Here is what you need to know on this Saturday, eight days before the Redskins start the RG3 era in New Orleans.
Draft classes stick around
Of the nine players the Redskins drafted last April, eight made their current (as of this moment) 52-man roster. Only tackle Tom Compton, a sixth-round pick, was released. He is a good candidate for the practice squad.
For the most part, the draft picks’ roster spots did not come at the expense of the team’s 12-man draft class of 2011. Nine of those players remain. One other 2011 pick, Chris Neild, is on injured reserve. Linebacker Markus White could join the practice squad but cornerback Brandyn Thompson is not eligible.
Going back to Mike Shanahan’s first draft class, two players remain from 2010—tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Perry Riley. Both are starters. The other two remaining members of that group, offensive lineman Erik Cook and receiver Terrence Austin, were released.
Doing the math, you have 19 of the 52 players on the roster (37 percent) drafted by the current administration. Five other Redskins were drafted by previous regimes so a total of 46 percent of the roster was drafted by the franchise.
Still, most of the 19 drafted players will play reserve roles. Only nine players drafted by the Redskins (and five drafted by Shanahan) are expected to be starters this year.
In all, only 11 players on the current roster were with the organization when Shanahan took the reigns. The other 41 were drafted, signed, or traded for by Shanahan.
Today’s schedule
3:30—Mike Shanahan will address
the media
There is no practice or player availability
In case you missed it
Here’s my quick final roster analysis.
Jordan Black was out of football last year, now he’s a key reserve.
Days until: Redskins @ Saints 8; home opener vs. Bengals 22; RG3’s first division game @ Giants 50; RG3 vs. Cam Newton at FedEx Field 64
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