One of the big questions of the offseason has been if the Redskins are going to sign a new right tackle or if they are going to get one in free agency.
It could end up being none of the above.
Jammal Brown, who has been the starter at right tackle for most of the past two years, is taking yoga classes and Mike Shanahan said that it is helping to improve the hip injury that has been bothering him for much of the past three years.
"He’s really worked on his flexibility,” said Shanahan. “He broke up a lot of scar tissue this offseason. He said he’s feeling better right now than he has over the past couple years. Hopefully he’ll get more flexibility and be able to play at a higher level."
It would be of great help to the Redskins if Brown is able to hold down the right tackle position in 2012. The team is going to use its top pick on a quarterback and they traded away their second-rounder this year in the deal to move up. Between that and the $18 million salary cap penalty they have precious few resources to upgrade the position.
Brown signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract last year and because of a $5.2 million signing bonus in the deal it would cost more against the cap to release him than it would to keep him. He has been in the system for two years and when he is healthy he is an effective tackle.
It seems that Shanahan has a pretty good idea of how Brown’s health is doing right now. But the issue will be projecting how he will be doing in November. Even if they are going to go into the season with Brown as the starter the Redskins will have to continue to acquire and develop depth.
