.

But thankfully, adding Hunter Smith to the mix suddenly helps us feel a whole lot better about Danny Smith’s side of the house. He’s a steady veteran who, if nothing else, is good at remaining irrelevant. Let’s face it, if you notice your punter, it’s probably not for a good reason. Here’s hoping this is the last time we put thought to a Redskins punter for a long, long time.

Kareem Moore – “The Break-Through Candidate”

A year ago it was Chris “The Predator” Horton who, as a rookie safety, exploded onto the scene. This year, we humbly offer the name of a fellow safety from the same draft class as our best guess to be the breakout player of 2009.

We’re not saying that Moore is going to go from unknown to Ed Reed status over night (although that would be awesome). We’re simply suggesting that between now and the 2009 season finale this guy is someone who very well may work himself into regular playing time on defense and special teams.

During limited playing time, Moore was someone who carved a nice niche for himself as a hard hitting free safety. And although he found it tough to crack the defensive lineup, he’s someone who clearly stood out to us whenever he entered a game on special teams. During a game in Dallas against those damned Cowboys last season, Moore registered six special teams tackles. That’s always a way to get the locals to love you.

But our favorite Moore moment of 2008 came in Cincinnati. While many of his teammates seemed to be going through the motions as the season spiraled out of control, Moore was the guy who nearly decapitated Chad Johnson with a bone-crushing hit. Others might have been content to show up and collect a paycheck. Not Moore.

That’s good enough for us.

photo by Brian Murphy

With training camp less than a week away, we decided now is the perfect time to spotlight the five biggest focal points for the 2009 Washington Redskins. Whether the ‘Skins are able to return to the playoffs for the first time since Joe Gibbs retired (again) or the team is left standing on the sidelines while the NFL postseason rolls around (again) will hinge largely on these five positions.

1. Offensive line – Everyone knows about the right tackle situation. Jon Jansen, for the first time in his professional career, will earn a paycheck from a team other than Washington (he was cut this offseason and is now a member of the Detroit Lions). Stephon Heyer, who has never shown he’s anything more than a serviceable backup, is currently listed as the starter.

The rest of the pack? Mike Williams, the former first rounder whose fall from grace included ballooning to well over 400 lbs. and living on Derrick Dockery’s couch, and Jeremy “Not Jeff” Bridges, who was previously with the Panthers, head into camp the two players most likely to challenge Heyer.

And while it’s easy to see why folks are focused on the uncertainty at right tackle, we’d like to bring up the right guard position. Yes, Randy Thomas is your starter. And yes, when he’s healthy he’s solid. But that’s the problem. At 33, Thomas isn’t getting any younger and/or healthier. And the only depth behind himis Chad Rinehart, who has taken longer to develop than anticipated and someone named Will Montgomery, who even the coaching staff couldn’t identify in a police lineup.

So basically, the best-case scenario is someone from the Heyer/Williams/Bridges trio steps up and entrenches themselves as a bona fide starter at tackle and Thomas is able to stay healthy for 16 games and remains dependable.

But what happens if things play out the other way – no one can lock down right tackle and Thomas gets injured yet again?

2. Linebacker – No one can question the heart or production of middle linebacker London Fletcher, who rose from the unheralded John Carroll College to play 12 seasons in the NFL. Next to Fletcher is Rocky McIntosh, a former second rounder from “The U,” and Brian Orakpo, quite possibly the biggest named defensive player selected in this year’s NFL Draft. On paper, this linebacking corps is solid. But please allow us to play devil’s advocate for a moment.

Fletcher is a 34-year-old who, thanks to injuries last season, looked human for the first time in his impressive career. McIntosh, even though he’s only 26, has the knees of a senior citizen and Orakpo made that big name for himself as a pass-rushing defensive end. Not at linebacker.

A year ago, guys like Marcus Washington, Khary Campbell and H.B. Blades were also in the rotation for playing time, giving plenty of depth in the middle of the defense. With Washington and Campbell no longer with the team, we’re left with Blades and a bunch of uncertainty coming off the bench this season. If someone like Alfred Fincher, Chris Wilson or Robert Thomas can step up, then great. If not, things could get ugly on an otherwise stout defense.

3. Wide receiver – Santana Moss cannot be questioned. Everyone else can.

Once the ‘Skins get through training camp and finalize their 53-man roster, it’s a safe bet that they’ll have just five wide outs left standing. That group will be Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and a player to be named later.

Randle El is, at best, a third receiver. Unfortunately, he’s been cast as a number two during his time in Washington, which is why the only fans who speak fondly of him reside in Pittsburgh. And while we’re grateful that James Thrash is finally gone, it’s not even a lock that any of the remaining receivers will match his “production.”

Thomas and Kelly have done nothing but take heat since they came to D.C. They’ve heard the criticism and devoted their offseasons to ensuring their sophomore seasons go better than their rookie year. If one, or both, can make the leap and haul in something like 40-50 catches this season, all will be forgiven. If not, those questioning management’s drafting abilities will only get louder.

The rest of the pack at WR consists of “Daredevil” Keith Eloi, Roydell Williams, Trent Sheldon, Marko Mitchell and Marques Hagans. Eloi is great when it comes to jumping out of pools or onto truck beds, but we have no clue whether he can actually play receiver. Williams posted solid numbers – 55 receptions for 719 yards and four touchdowns – with Tennessee in 2007, but hasn’t been healthy since. And the rest of the pack? Well, your guess is as good as any.

Bottom line – someone other than Moss needs to step up this year at receiver. Otherwise, teams are once again going to take away Santana deep on first and second down and double team Cooley on third downs and in the red zone, ensuring the ‘Skins offense hovers around 15 points per game. Again.

4. Cornerback – The worst thing that could happen to the Redskins secondary is a prolonged injury to DeAngelo Hall. While it’s odd to think a guy who has been in the burgundy and gold for only half a season is that vital to the team’s success, it’s the sobering truth. Because after him you’ve got Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot and … well, that’s it.

Kevin Barnes, the hard hitter out of Maryland, is a rookie and will need time to grow. If you don’t believe us, look at Justin Tryon, who looked thoroughly lost last season during his inaugural campaign. There are some folks at Redskins Park who swear Tryon is the real deal and will make the leap this year. We’ll go ahead and take the “wait and see” approach.

When Rogers is on, he’s a true lockdown corner. Unfortunately, he’s also the guy who some believe quit on his teammates when times got tough during the team’s second-half slide. He’s heading into the final year of his rookie contract, so we know he’ll be motivated. But it’s tough to say with any conviction that Carlos is definitively in the team’s long-term plans. And while we love Smoot, there are some who think he might not even survive cuts this season.

We think he’ll be around for the 2009 season. After that … who knows?

5. Quarterback – You know the story by now.

Jay Cutler. Mark Sanchez. Jason Campbell.

This past offseason management tried to bring in other glitzier names to run the show. Begrudgingly, they’re stuck with Campbell. It goes without saying that this is a “make or break” year for Campbell (and also for Jim Zorn, whose coaching career is ultimately tied to his quarterback). If Campbell goes out and plays well, he gets paid and everything else is forgotten. If not, Campbell and Zorn will likely be elsewhere this time next year.

It’s also worth noting that a large chunk of the fanbase will be paying ample attention to the backup quarterback situation. In one corner we have Todd Collins, a tasty drink … er … veteran signal caller who is never flashy, but is typically effective. In the other, we have Colt Brennan, the pride and joy of Hawaii and underdogs worldwide. If Campbell falters, it’ll be very interesting to see which player the team turns to.

Of course, if Campbell falters, this season could very well get ugly in a hurry.

That’s all for now. Feel free to leave a comment or share your opinion with the class.

(courtesy photo)

As previously noted, the Washington Redskins made history last week when they selected Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon in the 2009 Supplemental Draft. Never before in team history had they participated in the “bonus draft,” so to mark this festive occasion we bring to you Jarmon’s first interview as a member of the Redskins.

On if the amount teams that attended his workout last week raised his stock:

“I don’t know how much it helped my stock but I know there were several teams that were interested in me and that I could come in and contribute to their program. The Redskins happen to be one of those teams and Coach Palermo ran my workout and was talking to me during the workout and said he was very impressed by the way I was moving and how well I was performing some of the drills. I’m sure that my performance and not the presence of 18 teams attracted the Redskins to me.”

On what the past couple of months have been like:

“There have been a lot of ups and downs. When I found out in May, I was real disappointed at the time when the ruling came out and that was definitely a low point if not one of the lowest points of my life so far but I started to get over it. My teammates, coaches and friends picked me back up. I’ve been moving to Nashville for the past four or five weeks and working out down in Franklin, Tenn., at D1 [Sports Training & Therapy] it kept my mind off of it and got me back in the football environment. Some of the Titans guys and high school guys were working out there so I didn’t have as much time to think about everything that had happened. It just gave me time to focus on football and that’s something that I love to do. These past few weeks have been hectic talking to teams but its all been worth it and under the circumstances, it’s the best situation for me and I’m really excited about moving to D.C.”

On how much he considered the NFL Draft this past April:

“Not very strongly. I planned on coming back to UK. I talked with Micah Johnson, our middle linebacker who was testing the waters and All-American cornerback Trevard Lindley, who was also testing the waters. They were in no hurry to leave, we were having fun there and we were all coming back and I really didn’t consider it too much.”

On his strengths:

“I feel like I play with good leverage. I also feel like I am very quick. Areas I need to improve on are my strength. Coach Hastings is going to do a wonderful job helping me get stronger, get more flexible and things like that over that next years of my career. The Redskins is going to be a great place for me to be. They have a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players and we’re going to get better.”

On coming to Washington and playing with veterans:

“I know Phillip [Daniels], he’s a veteran guy who’s done an outstanding job in Washington during the past few years. I’m excited about the possibility of lining up next to big Albert [Haynesworth] the guy the Redskins picked up during the offseason and there are a lot of other guys who have been playing for five, six, seven years. And you have Phillip who’s a 13- or 14-year veteran and I’m sure he’s seen just about everything in the NFL that could be done to someone. I’m hoping to just get in and land under the wing of some of those guys and learn and follow in their footsteps.”

On impressions of the Redskins’ evaluation process:

“I really enjoyed talking with a lot of the office guys on the phone. Vinny was great. I had a chance to meet with him down in Lexington and also Coach Palermo and a couple of the other guys that were there. Just the impressions I got from them – they were honest. We sat around and had interesting conversations talking about issues that were football related and non-football related. I really just think they wanted to sit down and get to know me as a person and figure out exactly who I was, and during those conversations I got to get to know about those guys as well. I am just really looking forward to coming to Washington. It was definitely the team that I wanted to end up coming to. I actually sent Vinny a text message this morning. I got his number and I told him I want to be a Redskin – make it happen. It’s the place that I wanted to be and I am just glad that dream has come true for me. He responded in the ultimate way to my text message by drafting me today.”

On being behind in the learning process heading into training camp:

“It’s definitely going to be a test. I feel like I’m a pretty smart guy. The number one thing is trying to get adjusted to the area and as soon as I can get a playbook I need to jump into it and get to learning the plays and formations and sitting down in the film room and putting the plays to the video to see what they look like and see how guys play. I want to try to go into camp with an idea of what I’m supposed to do on each and every play. So I’m going to busy from the time period that I get to Washington next week learning and preparing myself as much as I can and I think I am going to do an adequate job of learning the base defenses and moving from there.”

On why he was suspended by the NCAA:

“I went out and purchased a dietary supplement over the counter in Lexington with the hopes of losing some weight. I had just come off the season, I had some tendonitis in my shoulder after the season and the doctor had diagnosed me with a mild case of tendonitis in my left shoulder. It pretty much made me inactive so I wasn’t to lift weights, I wasn’t to run and condition. I was out of football for about 6-8 weeks. That was from the time period of the bowl game – the date was around January 12th when we returned to school – and around January 19 to about mid-March that I was inactive. During that time period, I did not want gain any unwanted weight in the time period which I was inactive so I began to watch my weight and watch what I was eating and began to take an over-the-counter dietary supplement. About four days before the NCAA came in with a random drug test I went to our head trainer Jim Madaleno and I asked him what was going to happen here over the next few days and he said I was going to get a cortisone shot in my shoulder so at that time I asked, ‘I’m taking supplements – taking some fish pills. Do I need to get off of anything so it doesn’t interfere with the cortisone shot?” His response to me was, ‘Whatever you’re taking get off of it for now, let’s get this cortisone shot so you can get going for spring ball.’ About four days after that conversation the NCAA came in and announced that they were going to do a random drug test and I found out about my status on March 21 after I returned from spring break because I had been out of the country. If I hadn’t been out of the country I would have found out about a week earlier.”

On what the dietary supplement was:

“I don’t know if I am going to release that. The team knows about it. Other teams know about it. I’ve been upfront with them. I don’t know if it’s something at this time that I should release.”

On if it was an issue in supplemental draft process:

“It wasn’t an issue because I told teams exactly what the supplement was and what the substance in the supplement was that I tested positive for. They did their research on it. Everything matched up from the paperwork they had gotten from doctors and the statements I had made. It wasn’t a problem. Teams did their research.”