Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Redskins officially announce cuts

The Redskins officially announced their roster cuts:

WR Anthony Armstrong

WR Terrence Austin

DB Travon Bellamy

FB Dorson Boyce (Injured)

T Tom Compton

C Erik Cook

QB Jonathan Crompton

RB Tristan Davis (Injured)

NT Marlon Favorite

C Grant Garner

LB Donnell Holt

NT Delvin Johnson

LB Brian McNally (Waived with injury settlement)

TE Richard Quinn

T Willie Smith

CB Brandyn Thompson

LB Markus White

DE Doug Worthington

RB Tim Hightower

CB David Jones

LB Bryan Kehl

DL Darrion Scott

The team also announced that it has placed exempt DE Kentwan Balmer on the Reserve/Left Squad list.

Safety Tanard Jackson has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. His suspension is effective immediately.

The Redskins cut to 52 players

After looking at the official list of cuts, the Redskins have 52 players on their roster.

There is one spot open, perhaps for a player to be acquired in a trade or in a waiver claim.

To be sure, there could be surprise or two still in waiting. And trades and waiver claims could further shake things up.  But here is how it appears that it stands right now, with some quick analysis.

Specialists

In (3): P Sav Rocca, LS Nick Sundberg, PK Billy Cundiff

This was set earlier this week when Neil Rackers and Graham Gano were released and Cundiff was signed.

Defense

Defensive backs 

Cornerback (4): DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson, Cedric Griffin, Richard Crawford

Safety (5): Brandon Meriweather, Madieu Williams, DeJon Gomes, Reed Doughty, Jordan Bernstine


The suspension of Tanard Jackson, who would have been one of the top three safeties, helped Bernstine land a spot. It is still somewhat odd that they are keeping four corners and five safeties and this is one of those areas where further moves could be made.

Linebackers

Outside (4): Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Rob Jackson, Chris Wilson

Inside (4): London Fletcher, Perry Riley, Lorenzo Alexander, Keenan Robinson

It was thought to be a battle between Wilson and Markus White for the last roster spot and Wilson won it. Bryan Kehl also was a surprise release.

Defensive line

In (6): Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins, Adam Carriker, Kedric Golston, Barry Cofield, Chris Baker

Offense

Running backs (4): Roy Helu Jr., Evan Royster, Darrell Young, Alfred Morris




The shocker of the day was the release of Tim Hightower. It was thought that the team would wait out until his knee, injured last October, got close to 100 percent.

Tight ends (3): Fred Davis, Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen



No drama here after Chris Cooley was released on Tuesday.

Wide receivers (7): Pierre Garçon, Leonard Hankerson, Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, Brandon Banks, Dez Briscoe

Banks will be more of a kick returner than a wide receiver so there are really six here. Briscoe beat out Anthony Armstrong for the last spot. Most thought Briscoe was the superior receiver during training camp and the preseason but there was a chance that Armstrong’s special teams play could keep him on the roster.

Quarterbacks

In (3): Robert Griffin III, Rex Grossman, Kirk Cousins




Rex Grossman was never, ever in any danger of being cut.

Offensive line

In (9): Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, Chris Chester, Tyler Polumbus, Josh LeRibeus, Jordan Black, Adam Gettis, Maurice Hurt

While none of the individual names here is a surprise the overall number is. The Redskins have kept eight offensive linemen the last two years. But they did get burned to an extent last year when a rash of injuries hit the line. 

Armstrong tweets that he's no longer a Redskin

Wide receiver Anthony Armstrong announced via Twitter that he is no longer with the Redskins.

Via @MrArmstrong13:

 #RedskinNation T[hank] y[ou] for embracing me, unfortunately my time has come to an end. G[ood] L[uck] to @RGIII @DezBriscoe89 & the rest of the team.

The two Twitter handles referenced are of rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III and receiver Dezmon Briscoe, who apparently beat out Armstrong for the last roster spot.

Armstrong made the Redskins as a 27-year-old rookie in 2010 and had a nice debut season. He was among the league leaders in yards per reception with 19.8 yards on his 44 catches.

Last year, however, his productivity plunged. Hampered by a hamstring injury part of the year, he caught just seven catches. Mike Shanahan called him out to the media for his inability to beat press coverage off the line.

It is presumed that Armstong will be waived. There was talk earlier in the day that he might be traded for Dolphins running back Steve Slaton but it appears that the deal is off.

Only one decision left to get to 53?

If we assume that Anthony Armstrong is either traded or released and that a few of the longshot players we haven’t heard about one way or the other end up getting released, as of right now it looks like there is just one major decision left to be made on the 53-man roster.

Will they keep linebacker Markus White and go with 25 offensive players, 25 on defense and three specialists (counting Brandon Banks as a kick returner)? Or will they keep wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe and go 26-24 offense-defense?

To be sure, there could be surprise or two still in waiting. But here is how it appears that it will shake out:

Specialists

In (3): P Sav Rocca, LS Nick Sundberg, PK Billy Cundiff

Defense

Defensive backs 

Cornerback (4): DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson, Cedric Griffin, Richard Crawford

Safety (6): Brandon Meriweather, Tanard Jackson, Madieu Williams, DeJon Gomes, Reed Doughty, Jordan Bernstine


Linebackers

Outside (4-5): Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Rob Jackson, Chris Wilson (Markus White?)

Inside (4): London Fletcher, Perry Riley, Lorenzo Alexander, Keenan Robinson

Defensive line

In (6): Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins, Adam Carriker, Kedric Golston, Barry Cofield, Chris Baker

Offense

Running backs (4): Roy Helu Jr., Evan Royster, Darrell Young, Alfred Morris




Tight ends (3): Fred Davis, Niles Paul, Logan Paulsen



Wide receivers (6-7): Pierre Garçon, Leonard Hankerson, Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, Brandon Banks (Dez Briscoe?)

Quarterbacks

In (3): Robert Griffin III, Rex Grossman, Kirk Cousins




Offensive line

In (9): Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, Chris Chester, Tyler Polumbus, Josh LeRibeus, Jordan Black, Adam Gettis, Maurice Hurt

Safety in numbers at safety?

The Redskins appear to believe that there is safety in numbers at safety.

Per media reports, six safeties will make the 2012 Redskins. Brandon Meriweather, Tanard Jackson, Madieu Williams, DeJon Gomes, Reed Doughty, and Jordan Bernstine all have either been told they will be on the final 53-man roster or are locks to make it.

They had four safeties on the roster most of last year and most NFL teams carry four or five safeties on the roster.

The surprise was Bernstine, a seventh-round pick this year. Many analysts believed that he would need a year of seasoning on the practice squad this year and then come back to compete for a spot on the roster this year. But he has been told that he will make it this year.

And the conventional wisdom was that Gomes and Doughty were fighting for one job, but they both appear to have made it.

You don’t have to look far to see where the Redskins trimmed personnel to make room for the extra safety or two. Cornerbacks Brandyn Thompson and David Jones will be released leaving the Redskins with just four cornerbacks—DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson, Cedric Griffin and rookie Richard Crawford. Five is the usual number for most NFL teams and the Redskins carried five most of last year.

The puzzling thing about breakdown of the defensive backs is that Hall and Griffin both are capable of playing safety if needed. Bernstine did play cornerback at Iowa before moving to safety but it would be surprising of they had the rookie learn two positions.

It is possible that more moves will be made in the coming days and perhaps we will be further explanation when Mike Shanahan addresses the media tomorrow afternoon. 

CSN: Banks is in

Wide receiver Brandon Banks has been informed that he’s made the Redskins, Comcast SportsNet’s Chick Hernandez reported this morning.

Banks had been the most significant question mark entering cutdown day. But a source close to Banks told Hernandez that the pint-sized playmaker is “not a bubble” guy and that his spot on the 53-man roster, which must be submitted to the NFL at 9 p.m., is safe.

Banks likely secured his position with three plays this preseason.

Although Banks muffed a punt and lost a fumble while filling in at tailback Wednesday against Tampa Bay at FedEx Field, the generously listed 5 foot 7, 153-pound fourth-year pro hauled in a 47-yard reception on a diving catch and took a reverse 43 yards into Buccaneers’ territory.

Against the Bears, Banks provided the top highlight of the Redskins’ exhibition season when he returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown.

Told by Coach Mike Shanahan at the outset of camp that he had to contribute at wide receiver in order to make the team, Banks likely proved himself to be too valuable as a game-breaker on special teams.

In all this preseason, Banks returned seven punts for 161 yards (23 yards per), took back four kicks for 102 yards and made three receptions for 54 yards.

After Wednesday’s game, Banks was confident he would catch on somewhere, if not Washington.

“I think I put enough on film to still have a job somewhere,” Banks said. “If not here, somewhere else.”

20 questions in 20 days: #9 Was bringing in Cundiff the right move?

20 questions in 20 days

As we count down to the first game of the Redskins’ season, Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler are going to be looking at some of the big questions facing the team and attempting to look into their crystal balls and answer them.

Question 10: Was making Billy Cundiff the kicker a smart move?

The background: Suppose the Redskins played the Cowboys and the Giants won. That’s how the Redskins’ kicking competition played out. Graham Gano went up against Neil Rackers all during OTA’s, minicamp, training camp and the first three games of the preseason. Then, earlier this week, both Rackers and Gano were cut and the Redskins signed Cundiff, who the Ravens had released over the weekend.

Tandler: There wasn’t much difference between Cundiff and Gano last year when it came to field goal percentage. Gano hit on 75.6 percent of his tries, Cundiff on 75.7 percent. Both were among the worst in the league in that department. The Redskins apparently are hoping that Cundiff regains his form of 2010 when he was the first-team All-Pro kicker as he hit on nearly 90 percent of his field goals. If he can do that and continue to hammer his kickoffs into the end zone with regularity like he did on Wednesday against the Bucs, the move will be a good one. But there will be a great deal of criticism and second guessing if Cundiff continues to hit on only three of every four kicks and Gano catches on elsewhere and becomes that team’s long-term solution at kicker. Unfortunately, I see the latter scenario as more likely to play out than the former.

El-Bashir: The Redskins signed Cundiff to a one-year contract this week in the hopes he’ll revert to the Pro Bowler he was two seasons ago, not the 28th ranked kicker he was in 2011 for the Ravens. While a return to form is possible, of course, Cundiff‘s career stats make it seem unlikely. His 89.7-percent conversion rate in 2010 is book-ended by marks of 78.3 and 75.7. (Interestingly, the 32-year-old ranked one spot ahead of Graham Gano, the kicker he replaced, in field goal percentage last season.) Cundiff’s strength is kickoffs. Last season he sent an NFL record 44 kicks into the end zone for touchbacks. His weakness is long field goals. Since 2003, in fact, he’s made only two of his 13 attempts from 50-plus yards. If Cundiff connects on field goals at 80-85 percent, which would put him between 11-20, and consistently boots kickoffs through the end zone, then he will be an upgrade.  

20 questions in 20 days

#20 Aug.20—Will Jammal Brown play this year?
#19 Aug.21—Will Chris Cooley make the team?
#18 Aug. 22—Can Brandon Meriweather get he job done at safety?
#17 Aug. 23—Is Garçon a No. 1 receiver?
#16 Aug. 24—Can Trent Williams go from good to great?
#15 Aug. 25—Can DeAngelo Hall be a defensive playmaker?
#14 Aug. 26—Can Santana Moss regain his old form?
#13 Aug. 27—Can Orakpo post 15 sacks?
#12 Aug. 28—Will Leonard Hankerson break out?
#11 Aug. 29—Can the Redskins flip their turnover ratio?
#10 Yesterday—How much can Hightower contribute this year?
#9 Today—Was making Billy Cundiff the kicker a good move?
#8 Tomorrow—Will Josh Morgan be worth the investment?
#7 Sunday—What can Jarvis Jenkins contribute?

Looks like Black is in at swing tackle

With the reported releases of tackles Willie Smith and Tom Compton, it looks like the Redskins will go with veteran Jordan Black as their main reserve offensive tackle.

The Redskins signed Black as a free agent shortly after training camp started. He has worked to learn the system and get his weight up. He was about 20 pounds under his playing weight after being out of the NFL last year.  

According to media reports, the Redskins have offered Smith, who started three games at left tackle last year, a spot on their practice squad if he is not claimed by another team. He made the team as an undrafted free agent last year.

Compton also appears to be a prime candidate for the practice squad. He was the team’s sixth-round draft pick last year. 

Need to Know: Keep it here for coverage of cutdown day

Here is what you need to know on this Friday, the day the Redskins cut their roster down to 53 players.

NFL, union finally agree on new IR and trade deadline rules

The new trade deadline rule is simple. Instead of cutting off trades at 4 p.m. on the Tuesday after Week 6 games they will be permitted up until the same time and day after Week 8.

The revised injured reserve rule is a bit more complex. Our friends at Pro Football Talk have all of the details here. The quick explanation is that a player who is on a team’s 53-man roster when the final cuts are made (i.e. as of today at 9 p.m.) can be placed on injured reserve anytime after 4 p.m. on Tuesday and then brought back onto the roster after a minimum of six weeks. The injury that lands the player on IR must be “serious”, something that presumably is defined separately in a side agreement between the league and the union.

Previously a player who went on injured reserve would have to remain on it for the rest of the season.

The Redskins don’t have anyone on whom they would use the designation right now. Jammal Brown has already been placed on the PUP list with his hip injury and the team will be able to activate him between Weeks 6 and 9.

However, the IR activation could be used for a player who gets injured any time up until Week 10.

Tandler and Tarik all over final cuts

My partner Tarik El-Bashir and I will be all over today’s final cuts by the Redskins and the rest of the NFL. We’ll keep you up to speed on who is going and who is staying. And as a bonus, we’ll give you solid analysis of the moves.

It is unlikely that the Redskins will give us the official list of players released until after the 9 p.m. deadline but we should know most or all of them well before that.

So, follow our coverage here and on CSNwashington.com. We’ll not only tell you what happened, we’ll tell you what it means.

Today’s schedule

No media availability today.

In case you missed it

Here’s Tandler’s final 53-man roster projection.

20 questions in 20 days talks about what Tim Hightower can do this year.

Days until: Redskins @ Saints 9; home opener vs. Bengals 23; RG3’s first division game @ Giants 51; Thanksgiving Redskins @ Cowboys 83

 

 

Tandler talks roster cuts with Sports Radio 910 Richmond