Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

A look at the (shifting) wide receiver depth chart

Let’s take a look at the wide receiver depth chart in the wake of the return of Santana Moss, the trade for Jabar Gaffney, and the pending signings of Donte Stallworth and Brandon Stokley.

The Redskins now have 14 wide receivers on their roster—Moss, Stallworth, Gaffney, Anthony Armstrong, Leonard Hankerson, Terrence Austin, Taurus Johnson, Brandon Banks, Malcolm Kelly, Niles Paul, Maurice Price, Roydell Williams and Aldrick Robinson.

That seems like a big number and it is a little bit high for a 90-man training camp roster. The most that the Redskins will be able to carry on the roster is six. Moss, Armstrong, and Hankerson certainly have spots. You have to figure that Johnson, Price, and Williams are long shots to make it. The practice squad is a logical place for Robinson to land.

That leaves three spots—at most as the Redskins might decide to carry only five WR’s—for Austin, Kelly, Paul, Stallworth, Banks, Stokley,and Gaffney. Banks, of course, was the team’s return specialist last year. Although he was explosive at times, new rules moving kickoffs up five yards may diminish his value. It would help if he could play receiver, something he did infrequently last year.

If you give Banks a spot, that is two for the other six to compete for. Gaffney would seem to have an edge with his experience a solid season a year ago in Denver, but we will have to see how it all plays out in training camp.

Another edge for Gaffney—since the Redskins traded for him, he will be able to start practice right away. Stallworth will have to wait until Aug. 4.

Paul could go to the practice squad as could Austin.

 

Cofield: Time will tell

We know that it has been reported that the Redskins and Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield have agreed to a six-year contract worth $36 million with $12.5 million guaranteed.

Beyond that, we don’t know much.

It is unclear where the 4-3 defensive tackle fits into the Redskins 3-4 defensive scheme. At 6-foot-3, 305, he might be a bit light to fill the Redskins’ primary need at nose tackle. But Jim Haslett could alter the scheme to accommodate a light man in the middle of the line in certain situations. Jay Ratliff of the Cowboys has made three straight Pro Bowls while playing nose tackle at less than 300 pounds.

There was talk that second-round draft pick Jarvis Jenkins, who weighs in at about 315 lb., might play some nose tackle as well so perhaps the defense is being retooled in order to accommodate

We will know more about Cofield’s role if and when they make their next move on the defensive line. If they acquire an end such as the Packers’ Cullen Jenkins, we can expect to see Cofield play more on the inside. Should a nose tackle like Aubrayo Franklin or Kelly Gregg come to Washington, Cofield will be an end.

We also do not yet know whether or not the Redskins overpaid for Cofield. An average of $6 million a year for an interior defensive lineman who has never sniffed a Pro Bowl seems a bit high to some. But we are early in what promises to be a wild free agency market. Before judging the value of Cofield’s deal we need to see what else comes in. It may prove to be a solid deal for a 27-year-old player who has missed just one game in five years as a starter on a very good Giants defense.

 

Keeping Moss the right move

On the face of it, paying $15 million over three years to retain the services of a 32-year-old wide receiver may not make a lot of sense for a rebuilding team trying to get younger.

But, given the givens, the Washington Redskins bringing back Santana Moss was the right move.

The primary given here is the calendar. The NFL lockout having cancelled offseason preparations, knowledge of the offense, especially for offensive skill players, is highly valued in this situation and Moss certainly brings that to the table.

Moss also brings production to the table. He had a good 2010 season, with 93 catches for 1115 yards. However, he was targeted 142 times, fifth most in the NFL, and an NFL receiver should pile up some decent numbers if he gets that many passes thrown in his direction. One could argue that his career-low average of 12.0 yards a catch was a sign of declining skills.

But Moss is one of the very few proven commodities on an offense that struggled to score points last year. Anthony Armstrong showed some flashes, averaging almost 20 yards each on his 44 receptions. The Redskins could well get some productivity out of the three receivers they drafted in April but wide receivers are notoriously slow to develop. As we have seen in the wake of the 2008 draft, when the Redskins took two receivers in the second round, sometimes they never work out.

The presence of Moss will lend some support to a shaky crew of quarterbacks.

The contract certainly does not bind Moss to the Redskins for the long term. The three-year deal comes with a $5 million signing bonus and a total of $6 million guaranteed. Should the Redskins want to move on after a year or two, they will be able to do so with minimum disruption to the salary cap.

 

Redskins flying under the radar today

The team that was supposed to be among the most active in free agency, the Redskins, have been very much out of the limelight today.

The NFL’s schedule of events dictated that today would be mostly about undrafted free agent players and the releases of some veteran players as salary cap casualties (although such moves can’t be made official until 4 p.m. on Thursday). And the Redskins have been very quiet on both fronts.

No announcements or reports of pending releases have come from either the Redskins or from other sources. A number of players showed up at Redskins Park today as the gates for them for the first time since March and none of them left soon after arrival. The Redskins are about $26 million under the salary cap so they do not have to make moves to lower their cap number as some other teams do.

So far, we have just three reported signings of undrafted college players—Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell, North Carolina running back Shaun Draughn, and East Carolina offensive tackle Willie Smith. The Redskins now have 63 players under contract and 12 draft picks. The roster limit for training camp is 90.

Some are reporting that many teams are using today to start to feel out the market and to take a little time to digest the new rules contained in the just-completed CBA. 

 

Redskins' training camp schedule announced

The Redskins have announced their training camp schedule with the first open practice coming on Saturday, July 30 at 8:30 a.m.

Go to CSNwashington.com to get the complete schedule and to print your free admission pass. 

Redskins' interest in Holmes may be serious

A few weeks ago, Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network reported that the Redskins are planning to get heavily into the bidding for Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Although the report was wide circulated, it remained the only sourced report of the possibility of Holmes joining the Redskins since then—until yesterday.

Gary Myers, a highly respected reporter for the New York Daily News, said yesterday that getting Holmes back in green was the Jets’ top priority. He added, “sources say the Redskins have also made Holmes their No. 1 priority.”

I have heard talk from a couple of different places--and it is just that, talk--that the Redskins have been on the phone with Holmes' camp trying to work out a contract. 

This does not mean that the former Super Bowl MVP will be wearing burgundy and gold by the weekend. Mike Shanahan is the master of the smokescreen—remember all of the talk of trading up in the first round before last year’s draft? But the situation does bear watching.

 

Broncos may deal Orton quickly

In the free agency blog I have running over on CSNwashington.com, I have an item about a report that the Broncos want to trade Kyle Orton. The Redskins could be interested given their need at quarterback, but we have no solid reports that that is the case.

If the Redskins want to get in on Orton trade discussion, however, they probably need to do so very quickly. Orton's value will decrease as time goes on. He has just one year left on his contract, a deal that pays him $9 million this year. Whoever trades for him will be getting a one-year rental. Every day that goes by will be another day that Orton can't spend learning the offense for his new team.

If the Bronocs wait until later in camp to trade Orton, teams will be reluctant to deal for a quarterback with a $9 million contract who may not have the offense down until midseason or later and will then become a free agent.

Another factor is the salary cap. According to some reports, the Broncos are several million dollars over the $120 million cap. Unloading Orgon's salary would be an instant solution to getting under the number.

Trades OK today but don't look for quick McNabb resolution

Teams will be allowed to make trades starting today at 10 a.m. While there is a good chance that Donovan McNabb will be traded at some point, don’t look for anything to happen today.

The problem is that there are a lot of moving parts to a potential deal. Not only do the Redskins and a potential trading partner—the Vikings seem to be the most-mentioned destination for Mcnabb—have to agree on compensation but McNabb’s camp also has to get involved. No team is going to trade for McNabb’s contract, which calls for him to get a $10 million roster bonus in the first week of the regular season. The Redskins will have to give McNabb permission to speak with a potential trading partner to work out a new deal before pulling the trigger on a trade.

Getting this done will not require an inordinate amount of time but it probably will take more than a day or two. Although all parties would like to get something done quickly, it will take at least a few days and perhaps longer.

 

If Rex signs, he'll have to watch for a week

It is expected that Rex Grossman will sign with the Washington Redskins soon after the starting gun for NFL free agency sounds at 6:01 p.m. on Friday and that he will compete with John Beck and perhaps a veteran free agent for the starting quarterback job.

There is talk that Mike Shanahan favors Beck for the job, giving the fifth-year quarterback with just five NFL games under his belt a leg up becoming the starter.

 

The NFL may just have handed Beck another boost in his effort to land the job.

One section of the NFL transition calendar that was released today reads as follows:

Veteran players who sign Player Contract on or after 6:00 p.m., New York Time, on July 29, 2011 shall be required to report to, and remain with, their Clubs . . . except that, prior to the start of the 2011 League Year, such players may not participate in on-field activities, workouts, weight training or other physical activities, but shall be required to attend meetings, classroom instruction and other non-physical activities scheduled during the Club's preseason training

The league year is not scheduled to start until August 4. That means that Grossman can be fully on board with rejoining the Redskins, sign a deal and then—do nothing. Well, he will be able to go to meetings, eat meals with the guys, and all of that. However, when the Redskins take the practice field on Friday, Grossman will be no more than a spectator. The same will go for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and so on until the next Thursday when Grossman will be able to take the field.

Meanwhile, Beck will get all of the first-team reps in practice. Grossman will have to play catch up.

This will give a substantial edge to Beck. By the time next Thursday rolls around there will about six practices left before the Redskins take on the Ravens. His chances to impress, and to prepare for the game against the Steelers, will be very limited.

If the Redskins should sign a veteran quarterback with the idea of having him compete for the starting job, he would be under the same restraints as Grossman.

This doesn’t mean that you can take a Sharpie and put Beck in the starting lineup against the New York Giants on Sept. 11, but he will have a substantial head start on the competition for that spot.  

 

NFL transition calendar

Here, in all of its glorious detail, is the NFL's calendar for now through Sept. 20. Events that usually take five months or so to unfold will happen in about eight weeks.

July 25                         NFL will publish the 2011 Free Agency List, which will become effective July 29, 2011 at 6:00 p.m., New York time.                      

July 26                         At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Club facilities open. Players may report for physicals and voluntary strength and conditioning.

                                    At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Trading begins for 2011 League Year.

                                    Rosters expanded to ninety (90) man limit.

                                    At 10:00 a.m., New York time, Clubs may negotiate with and SIGN their own Drafted Rookies and any Undrafted Rookie. Clubs may have such players report to the Club’s facilities for physical examinations prior to signing.