Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

How many roster spots are up for grabs?

The Redskins have the league maximum 90 players on their roster and a lot of what goes on between now and the start of the season will be about finding out who will be on the final 53-man roster. Mike Shanahan loves competition. But how much competition is there? How many of those coveted 53 jobs are already locked up and how many are up for grabs? As OTA’s start this week let’s take a look with the caveat that injuries and a truly surprising performance could change the picture for a few players.

Right now, it looks like 41 players are locks to make the final roster:

Offense

QB (3): Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Rex Grossman
RB (2): Alfred Morris, Darrel Young

Go here to read the rest of the post on CSN Washington.

New Redskins numbers of interest

Some of these numbers may be out there already but here is an updated list of the jersey numbers of select new Redskins players:

• 5--QB Pat White
• 25 (red)--CB Chase Minnifield
• 29 (red)--S Bacarri Rambo
• 30--CB E.J. Biggers
• 35--RB Chris Thompson
• 39--CB David Amerson
• 41--S Phillip Thomas
• 47--RB Jawan Jamison
• 54--LB Darryl Tapp
• 57 (red)--Brandon Jenkins
• 61--OT Xavier Nixon
• 69--OT Jeremy Trueblood
• 72 (white)--C Kevin Matthews
• 77--OT Tony Pashos
• 86--TE Jordan Reed
• 93--DE Phillip Merling
• 97--DE Ron Brace

Need to Know: What we'll watch for in OTA's

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, May 22, 64 days before Redskins start training camp.

Today’s the day

Today for the first time since their playoff loss to Seattle on Jan. 6, we will see the Redskins on a football field running football plays. Today is the first of six OTA and minicamp practice sessions scheduled to be open to the media.

It won’t be the same as January, of course. No pads are allowed; they will be out there in helmets and shorts. There is no contact allowed, although they will kind of lean into each other. And Robert Griffin III will be a spectator as he rehabs from the knee injury he suffered midway though the fourth quarter of that Seattle game.

But there still will be plenty to watch. Just a few of the issues under the spotlight:

—How will the defensive backfield shape up? Brandon Meriweather, who is expected to be the starting strong safety, won’t be on the field as he rehabs his torn ACL. How big a role will rookies Phillip Thomas and Bacarri Rambo play could give us a hint to the team's plans for them come the fall. Can Chase Minnifield make a splash and become the undrafted steal everything thought he could be before he was injured last year?

—Who will line up at right tackle? We’re not sure yet if it is an open competition for the job or if it’s Tyler Polumbus’ job to lose. With the possibility that the Redskins might work more of their passing game out of the pocket, protection is critical.

—What will Pat White be doing? When the Redskins signed him this spring after three years out of the NFL, it was widely assumed that he would handle the RG3 role from scrimmage while the real Griffin rehabbed.

—Who will step up among the undrafted players and other castoffs and underdogs? Can receivers Lance Lewis and Nick Williams get in the conversation for a roster spot? Can either Ron Brace or Phillip Merling (or both) revive their careers?  

The team needs to be very careful to stay within the rules. The OTA’s are filmed and the NFLPA can request a copy of a session at any time. A coach can be fined up to $100,000 for a violation of the rules and the team can be hit for as much as $250,000. In addition, the team can lose the next week of OTA’s as a penalty for not following the rules.

Will a rookie start in the secondary?

Today’s schedule

10:40—OTA practice, media can observe entire session
After practice (approx. 12:30)—Player availability and news conferences by Robert Griffin III and Mike Shanahan

In case you missed it

• How will doctors know when RG3 is “ready”?
• RG2 weighs in on son’s injury, recovery
• Redskins Tweetbag: Who will surprise?
• RG3 dazzles in Xbox demo
• Is Orakpo 100 percent healthy?

Days until: Minicamp 19; Training camp 63; Preseason vs. Steelers 88

 

Redskins Tweetbag: Who will surprise?

Running the Tweetbag a day early because of the OTA's media availability. Let's dive right in to your questions:

@rich_tandlercsn If you had to pick one guy on the 90 who's gonna surprise people good or bad, who would you pick and why?

— Zack Jenkins (@RedskinsST21) May 21, 2013

Might be a better question to ask in a few weeks after I've had a chance to look at the whole team during OTA's. However, I'll give you a guy I've been hyping all offseason--OT Tom Compton. He has the physical tools to be in the mix at right tackle and I think he will make a strong push to win the starting right tackle job. Even if he's not quite ready in September, he could be in November. 

@rich_tandlercsn any Tony Pashos love ? Is he healthy ?

— brian(@briz1744) May 21, 2013

On the first questions, mone from me, at this point. I'm generally wary of players who were out of the league for a year as Pashos was last year; the league generally finds a way to employ those who have some ability. I reserve the right to change my mind when I see him on the field over the next few weeks. As to the second part, I don't believe he would have been signed if he wasn't healthy. 

@rich_tandlercsn How is Pat White settling in?

— JBIII (@JBeaver3083) May 21, 2013

@rich_tandlercsn Does Pat White make the team If RGIII is not near returning by the end of pre-season?

— Suggside11 (@Suggside11) May 21, 2013

Let's hit both of these Pat White questions at once here. White is settling in just fine from what I've heard. It will be interesting to watch what he does during practice. I wouldn't rule out White making the team if RG3 starts the season on the PUP list but that seems to be such a remote possibility that it's not worth thinking about in much depth. I think that the one chance White has to make the team would be as a "slash" type player, doing some of the stuff out of the backfield that the attempted to do with Brandon Banks last year. 

@rich_tandlercsn What r your thoughts on putting in synthetic turf at FedEx? Last season grass looked real bad.

— Allen Sisson (@AllenSisson) May 21, 2013

They are going to redo the field at FedEx from the drainage system on up. And they are not going to fumble on resodding the field at midseason. The current team brain trust (Shanahan, Allen, Snyder) would rather play on grass. We'll see if they can deliver a quality surface.

@rich_tandlercsn With all of the recent controversy any indication that the Redskin's suits want RGIII to back off of tweeting so much?

— Suggside11 (@Suggside11) May 21, 2013

@rich_tandlercsn do u think the RG3 tweeter issues will become distraction for the team?

— Javier (@Mexskins36) May 21, 2013

No and no, at least not at this point. I don't think that the team would get involve unless he tweeted something that was offensive, racist, or something along those lines. The team really has no reason to get involved otherwise. It won't become a distraction unless teammates are getting asked about his tweets. I don't see this rising to a level where anyone with the media is going to ask anyone else about his tweeting. 

@rich_tandlercsn What's the word on Merriweather's recovery?If fully healthy, is he the lock at starting SS?

— Matthew Holtzman (@Redskins1046) May 21, 2013

It doesn't look like we'll see too much out of Meriweather during OTA's but he could be ready for training camp and almost certainly for the start of the season. Camp will open just over nine months after he suffered his torn ACL and that should be enough time for recovery. It's hard to see him not being the starter if healthy. 

@rich_tandlercsn How do you expect the defensive schemes to change with the return of a healthy orakpo, merriweather & the new draft picks?

— Fayssal (@Ali_Island) May 21, 2013

I'm not sure the schemes will change all that much. What I see is fewer blitzes being called with the ability to get pressure on the QB by sending just Rak or Kerrigan and the deisre not to leave any of the DB's, especially the rookies, on an island. Might get more create once the rookie DB's get their legs under them.

@rich_tandlercsn any chance moss starts opposite garcon?hes better than the rest.i know they want him in slot but he can do that too.

— Paul S (@theoxtalls) May 22, 2013

Uh, no. At his age you don't want him out there playing 900 snaps. Moss started to slide back in 2011; even if you factor in the games he missed with the broken hand he still had his worst season since his second year in the league, when he was a Jet. Limiting his snaps and keeping him on the slot is the best way to keep him effective. 

RG3 dazzles in new Xbox demo

Microsoft rolled out the latest iteration of the Xbox game console yesterday and the promise to make games like Madden football more realistic than ever.

They needed a popular, dynamic NFL player capable of jaw-dropping athletic moves to feature in their demo video for the Xbox One and, surprise, surprise, they used Robert Griffin III.

While the graphics are amazing, I do think that Mike Shanahan would offer a few coaching points here. Mainly, he would strongly urge Griffin to slide rather than stiff arming the one defender trying to cut him down low or lowering his shoulder and risking getting sandwiched in between the two Cowboys defenders.  

But if you’re at the controls in the game, you really don’t have to worry about that. It looks like playing with RG3 could almost be unfair. 

Need to Know: Is Orakpo 100 percent healthy?

Here is what you need to know on this Wednesday, May 22, 64 days before Redskins start training camp.

Rak ready to roll?

It looks like Brian Orakpo has been given the all clear and he should participate fully in OTA’s and minicamp over the next month.

In Richmond on Monday Bruce Allen was asked about Orakpo and the condition of his left pectoral muscle, which he tore for the second time in less than nine months last September. The general manager said that Orakpo was practicing in the OTA’s that were taking place that that very moment, presumably in the right outside linebacker spot he has occupied since the Redskins drafted him in the first round in 2009.

This dovetails with Orakpo’s pronouncements that he is “100 percent” and that he is “ready to wreak havoc” around the NFC East and the league in general.

Still, some remain skeptical that Orakpo is fully healthy. The uncertainty probably stems from the fact that he seemed to be ready to roll last year after suffering the first torn pec in the 2011 season finale. But after just one game plus a few plays he was done for the season.

Orakpo said that the second tear was not related to the first and that it was just a “freak accident”. He now has had nine months to recover and he appears to be ready to go.

There is no need to tell anyone who has been paying attention how important a big season by Orakpo would be to the Redskins. Even though they brought some new talent into the secondary and are getting Brandon Meriweather back from a knee injury, the unit is likely to remain shaky for at least part of the year. A strong pass rush from Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan will go a long way towards helping the pass defense while the back four gets set.

Theismann confident in RG3’s recovery

In case you missed it

• Expert: RG3’s timetable hard to predict
• Tiger is pulling for RG3’s recovery
• Richmond training camp site taking shape
• Some clarity from RG3?

Days until: Minicamp 20; Training camp 64; Preseason opener @ Titans 78

Need to Know: Is clarity coming from RG3?

Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, May 21, 65 days before Redskins start training camp.

RG3 to speak

Robert Griffin III will talk to the media that covers the Redskins as a group for the first time since his press conference after the Redskins’ playoff loss to the Seahawks on Jan. 6.

Griffin has been seen frequently since he had his right knee surgically reconstructed three days after that game. He was in New Orleans to accept his Offensive Rookie of the year award, at a Hollywood movie premiere, jumping up and down in front of an enthusiastic draft day party crowd at FedEx Field, at the circus and other events at the Verizon Center, at a post-party after the White House Correspondents dinner, the Kentucky Derby, and other places both in and out of town.

He also has been heard from but mostly in controlled environments like Twitter and an occasional interview. But what we have heard has shed little light on how his knee is doing and what he and the organization about the circumstances surrounding his injury.

Much of what he has said has led to more confusion than understanding. In an interview with ESPN magazine he said, “I don’t feel like playing against the Seahawks was a mistake. But I see the mistake in it.”

Say what?

There is no guarantee that we’ll get any more clarity out of Griffin on Thursday. But we’ll try and maybe see how he is handling being a spectator.

Redskins catching up to NFL tight end revolution

In case you missed it

• Allen: “It’s too early to tell” about RG3’s knee
• Countdown to OTA’s—Who plays safety?
• NFL looks to change date of draft
• How much will the Redskins retool the offense?

Days until: Minicamp 21; Training camp 65; Preseason opener vs. Titans 80; Redskins @ Packers 117

RG3 fans nearly buy out his wedding gift registry

A few weeks ago, a local publication made public the link to the wedding gift registry set up by Robert Griffin III and fiancee Recebba Liddicoat. Apparently some of RG3's legion of fans decided to take advantage of the opportunity to express their appreciation for his play and get Robert and Rebecca a wedding gift. It seems that, in fact, a lot of them did. The quarterback tweeted the following on Sunday:

Thank you to the Fans who are helping buy ALL the items from our wedding registry at Bed Bath & Beyond … say.ly/MLw5Rbg

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 19, 2013

The gestures of these individuals spending their own money drew some fire from hundreds, perhaps thousands, of other tweeters. Griffin retweeted a couple of them and responded:

I didn't ask the fans to buy me anything. They found it on their own and decided to get what they could. SMH at all these Debbie downers

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 19, 2013

A look through some of the critical tweets directed at Griffin had a litany of the usual suspects like Cowboys and Raiders fans (some of them were profane) and a number of others wondering if perhaps Griffin might have been better advised to set up a charity fund to which fans could donate to express their well wishes to him and Rebecca. 

A look at the registry online reveals that it isn't quite sold out. For example, there is still a hammock in which RG3 can relax after a tough day of rehabbing his famed right knee for $199 or for about $50 you can get him a paper shredder. 

Shutdown Corner noted that among the items already purchased are "the $439.99 Palm Harbor 2-Piece Outdoor Wicker Seating Set, the $399.99 KitchenAid® 5-Quart Tilt-Head Designer Series Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl (in lovely Candy Apple), the $299.99 11-Foot Outdoor Round Cantilever Latte Solar Umbrella with Steel Frame [and] the $249.99 Calphalon® Precision Series 16-Piece Cutlery Knife Block Set."

The purchases of such relatively expensive items for someone with an annual income of seven figures, if not more, did raise some eyebrows. It should be noted that the registry also was available to the invited guests and the list doubtless includes teammates, coaches, and others whose incomes are in the top one percent. 

According to media sources the wedding will take place on July 6.

Update: Griffin apparently continued to get grief for receiving gifts from his fans. About seven hours after the first series of tweets on the subject he posted the following:

Haters gon hate. Theme of the day. They always say more money more problems. Or mo' money mo' problems. Yea I'm cultured #DealWithIt

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 20, 2013

Need to Know: Not always a running team

Here is what you need to know on this Monday, May 20, 66 days before Redskins start training camp.

A long streak of futility

Although the Redskins have not have much success since their last Super Bowl win following the 1991 season, they usually have had a pretty good running back to hand to the ball to. From Terry Allen to Stephen Davis to Clinton Portis to Alfred Morris, they have had someone to tote the rock.

It hasn’t always been that way. During the early 1960’s the team went through a record streak of futility when it cam to running the football.

On Dec. 17, 1961 Dick James ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns as the Redskins won the season finale against the Cowboys.

They went the entire 1962 season without having a running back gain 100 yards in a game. It didn’t happen in 1963, either. In 1964, 1965, 1966, no 100-yard rusher.

It took until October 1, 1967 for the Redskins to have another back post 100 yards. The back was Bobby Mitchell, who ran for 110 yards as the Redskins beat the Giants 38-31.

According to Football Perspective, the 72 games in between 100-yard rushing performances is the longest such streak in NFL history. Some wonder why Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, who joined the team in 1964, wasn’t able to lead the team to more success. The lack of a rushing attack could well have something to do with it.

Shanahan and Gibbs talk about the Super Bowl

In case you missed it

• A silver lining to the cap woes?
• Countdown to OTAs: A crowded backfield
• Better than the sum of their parts?

Days until: Training camp 66; Preseason opener vs. Titans 80; Eagles @ Redskins 112

The Week That Was: Better than the sum of their parts?

Here is what you need to know on this Sunday, May 19, the day before the Redskins start OTA’s.

That was the week that was

—I wrote about the Redskins on the NFL Top 100 list (Alfred Morris, London Fletcher, Trent Williams) the other day. It looks like just one more Redskin, Robert Griffin III, will be named to the list. I’m going to guess that the total of four players in the rankings will be among the fewest for any playoff team, if not the fewest. The hosts on the show have said that there will be a total of five representatives from the Chiefs on the Top 100 and they finished with a total of two wins. While some Redskins fans might feel insulted by relative paucity of Redskins on the list I think that in some ways it’s a tribute to the team. They won 10 games and the NFC East without any full-fledged superstars, a few “A” players and a lot of “B” and a few “C” players. That is a team playing better than the sum of its parts.

—When asked about RG3’s knee, Bruce Allen said "We’re not even going to think about it until later in July." I know we’ll write about it and talk about it before that but we really won’t know anything until then. (h/t @JakeRussell)

—I found a cool stat cooked up by Chase Stuart on Football Perspective. It’s called the game script and like most good stats it’s fairly simple. There are 3600 seconds in a 60-minute game. The game script is “the average score over each of those 3600 seconds. The Redskins’ game script last year was 1.9, meaning that every second of every game they led by an average almost two points. In 2011 they were, coincidentally, at a -1.9. In 2012 the best game script belonged to the Patriots at 7.7, the worst was the Chiefs at -7.3.

—Something I want to try to figure out between now and the start of the season is how much pressure the Redskins are under. I’m seeing a lot of fans predicting that the Redskins will go 12-4 or something like that. If I dare to go on Twitter or into a chat and suggest that I think they might go 9-7 I get strong push back. High expectations equal high pressure. While I think they are out of the territory where they are a threat to lose double-digit games, they are not yet to the point where they should be written in as the division champs every year either.

—Honestly, I have no idea why so many Redskins fans who want Charles Woodson to come to Washington. I see Twitter inquiries addressed to me and to others daily. In case you missed it, the Redskins drafted three defensive backs. Even if Woodson was to sign for the minimum—and he wants much more than that—his presence on the roster would take away snaps from Bacarri Rambo, David Amerson, and Phillip Thomas. That makes zero sense. Add in the fact that they would have to redo contracts to make salary cap room for him and push cap charges off into future years (the old Vinny credit card cap management style) and it makes less than no sense.

In case you  missed it

Here are links to all 26 Redskins posts on Real Redskins and CSN Washington from the past week. Get some coffee and get caught up!

Sunday 05.12

• The Week That Was: Links to all 26 posts from last week
• Enemy Intel: Giants
• Big expectations for ’13 Redskins—but big enough?

Monday, 05.13

• Redskins sign Rambo, Jenkins
• Pass defense will face tough early tests
• Redskins 53-man roster projections, offense

Tuesday 05.14

• It’s time for Cousins, White to shine
• The 53 Roster projection: Defense/specialists
• Tandler and Tarik chat archive
• RG3 is the USA’s most marketable athlete

Wednesday 05.15

• RG3’s knee not the only injury concern
• Should the Redskins go no huddle?
• Redskins sign Chris Thompson
• Roster churn continues

Thursday 05.16

• Thursday Tweetbag: Answering your Redskins questions
• Jamison in the fold
• Defensive injury concerns for OTA’s
• Redskins sign Jamison
• RG3 No. 83?

Friday 05.17

• RG2 says RG3 “is doing extremely well”
• Redskins sign draft picks Amerson and Thomas
• Countdown to OTA’s: What is RG3 missing?
• Another running back in the mix?

Saturday 05.18

• How many starting jobs are set?
• Countdown to OTA’s: The battle at right tackle
• Morris makes the list