To help answer these questions I ranked the Redskins starters from the most expendable to the most valuable. Today, numbers 17-24.
In inverse order, here are my rankings of the Redskins starters, including punter and kicker, based on what I think they might do in 2006. Their 2005 rankings here (Part 1, Part 2), where applicable, are in parenthesis:
24. LB Warrick Holdman (NR)—If the weak side position is manned by Chris Clemons or Rocky McIntosh, it’s a wait and see proposition. If Holdman mans it, we’ve already seen what we have. He’d have to improve a great deal to be considered mediocre.
23. P Derrick Frost (NR)--Inconsistency is not what you want from a punter, but that’s what Frost delivered in 2005. He seemed to save his best, most booming punts for when the Redskins were inside their opponents’ territory, resulting in frustrating touchbacks.
22. C Casey Rabach (10 in 2005)—Although he improved as the year went on, Rabach was not the road grader in the middle that the Redskins hoped he would be. He was dominated much more often than he was the dominator.
21. K John Hall (21)—One of the major surprises of the offseason was Joe Gibbs’ announcement that no challengers to Hall or Frost would be brought in. Hall missed a good chunk of the season with a leg injury. When healthy he was accurate (12-14) but he didn’t hit one from over 45 yards all year. His kickoffs were mostly of the maddeningly short variety.
20. CB Carlos Rogers (NR)—While it’s possible, maybe even probable, that Rogers will be very good for a very long time, he hasn’t done it yet. He has to show that he can stay on the field and play consistently for a full 16 games.
19. G Derrick Dockery (23)—This monster project just may pay off for the Redskins, but he still has to prove that he can play up to his size and athletic ability from the first snap of the season through the last.
18. DT Joe Salave’a (20)—He played through some pain that would have had many of us calling in sick to our desk jobs. Salave’a is a solid performer and that fact that he’s #18 on the list is a testament to the strength of the team.
17. QB Mark Brunell (NR)—If healthy, he’s a good fit for this offense. Brunell’s ability to stay healthy, though, is a question mark and one would have to think that if he were to find himself on the open market he might draw as much interest as, say, Kerry Collins is now.
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