Rich Tandler's Real Redskins

Redskins get light returns from draft

By Ryan O'Halloran

Carlos Rogers’ comment earlier this week about how he knew his Redskins tenure was done based on the franchise’s history of not re-signing draft picks drove me to do some research. Since 2004, the track record is bleak (rounds 1-4):

* 2004: S Sean Taylor (round 1, probably in line for a big deal at the time of his death late in 2007 season); and, TE Chris Cooley (round 3, signed six-year, $30 million extension in August 2007).

* 2005: CB Carlos Rogers (round 1, played out his rookie deal and signed with San Francisco last July); QB Jason Campbell (round 1, traded to Oakland on Draft Weekend 2010 after the Redskins acquired Donovan McNabb); and FB Manuel White (broke leg to end his rookie year, tore up knee to end 2006 season and eventually released).

* 2006: LB Rocky McIntosh (pictured, round 2, still a starter with the team after scheme change but working on a one-year contract). 

* 2007: S LaRon Landry (round 1, the third defensive back in four years taken in the top 10, he’s in the last year of his original deal and wanting a big-money extension). 

* 2008: Now this is bloody – WR Devin Thomas (round 2, released last year, now with the Giants); TE Fred Davis (round 2, starting for the Redskins); WR Malcolm Kelly (round 2, released this training camp); OL Chad Rinehart (released last year, now with Buffalo); and CB Justin Tryon (traded to Indianapolis last year, now on the Giants’ IR). Four picks in the top 124 and only one remains on the roster. 

* 2009: LB Brian Orakpo (round 1, starter from Day 1, two Pro Bowls in two years); and CB Kevin Barnes (round 3, No. 3 corner for Redskins).

* 2010: LT Trent Williams (round 1, starter from Day 1, Redskins should have used that fourth overall pick to trade down … and down … and down to accumulate bodies); and LB Perry Riley (round 4, a current reserve who has been limited to special teams). Second-round pick to Philadelphia for McNabb (now in Minnesota) and third-round pick used on DE Jeremy Jarmon in supplemental draft (traded to Denver for WR Jabar Gaffney).

* 2011: LB Ryan Kerrigan (round 1, starter from Day 1, selected after the Redskins traded down from No. 10); DL Jarvis Jenkins (round 2, on injured reserve); WR Leonard Hankerson (inactive for first five games, has played because of injuries); and, RB Roy Helu (round 4, current No. 2 back seeing regular playing time).

 

Contrasting views on QB Ryan Mallett

For much of December, there was a lot of talk about Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett going to the Washington Redskins with the tenth pick of the draft. He seemed to be an ideal NFL quarterback, 6-6 with a big, accurate arm. But then, after closer review, some glaring flaws in his game were identified. Primarily, he lacks, as Doug Farrar said in a pre-combine evaluation of Mallett, "functional mobility":

Conclusion: If there's one thing the two quarterbacks in Super Bowl XLV showed is, it's that the ability to beat pressure in a productive fashion is more important that it has ever been. In a lot of ways, Mallett is the anti-version of Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger, two star quarterbacks who have built estimable careers on their abilities to frustrate defenses no end by evading hits and hurries and consistently throwing for killer downfield gains. He's more the older-style quarterback (think Drew Bledsoe) with a great arm and a lack of modern-day skills around it.

Think of him as a statue with a cannon attached, and then ask yourself how well such a player would do against the 2010 defenses of Dick Lebeau and Rex Ryan. To be an elite NFL quarterback, Mallett will need a top-5 pass-blocking line, and there isn't much room for error there.

So much for Mallett being one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, right? Maybe, or maybe not. Sporting News Radio late-night host Todd Wright had draft scout Russ Lande as a guest earlier this week. In a series of tweets, Wright related what Lande told him about Mallett:

Our Sporting News NFL Draft scout Russ Lande told me this about Ryan Mallett, "People wonder about the maturity level, inconsistent play as well as his accuracy and decision making. Mallett makes bad decisions when you watch him on film. However, when he works out and showcases that big arm and physical ability, somebody's going to fall in love with him as their future NFL starting QB."

This does not necessarily mean, of course, that the Redskins would be interested. However, Mike Shanahan is known for drafting players based on their highlight reels, figuring that he and his coaches can fix any flaws in his game. At this point, I'd be very surprised if the Redskins take Mallett at No. 10. But things can change in a hurry. It's something that bears watching.

What draft picks do the Redskins have?

In response to many inquiries and to correct some misstatements that are floating around out there: The Washington Redskins have at least six and probably seven picks in the draft Here is the breakdown: Round 1--Their own pick, the 10th overall. Round 2--Their own pick, 41st overall. Round 5--Their own pick (position of the rest of the picks to be determined) Round 5-- The Saints' pick from the Jammal Brown trade. Round 6--Their own pick Round 7--Their own pick Round 7--From the Colts for Justin Tryon A couple of caveats are in order here. I have read in some places that the pick from the Saints in the Brown trade was a sixth-rounder. That is in conflict with what I originally understood about the parameters of the trade. I'm fairly confident that it is a fifth but that could change. Also, the pick for Tryon could be a sixth or it could possibly be in another draft. The only information that anyone could find is that he was traded to the Colts for an undisclosed draft pick. We won't find out for sure until the entire official draft order is released. Most assumed at the time that the trade was for a seventh-round pick. But if there were any conditions attached they should be favorable to the Redskins. Tryon played in 12 games for the Colts, starting six. The third-round pick went to the Saints in they Jammal Brown trade, meaning that the Redskins acquired him for a swap of draft picks. Washington will end up dropping about 80 spots to get Brown. If he does not sign a new contract, the deal will end up being a one-year rental. The fourth-round pick will close out the Donovan McNabb deal. It is likely that the Redskins will, once again, see one of their draft picks used by another team that was traded away for a player who no longer is on the team. The Redskins could acquire more picks either by trading down or by trading away players such as McNabb or Albert Haynesworth.

Both studs and duds picked 10th in draft

The Washington Redskins never have selected tenth overall in the NFL draft as they are scheduled to do in April. What kind of player is available at No. 10? As you might expect a wide variety of players from Hall of Famers to utter busts. Here is a look at the players selected with tenth pick of the draft since 1960. Hall of Fame Three players selected tenth are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. CB Rod Woodson (Steelers 1987), RB Marcus Allen (Raiders, 1982), and OT Ron Mix (Colts, 1960) have busts in Canton. RB Jerome Bettis (Rams, 1993) could well join those three this year or at some point in the future.

Go here to read the entire article

East-West game draws late-round prospects

The Senior Bowl in Mobile is the premiere postseason college all-star game for NFL draft hopefuls. However, only about 75 players are invited to participate in that game and preceding week of practices that occur under the watchful eye of NFL scouts, coaches, and personnel executives. There are many more draft prospects that that so this week many of them will be participating in the East-West Shrine game in Orlando. While it is a second-tier bowl—nothing screams that like the fact that the coaches are Dan Reeves and Wade Phillips—many of the players there will be considered by the Redskins in the later rounds of the draft, which is where most of Washington’s draft picks are located. Since the Redskins will be fishing in these waters it’s worth a glance to look at some of those who are playing and what they have to show scouts in Orlando. There also are some local players of interest playing in the game so we’ll take a look at some of them as well. You can view the entire roster here. Tyrod Taylor, QB, Virginia Tech—Taylor suffered his first defeat before he even took the practice field as he measured just a shade over six feet tall (6 ft., 0.6 inches to be exact). The list of successful NFL quarterbacks who are vertically challenged is, well, short. While his eventual future in the NFL may be showcasing his speed and elusiveness as a wide receiver and returner rather than as a quarterback, he will try to impress the coaches at the position where he earned ACC Player of the Year honors in 2010. Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy—Not only does Dobbs face challenges as a quarterback as he measured shorter than Taylor (5 ft., 10.7 inches), he will have to fulfill an obligation to serve in the Navy before he can start an NFL career. Like Taylor, his leadership ability would be welcome at the quarterback spot in the NFL but difficulties throwing over onrushing 6-4 linemen likely will require him to find another position. Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware—Now we’re getting to someone who could be on the Redskins’ radar if they decide to address other needs early in the draft and go for a quarterback in the later rounds. Devlin stands tall in the pocket at 6-4 and he demonstrated great toughness by playing last year with a broken wrist. Although some have said that there are concerns about his accuracy issues in the pocket Devlin, who transferred from Penn State, completed 68 per cent of his passes in 2010. Da’Rel Scott, RB, Maryland—Here is a local player who may be of interest to the Redskins. Scott is a late-round running back prospect and if Washington does go for a back it will be on Saturday, in the latter phase of the draft. He impressed scouts with his lower body, with powerful-looking legs. If you’re looking for Scott during the game (Saturday at 4:00 on the NFL Network) you might get confused as he is playing on the West team. Taylor and Warren of Virginia Tech, which is west of College Park, will be on the East squad. Beau Warren, C, Virginia Tech—The son of Joe Gibbs-era tight end Donnie Warren is probably looking for a shot as an undrafted free agent. At 6-3, 292 he could be a zone-blocking prospect if he has enough mobility. Will Rackley, C, Lehigh—The good things about these games is that they give some players from small schools a chance to show their stuff. Rackley, 6-3, 307, was impressive in one on one drills as practice started on Tuesday. As with all of the small school prospects, Rackley wants to demonstrate to scouts that he can thrive while stepping up a level in terms of competition. Join Rich for a chat during both of the conference championship games this Sunday, Jan. 23. We can talk about the games, try to figure out how the Redskins beat both of the NFC finalists, discuss the Redskins’ prospects in free agency and in the draft, and anything else you want to chat about. Things will get underway at www.RealRedskins.com when the NFC game kicks off at 3:00 and go all the way through Jets-Steelers whenever that may end. See you there!

Why the Cowboys draft ahead of the Redskins

Many of you probably know this but, judging from questions I get on Twitter and via email, not everybody does. So here is why the Dallas Cowboys are picking ninth in the April NFL draft and the Redskins are picking 10th despite the fact that Dallas finished third in the NFC East while the Redskins finished fourth. Both teams finished 6-10 and they split the season series. Dallas was 3-3 in the division while the Redskins were 2-4. That tiebreaker gave the higher finish in the division to Dallas. However, a different tiebreaker is used when determining draft position. The one and only draft position tiebreaker is strength of schedule. Dallas' opponents went 131-125 while the Redskins' foes combined for a 132-124 record. Since the Cowboys had the same record as the Redskins but played a weaker schedule, albeit by just one game, they select before Washington does.

WR Julio Jones jumps in the draft pool

Julio Jones, Alabama wide receiver, has declared for the NFL draft. A number of mock drafts have Jones going to the Redskins with the tenth pick in the draft. Wide receiver certainly is an area of need for the Redskins going into 2011. Santana Moss, the team's leading receiver, is a free agent. Anthony Armstrong certainly could contribute but he is not a number one receiver. I had a few comments about Jones in a recent article on CSN Washington anticipating, as most did, that he would declare. I'm not sure about his speed and he has a reputation for dropping the easy ones sometimes, but he certainly is worth a close look by the Redskins. Join me for a live chat during the Eagles-Packers game on Sunday. Kickoff is at 4:30, we'll get going at around 4:00. We can talk about the game, try to figure out how the Redskins beat both of the teams involved, go over the draft and free agency, and anything else you want to chat about.

Keep an eye on Colin Kaepernick

On Saturday I'm going to write up a full-blown "who to watch" article for CSN Washington going over some of the prospects that the Redskins may be watching in the last couple of bowl games and the BCS title game (Warning: Cam Newton haters, get ready for your heads to explode). But there is a game tonight, the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco and if you're going to be watching (which means that you're like me and you have nothing better to do than hang around the house on a Friday night and watch a minor bowl game), keep an eye on Nevada quarterback Colin Kapernick. If the Redskins decide to bypass taking a quarterback with the tenth pick and address another of their myriad of needs early in the draft (and I know that many of you would to see that happen), they could take a look at Kaepernick at some point in the latter rounds. He's 6-6 with an excellent arm and great mobility. Keapernick improved every year at Nevada but he still could be available when the Redskins' pick comes up in the fifth round. Nevada runs the Pistol offense, a version of the spread, so he will need some work behind center. Kapernick would be a project, but perhaps a short-term project who could be ready to play by 2012. Correction: I got my bowls jumbled up. The Cotton Bowl, LSU vs. Texas A&M, is on Friday night. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is Sunday night at 9:00 Eastern. Join me for a live chat during the Eagles-Packers game on Sunday. Kickoff is at 4:30, we'll get going at around 4:00. We can talk about the game, try to figure out how the Redskins beat both of the teams involved, go over the draft and free agency, and anything else you want to chat about.

New Year ' s weekend bowl observations

Getting into full-blown draft/free agency mode here.

Last week, I posted an article on some potentially draft-eligible playerswho might be on the Washington Redskins’ radar who would be performing in bowls over the course of New Year’s weekend. I haven’t had a chance to go back and review the performances of all of the players on the list but here are a few things that caught my eye regarding those players and a few others over the course of the long weekend. Mike Pouncey, G, Florida—Playing center this year, the projected pro guard displayed the mobility against Penn State in the Outback Bowl that would make him a perfect fit in the Redskins’ zone blocking scheme. On an end around play to the left, Pouncey quickly got downfield and threw a textbook block to eliminate the last man standing between the ball carrier and the goal line. Later in the game he pulled from left to right and made another key block on a long Gator run. On the negative side, he made a bad shotgun snap that resulted in a 19-yard loss.

Go here to read the complete article.

Mizzou QB Gabbert declares for draft

The pool of quarterbacks the Redskins will be considering in the upcoming draft just got a little bit deeper. Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert will skip his senior season and enter the 2011 NFL draft. In a prepared statement, Gabbert said:

This is definitely a bittersweet day for me, I was really looking forward to having a chance to do some special things next season with my teammates, but in the end, this is the right decision to make for myself and my family. These last three years have been an unbelievable experience for me, and I’ll miss being at Mizzou, but I’m definitely looking forward to this next stage of my life. I’m so grateful to have been part of such a great program and all of the people who have helped me get to this point.

Gabbert will be one of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft and he could be on the Redskins' radar with their first-round pick at No. 10. At 6-5, he has the size and many of the tools to get the job done. However, like many prospects, he ran a spread offense at Missouri and he has limited experience working under center.