Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Redskins can handle Neild’s injury—for now

With Chris Neild out for the season, what does the depth chart on the defensive line look like?

Last year, Neild was something of a surprise inclusion on the final roster. As the 253^rd pick in the 2011 draft he was one selection away from being Mr. Irrelevant. Most thought that veteran Anthony Bryant would stick as Barry Cofield’s backup at nose tackle and that Neild was set for a season on the practice squad.

But Bryant was cut and Neild found himself playing in the season opener against the Giants. He sacked Eli Manning once and shared another sack of the New York QB. Neild was not quite a pass rushing force the rest of the year, picking up just another half sack the rest of the way, but he did a competent job filling in for Cofield.

He played 162 snaps, about 15 percent of the defensive plays. Jim Haslett would like have given Cofield, who played 75 percent of the snaps, more of a breather (Haslett said last week that he’s like to see his starting nose tackle play about 55 percent of the snaps) but he apparently did not want to give Neild a larger role.

The team promoted Chris Baker from the practice squad in December, possibly looking to give Cofield more of a rest. But Baker immediately hurt himself in practice and ended up on injured reserve before he could play in a game.

Before training camp last year, the plan was to have second-round pick Jarvis Jenkins spell Cofield at nose tackle in some nickel situations. That went out the window when Jenkins tore his ACL during the preseason.

Assuming everyone else stays healthy, the Redskins should be able to proceed with a version of last year’s plan. Baker will spell Cofield on running downs while Jenkins will spend time rotating through all of the D-line positions including the nose in passing situations.

Neild might have given them some more flexibility and allowed Baker to play end if needed. But with Neild gone, Baker will need to focus primarily on the nose tackle position.

Neild’s injury isn’t that devastating at the moment. But, with 19 games left to play, the Redskins have lost part of their safety net. Further injuries could create depth issues and the chances are good that there will be some issues before the season is over. 

 

Transcript: Barry Cofield looks up to Fletcher

Barry Cofield addressed the media on Saturday, July 28. Here is a transcript from Redskins PR

On how his familiarity with the scheme will help him this year:

“I think it’ll make a huge difference. Honestly, I go back and review myself last year and I’ve played a lot better than that. It was a growing process. I gave myself some leeway for that, but having a true offseason this year, being able to watch a lot of tape and do all the learning and having this training camp and us as a unit… The great thing is that they brought Adam [Carriker] back. I think that did a lot for continuity. Then you add [Jarvis] Jenkins back into the mix and Chris Neild played well. We’ve got a lot of guys and I think our depth is going to be surprising to a lot of people.”

On a specific aspect of his game that he feels should have been better last year:

“Nothing specific, just doing everything better. I go back and watch a lot of Casey Hampton Steelers tape throughout the years. He’s kind of the godfather of the nose tackle position as we play it today and he did it well. He did some things better than me and there are some things that I can do with my natural ability, with my athleticism, that I bring to the position that not a lot of other guys can do. So it’s just getting better at everything and have everything be second-nature. By the time I left New York, everything was second nature. People had to catch up with me. Last year, I felt like I was playing catch-up. I can already see a difference in the beginning of camp.”

On if his knowledge of blocking schemes or technique makes him more comfortable:

“It was both. You see a lot of different schemes. Playing a head-up zero nose, you don’t get that upfield charge so you have to rely a lot on technique to brace yourself. The lineman is running off the ball and you have to react to him whereas a 3-4 guy is taking a step and generating power. So you have to be able to brace yourself. You’ve got to be powerful, but technique and leverage and things like that can make up for those things. Like I said, I wasn’t happy with the way I played last year. [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Jim] Haslett and [Defensive Line] Coach [Jacob] Burney were always positive. They actually said they heard from coaches around the league that they felt like I was going to be one of the best nose tackles in the league. So it’s up to me to execute it, but I’m always hard on myself and I expect a lot of growth this year.”

On if he has a relationship with Casey Hampton:

“I’ve never spoken to him. I actually talked to some of the Steelers coaches. Obviously Haslett came from Pittsburgh so they’re all one big brotherhood with the [3-4], that system that they love and has been, quite frankly, extremely successful. Pittsburgh is one of the top defenses year in and year out so I feel like with the personnel we have this year and the fact that we’re growing together – a team like Pittsburgh, those defensive linemen were together forever. They’re getting older now and it’s new guys being infused, but I feel like the longer we stay together as a unit – me, [Stephen] Bowen and Adam [Carriker], I feel like we’re just going to continue to get better and eventually we’ll be the best front in this league.”

On if he reached out to any other nose tackles during the offseason:

“I did not do that. I just spent most of my time talking to Coach Burney and Coach Haslett because they worked with guys and they know what I’m trying to accomplish just as good as any nose tackle or better than myself. That’s why I laugh when I read that people had graded my performance and what they had to say, and it’s like there’s no way they know what I’m trying to accomplish. They’re not in that room. There’s no way they know. There’s no way they can give me a minus because they don’t know what I’m doing. I barely know what I’m doing half the time out there. After sitting down and reviewing and talking to the coaches, they were very optimistic. After the spring, I feel like I’ve gotten off to a good start and I feel like I’ll be a different player on the field this year.”

On the defense’s accomplishments last year and what they expect for the upcoming year:

“I think there was a lot of growth. I think statistically they were maybe 31^st two years ago and middle of the pack pretty much last year. I think the whole team coming together, special teams continuing to excel, the better we get on offense, the more we’re able to control the ball and stay on the field and do those types of things, I think we’ll all feed off each other. I think we made a huge stride last year. If nothing else, putting the proper personnel in. If nothing else, our personnel this year has just grown together. There’s not as many new faces as there were last year. A couple in the secondary, but up front in the front seven, we’re just learning to play together. Everyone’s just a year more experienced and a year better in the defense.”

On the impact he will have on the field:

“Realistically it’s not going to be a ton of big plays. That’s just not what the position entails. The one thing that I do rest on from last year is that [linebacker] London [Fletcher] led the league in tackles and made it to the Pro Bowl. He obviously appreciated the work I did up front, but I just feel like I can do it better. I feel like I can make a few more big plays. I feel like I can be in the quarterback’s face. We’re doing some things differently up front that are going to hopefully get the nose tackle some one-on-ones to be able to push the pocket and harass quarterbacks and even get some sacks. Last year I think I had two, three sacks. That’s not horrible for a nose tackle, but I feel like with the skillset I have I can improve and I want to get a couple more.”

On how he compensates for his lack of bulk as a nose tackle:

“First off I’m bigger than the 306 than I was at the combine, so I’m not the smallest guy on the field by any stretch of the imagination. It’s really just about technique, pad level, and just work in the weight room. I kind of took a different approach last season. It was in the lockout. I didn’t know where I would be. I didn’t know if I was going to go to a team where I was going to be getting up the field, or I was going to be a 3-4 end, 3-4 nose. I had no idea, so I didn’t know how to train. I was just trying to be in shape. But now having a specific guideline, knowing what I was expected to do, knowing what kind of blocking schemes I’m going to see, I was able to take a different approach this offseason - really train my core and my leg strength and things that you might not even associate with a nose tackle. You think of a gut, but you don’t realize that you can have a gut but you can have a strong core up under that stomach. There’s a lot of things that we work on that you don’t see on Sundays, but they’re crucial for our position.  I feel like myself, Chris Neild, and Chris Baker, we’re all off to a fast start this year.”

On batted balls by defensive linemen:

“It’s not as sexy as getting a sack. You don’t really get to celebrate a lot after a batted pass. You get to the huddle, and you get a high-five. That’s it. Coach Burney, he loves that. A batted ball is very frustrating for a quarterback, frustrating for an offensive lineman because their coach is always telling them to keep those hands down. Every once in a while you can bat one in the air, and it can be interception, so it’s a big play. I was happy with how many I had, but it’s something that you can’t really practice. It just has to come naturally to you. Get your hands on a few balls, and if I can infuse that with a few more sacks, then I’ll be very happy.”

On establishing himself as a leader in his second season with the Redskins:

“Absolutely, and I think that had changed by the end of last year. I actually spoke to the team when we played that second Giants game, and I felt like right then, the words I said, the positive response I got from the guys, I think they wanted to hear more from me. It’s just about earning your respect. This league is all about what have you done for me lately. Nothing I had done prior to coming here warranted anybody respecting me or treating me like anything more than another guy trying to make the team. With my play last year, leading by example and doing the right things on and off the field, you gain that respect. And then you can assert yourself, and I feel like I am in a position where guys respect me and look up to me at this point.”

On if Jarvis Jenkins looks healthy:

“I think so. That’s the only positive thing about getting hurt is he had a long time to rehab. It’s not like he got hurt in the Super Bowl, and he’s still in the rehab process. He looked good to me in the OTA’s. He looks even better now, so him working on that rotation with Bowen and Adam, with that depth with him coming in on nickel and pushing the pocket, that makes us even more dangerous.”

On if adding Jenkins to the defensive line rotation will keep him fresher:

“Yeah, I think so. Talking to the coaches, they felt like I played too many snaps last year, so they want to try to spell me a little more this year. I’m all for it. I’m not going to complain about playing time. I just want to help the team, and I feel like the more fresh bodies… That’s what I was used to my whole career, just coming in waves. A lot of bodies are all hungry and are all talented enough to warrant being out there, but I think we have that here. And I think it will show.”

On his relationship with linebacker London Fletcher:

“London was a guy I looked up to even before I got here. He’s a Cleveland guy. He’s a guy I had met before I got here, and I already had a lot of respect for him with the way he performs, first and foremost, and the way he prepares. He’s done nothing but reiterate to me that he’s a quality football player and a great leader, one of the best I’ve ever been around. Any time I get the chance to talk to him, I’m going to jump at it. A lot of times we talk about non-football stuff because that’s the kind of relationship we’re developing. I was thrilled to see him go to the Pro Bowl. I talked to him around that time. I talked to him just because he wasn’t even signed actually for a while. I wanted to stay in the loop to make sure they got him re-signed. We talk a lot of football, and we talk just in general. Nose tackle and middle linebacker, we’re almost like a center and quarterback. It’s my job to keep him clean, and the more success he has, I take pride in that. Our relationship has grown, as has the whole defense. For that reason, I think we should be more productive this year.”

 

Cofield looks to improve his game on and off the field

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com 

Although Barry Cofield was frequently praised by Redskins coaches last season, the veteran defensive lineman acknowledged Friday that he was disappointed in his 2011 campaign and enters this season expecting more from himself – on the field and in the locker room.

“Honestly, I go back and review myself last year and I’ve played a lot better than that,” Cofield said. “I wasn’t happy with the way I played.”

Cofield finished fifth on the team in sacks with three and 15^th in solo tackles with 15. At times, though, he conceded that was not completely comfortable lining up at a new position, in a new scheme he had yet to fully grasp.

“By the time I left New York, everything was second nature. People had to catch up with me,” said Cofield, who signed with the Redskins as a free agent in July 2011. “Last year, I felt like I was playing catch up.”

The lockout and being a free agent contributed to his trepidation. So did the unexpected position switch he had to make; before signing in Washington, Cofield had spent his entire five-season NFL career lining up as a tackle in the Giants’ 4-3 scheme.

Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett asked him to play nose tackle in his 3-4 base alignment.

“I didn’t know if I was going to go to a team where I was going to be getting up the field, or I was going to be a 3-4 end, a 3-4 nose,” he said. “I had no idea, so I didn’t know how to train. I was just trying to be in shape.”

“But now,” he continued, “knowing what kind of blocking schemes I’m going to see, I was able to take a different approach this offseason.”

That approach involved working his core and leg muscles. The team roster now has him at 318 lb., 12 pounds heavier than last year’s listing.

It also involved studying Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton on film.

“He’s kind of the godfather of the nose tackle position as we play it today,” Cofield said of Hampton, a five-time Pro Bowl selection. “He did some things better than me, and there are some things that I can do with my natural ability, with my athleticism, [things] I can bring to the position that not a lot of other guys do. So it’s just getting better at everything and have everything be second nature.”

Although creating havoc in the backfield isn’t a nose tackle’s primary responsibility in Haslett’s playbook – that would be keeping middle linebacker London Fletcher “clean” – the coaching staff has incorporated some tweaks that should complement Cofield’s athleticism and allow him to “make a few more big plays” this fall. 

“We’re doing some things differently up front that are hopefully going to get the nose tackle some one-on-ones, to be able to push the pocket and harass the quarterback and even get some sacks,” he said. “Last year, I had two three sacks, that’s not far off for a nose tackle, but with the skill set I have, I can improve. I want to get a couple more.”

On the field, however, isn’t the only place where Cofield wants to be more assertive this season. He also wants to make a stronger impact in the locker room.

During his time in New York, Cofield was considered among the team’s most respected leaders. Now he’s growing into the role here.

“That changed by the end of last year,” Cofield said. “I actually spoke to the team when we played that second Giants game, and I felt right then, the words I said, the positive response I got from the guys, they wanted to hear more from me. I feel like I am in a position where guys respect me and look up to me at this point.” 

 

Jenkins could be key to improved pass rush

The Redskins put up 41 sacks in 2011 and sacked the quarterback on 7.5 percent of pass attempts. Those aren’t bad numbers; they were tied for 10^th in the league in total sacks and they were eighth in sack percentage. Pro Football Focus rated them eighth in overall pass pressure, a number that includes QB hits and hurries as well as sacks. 

But anyone who watched the team week in and week out knows that the Redskins’ pass rush was lacking. They rarely were able to get to the quarterback in key situations and they forced very few fumbles with pass pressure.

In response to this, the Redskins did–nothing. The only draft pick who plays in the front seven was linebacker Keenan Robinson, who is a year or two away from contributing on a regular basis. No defensive linemen were signed. Free agent linebackers Jonathan Goff and Bryan Kehl were brought in but they will only fill reserve and special teams roles. The only transactions there were to bring back London Fletcher, Kedric Golston, and Darrion Scott.

That’s all well and good, but how will they generate more pass rush? The key could be someone they already had on their roster, Jarvis Jenkins. 

As Jenkins comes back from a knee injury that wiped out his rookie season, it is as though the Redskins recouped the second-round pick they gave up in the deal to move up in the draft to get Robert Griffin III. And he could be the key to turning the Redskins’ pass rush from good to great.

Jenkins is not a classic edge rusher but that is not the role he is expected to play. At 6-4, 310 he will be more of a disrupter, using his size, strength, and quickness to do what 3-4 linemen are supposed to do, which is create opportunities for others to make plays. 

But that doesn’t mean that Jenkins won’t get a few sacks of his own. Look for him to get some pressure up the middle when lined up in the nose position in passing situations. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him rack up a half a dozen sacks or so, especially if Griffin and the offense can give them a good lead to work with every once in a while.

Unless and until Robert Griffin III comes into his own as a quarterback, the defensive front seven will be the strength of the 2012 Redskins. The addition of Jenkins to that group could make the unit strong enough to carry the team to some additional wins. 

 

In-depth chart: Defensive line

The Redskins’ 90-man offseason roster is set, at least for the time being. It’s time to take a look at who they have, who will start, and who will be around when the Sept. 9 opener in New Orleans rolls around.

We’ve looked the the offensive backs, the line.and the receivers and tight ends. Today we flip to the defensive side of the ball and put the D-line under the microscope.

Defensive end

Starters: Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins
Reserves: Adam Carriker, Kedric Golston
Fighting for a job: Darrion Scott, Kentwan Balmer, Doug Worthington

Bowen, who will be limited in the preseason program as he had a procedure done on one of his knees in April, is set on the right side. 

We could label Jenkins and Carriker as 1-A and 1-B on the left. Jenkins seems to be on the road to a full recovery from his torn ACL although he was wearing a full knee brace during Monday’s OTA. The talk was that he would have won a starting job at some point during last year but Carriker held down the job well enough to earn a contract extension. The two will compete for the starting job during training camp. The “loser” will still end up with plenty of playing time in the line rotation.

The team re-signed Golston after he missed the last seven games of last year with a knee injury. He is steady and reliable for 20-30 snaps per game. He is likely to be on the final roster but Balmer could challenge him if they keep only four defensive ends.

Balmer is an interesting prospect. He was a first-round pick of the 49ers in 2008 and he lasted only two seasons there before being traded to Seattle for a sixth-round pick. He has bounced around and even though he’s only 25 this could be his last chance to catch on in the NFL. Jim Haslett will want to give him a long look.

He will compete with Scott and Worthington for a possible fifth defensive end job. 

Nose tackle

Starter: Barry Cofield
Reserve: Chris Neild
Fighting for a job: Chris Baker

It seems like everyone was trying to replace Cofield with a “traditional” nose tackle from the moment the Redskins signed him soon after the lockout ended. He is heavier than his listed weight of 306 but short of the 350- to 360-pound range that you usually find in the middle of a three-man line. With an offseason to learn, he should improve on his up and down 2011 performance at the nose.

Neild started off his NFL career with a bang, getting in on two sacks of Eli Manning in the season opener. He got only another half sack the rest of the season but, of course, that’s not his job. He did well playing about a dozen snaps per game to give Cofield a rest.

Baker has a couple of games of NFL experience under his belt. He will compete with Neild for the backup spot behind Cofield.

 

Redskins have depth at defensive end

The Redskins are going into the 2012 season well stocked at the defensive end position. 

With Kedric Golston set to return to the team after re-signing with the Redskins, they have three veteran ends who have combined to start 126 NFL games in Golston (43), Adam Carriker (56), and Stephen Bowen (27). Golston will be 29 when next season starts while Bowen and Carriker will be 28, so the group is relatively young.

The three do not have impressive stats. Bowen has the most career sacks with 11.5 while Golston has seven and Carriker has nine. But the end position in the 3-4 defense is not supposed to rack up a lot of sacks. The job is to clear the lane so that others can get to the quarterback. The 16.5 sacks compiled by Ryan Kerrigan (7.5) and Brian Orakpo (9) are a testament to solid play by the ends.

Bowen will start on the right side and Golston will be slated for a reserve rotational role. 

One of the more interesting battles for a starting job will come at left end with Jarvis Jenkins going up against Carriker. Jenkins was the team’s second-round draft pick a year ago and he appeared to be heading for a spot in the starting lineup before torn ACL he suffered in a preseason game knocked him out for the season. His rehab is supposedly going well and the injury happened so early that it is possible that he will be able to participate in OTA’s starting next month. If not, he certainly will be 100 percent for training camp. No matter which one starts, the other will see a substantial number of snaps in the rotation.

The Redskins are likely to keep four or five defensive ends on the roster. We don’t know the details of Golston’s contract yet but it’s unlikely that he got much in the way of guaranteed money so he will have to earn a roster spot. That means that he will compete with Kentwan Balmer, Darrion Scott, and Doug Worthington, plus a possible draft pick or additional free agent signing, for one or two jobs. 

 

Carriker, Redskins find middle ground in deal

The Redskins’ re-signing of Adam Carriker was sort of buried under the wide receiver signings but the move deserves some discussion on its own.

Carriker has been the Redskins’ starting left defensive end ever since the team got him from the Rams for a swap of draft picks. He has not done much that would be considered spectacular but a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme is not supposed to make highlight reel plays.

Although he was a bust with the Rams after they took him with the 13^th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft, he proved to be a good fit in the Redskins’ scheme. But after the season ended and Carriker became a free agent there was no guarantee that he would be back.

Jarvis Jenkins, who was drafted in the second round a year ago and missed the whole season due to a torn ACL, is likely to be the starter at Carriker’s spot.

The quandary was, how should Carriker be compensated? Should he be paid as the starter he was the last two years or as the rotational player he is likely to be in 2012? Keep in mind that a rotational DE can get nearly as many snaps as the starter as they get moved in and out to stay fresh.

They reached a nice middle ground. It has been reported that Carriker signed for four years and $20 million with $7 million guaranteed. In terms of annual compensation and guarantees it is shy of Stephen Bowen’s five-year, $27.5 million deal with $12.5 million guaranteed. Bowen signed that deal as a free agent last year.

But Carriker’s deal is considerably better than what most reserves get, which is generally in not much more than the veteran minimum. The Redskins showed that if he does end up being a rotational player they expect he will play better than most in the role.

There is one unusual quirk to the contract. Usually teams can terminate player contracts but a player can do nothing to get out of one on his end. But according to John Keim of the Examiner, Carriker will be able to buy his way out of the deal after one year for a payment of $1 million.

So a year from now if Carriker thinks he can find a good situation and make at least $1 million more there than he does in Washington, he will be able to pursue that opportunity. 

 

Should the Redskins add a pass rusher?

By Rich Tandler

I was looking at a list of the top 10 free agent edge pass rushers compiled by Pro Football Focus and I started wondering if the Redskins might be looking for another player who can get heat on the opposing quarterback.

They did add Ryan Kerrigan to the mix last year and he certainly will be a solid player for years to come. But still they had just 41 sacks last year. That put them tied for 10^th in the league and that’s not bad but it could improve. The Redskins rarely seemed to terrorize opposing quarterbacks on a consistent basis and that is what is needed to compete with the three top-tier quarterbacks in the NFC East. And, like at every other position, depth is critical. You can’t let your pass rush disappear due to an injury or two.

It seems doubtful that they would go after any of the players on the top of the PFF list. Mario Williams, John Abraham, and Robert Mathis will be too expensive to consider for duty only in passing situations. But digging just a little further we find some lesser names like Jeremy Mincey of the Jaguars, who is just a notch below elite, and Mark Anderson of the Patriots, who seems to be hitting his stride as a pass rusher at age 29.

What do you think? Should the Redskins roll with Kerrigan, Orakpo, and the others they have rushing the passer from the edge? Or should they try to bolster their pass pressure in free agency?

 

Building Blocks: Will Redskins be looking for D-line depth?

By Rich Tandler

As the Redskins prepare for the 2012 offseason, let’s take a step back look at the big picture. What pieces of the puzzle for 2012, 2013 and beyond are in place? Where will the Redskins have to look for help in free agency and in the draft? We are going to put the roster under a microscope and see where the Redskins stand.

We started this series with the running backs, offensive line, and wide receivers/tight ends. We now turn to the other side of the ball and start with the defensive line.

Key starters: Stephen Bowen, Barry Cofield, Jarvis Jenkins
Marginal/depth players: Kentwan Balmer, Adam Carriker, Kedric Golston, Doug Worthington, Chris Neild
Out: Darrion Scott, Chris Baker

Carriker and Golston, both starters at times, are unrestricted free agents so some of the logjam among the marginal and depth players could sort itself out of they end up signing elsewhere. Golston is coming off of a knee injury and it would not be surprising to see him come back on a one-year deal.

Carriker’s situation may be a bit stickier. He has been the starter for the past two years and he will be looking for money commensurate with that role. However, Jenkins will likely be the starter. If that’s the case, Carriker will still see a lot of action in the line rotation but that doesn’t pay as well. Both sides would like to work something out but it remains to be seen if that will happen.

Bowen and Cofield played well despite not having the benefit of an offseason program to learn the defense; they will be fixtures for at least the next few seasons. Jenkins has yet to play a regular season snap but he was the star of training camp before he was injured.

If Carriker and/or Golston end up leaving, the depth gets a little shaky. In fact, it’s already could be shaky at nose tackle. Neild played fine when he was in to give Cofield a rest. But it remains to be seen if he could handle nose tackle in the long term should the need arise. Balmer is a former first-round pick who has ideal size and physical ability to be a 3-4 end but he has yet to show that he can get his act together mentally.

Worthington flashed in the preseason but he spent almost the whole year on the practice squad. He will get an opportunity to earn a backup spot.

Scott made the roster coming out of camp thanks in part to Jenkins’ injury. He was waived in favor of Balmer on Nov. 8 but he came back a week later when Golston went on IR. He also is a free agent and his return is up in the air.

Needs: They probably will keep six or seven D-linemen on the 53-man roster. If Carriker and Golston both leave, look for a mid- to late-round draft pick or two to compete with Balmer and Worthington for the backup spots. More competition could come from lower-level free agent pickups.

Rich Tandler blogs about the Redskins at www.RealRedskins.com. You can reach him by email at RTandlerCSN@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Rich_Tandler.

 

Top 2012 free agents: Are Redskins set on the D-line?

By Rich Tandler

 Our friends at Rotoworld have come up with a comprehensive list of players who will be free agents when the new league year starts at 4 p.m. on March 13. We’re going to go position by position and take a look at the top players who may be available and how they might fit with the Redskins.

See below for a list of positions previously analyzed. Here is a closer look at the top defensive linemen available.

• Calais Campbell, DE Cardinals 
• Mario Williams, DE Texans 
• Robert Mathis, DE Colts 
• Sione Pouha, NT Jets
• Jason Jones, DT Titans
• Cliff Avril, DE Lions
• John Abraham, DE Falcons
• Paul Soliai, NT Dolphins
• Mark Anderson, DE Patriots

The Redskins seem to be highly unlikely to pursue a defensive lineman in free agency this year. They signed end Stephen Bowen and nose tackle Barry Cofield as free agents last year and they drafted end Jarvis Jenkins in the second round. The will try to resign end Adam Carriker.

The only thing that might make them want to dive into the deep end of the DL free agent pool is if they decide they want more size at nose tackle. Cofield is about 30 pounds lighter than the traditional 350-pound weight for the position. Both Pouha and Soliai are solid performers but the Redskins would be better off pursuing Soliai, who just turned 28 rather than Pouha, who will be 33 next season.

Previous free agent analysis

• Quarterbacks
• Wide receivers
• Running backs
• Offensive tackles
• Guards
• Centers
• Tight ends