At last we arrive at the end of our off-season grades with the final kid in the class, the Washington Redskins. This final report marks the official line of demarcation between the off-season and the preseason. For most teams, rookies have already reported to training camp. Veterans on the majority of squads will show up around July 26. In any case, this is the week the 2017 season officially begins.
For this Redskins club, last season marked the second consecutive winning season under head coach Jay Gruden, but at 8-7-1, Washington missed the playoffs. It’s been a decade of relative futility for the Redskins, even in their successes. They’ve made the postseason three times since 2007 and lost in the Wild Card round every time. Did Gruden and general manager nobody, that’s right, nobody. The Redskins fired Scot McCloughan in March and they’ve yet to hire a replacement.
Fee Agents Kept
Vernon Davis, Tight End
Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
Ziggy Hood, Defensive Tackle
Winston Painter, Offensive Tackle
Nick Sundberg, Long Snapper
Ty Nsekhe, Offensive Tackle
Chris Thompson, Running Back
Will Compton, Linebacker
Free Agents/Players Gained
Zach Brown, Inside Linebacker, formerly of the Buffalo Bills
Chris Carter, Linebacker, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts
Terrell McClain, Defensive Tackle, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys
Stacy McGee, Defensive Tackle, formerly of the Oakland Raiders
Terrelle Pryor, Wide Receiver, formerly of the Cleveland Browns
D.J. Swearinger, Safety, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals
Brian Quick, Wide Receiver, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams
Lou Young, Cornerback, formerly of the Carolina Panthers
Free Agents/Players Lost
Chris Baker, Defensive End, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pierre Garcon, Wide Receiver, signed with the San Francisco 49ers
DeSean Jackson, Wide Receiver, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ricky Jean Francois, Defensive End, signed with the Green Bay Packers
Kory Lichtensteiger, Center, retired
Duke Ihenacho, Safety, signed with the New York Giants
Donte Whitner, Safety, currently a free agent
2017 NFL Draft
Round 1: Jonathan Allen, Defensive End, Alabama
Round 2: Ryan Anderson, Outside Linebacker, Alabama
Round 3: Fabian Moreau, Cornerback, UCLA
Round 4: Samje Perine, Running Back, Oklahoma
Round 4: Montae Nicholson, Safety, Michigan State
Round 5: Jeremy Sprinkle, Tight End, Arkansas
Round 6: Chase Roulier, Center, Wyoming
Round 6: Robert Davis, Wide Receiver, Georgia State
Round 7: Josh Harvey-Clemons, Safety, Louisville
Round 7: Josh Holsey, Cornerback, Auburn
Proposed Offensive Starters
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Samaje Perine
WR: Terrelle Pryor
WR: Josh Doctson
WR: Jameson Crowder
TE: Jordan Reed
LT: Trent Williams
RT: Morgan Moses
LG: Shawn Lauvao
RG: Brandon Scherff
C: Spencer Long
Offensive Outlook
For the last couple of seasons, statistically, Kirk Cousins has been one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. It hasn’t really paid off in wins and losses for the team and with a new offensive staff led by former USC head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Redskins obviously feel the jury is still out on Cousins. In the meantime, he’ll collect about $43 million over the last two years while they figure it out.
The personnel people, whoever the hell they are, haven’t done much to help Cousins this off-season. They’ve let his two favorite wideouts go, with only Jameson Crowder returning. They added some talent in Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick and I have second-year receiver Josh Doctson taking a starting role, but this is a group nowhere near as consistent as the one he’s played with over the last two seasons. At tight end, Cousins can at least count on one of the best in the league in Jordan Reed, that is, as long as he’s healthy. Washington did re-sign Vernon Davis, who is a solid replacement when and if Reed goes down.
The running back issues that have plagued the Redskins since they let Alfred Morris go in free agency should finally be solved with the drafting of rookie Samaje Perrine. I have Perrine beating out incumbent Robert Kelly, who beat out Matt Jones last year who beat out Chris Thompson before that.
The line Washington played with over the final 11 games of the season is back, led by left tackle Trent Williams. They’re a solid group and last year Cousins was sacked just 23 times in, by my count, 663 drop backs.
Proposed Defensive Starters
DE: Jonathan Allen
DE: Terrell McClain
DT: Stacy McGee
OLB: Ryan Kerrigan
OLB: Preston Smith
ILB: Zach Brown
ILB: Mason Foster
CB: Bashaud Breeland
CB: Josh Norman
FS: D.J. Swearinger
SS: Su’a Cravens
Defensive Outlook
The guy to look for here is up front in Jonathan Allen. Washington had the Alabama star fall right to them and wasted no time in turning in that card. The Redskins got virtually no rush from their line last season and their best guy, Chris Baker, left as a free agent.
The linebackers are the guys that brought the heat, with Ryan Kerrigan leading the team with 11 sacks to go with 33 tackles, two forced fumbles and two passes defended. The next best rusher was Trent Murphy with nine sacks, 46 tackles, one fumble recovery, three forced fumbles and one pass defense. He’ll push starter Preston Smith for playing time if not outright take his job. The Redskins already had a solid set of inside linebackers, but still brought in Zach Brown from the Buffalo Bills. I’ve pegged Brown to start over William Compton, who was second on the team in tackles last year with 103. Mason Foster was first with 123 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and three passes defended. They won’t sit him.
In the defensive backfield, Josh Norman and Beshaud Breeland were a solid pair last season. Teams weren’t afraid to go after Norman and he delivered 19 passes defended and three picks. Breeland picked off three passes himself to go with 11 passes defended. The Redskins are plugging in two new safeties, led by free agent acquisition D.J. Swearinger. I’ve put Su’a Cravens in at strong safety. He played a lot last season at safety and linebacker and could flourish as a close to the line strong safety.
Grade: D-
The Redskins had a solid draft, but it will just produce one new starter. They’re playing with other teams’ cast-offs at wide receiver, which is nothing new, but there’s been a significant talent drop. Add to that a new offensive coordinator and a defense that was ranked No. 28 in total yards allowed with a few new, but maybe not better, guys on the back end kind of spells disaster.
O/U wins: 6.5
Preseason Schedule
Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 2: Green Bay Packers
Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 2: at Los Angeles Rams
Key game: The Redskins and Kirk Cousins get a shot at their old offensive coordinator. This game offers a chance for Sarkisian to prove himself and for Cousins to show McVay wasn’t the only reason for his recent success.
Week 3: Oakland Raiders
Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: San Francisco 49ers
Week 7: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 8: Dallas Cowboys
Week 9: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 10: Minnesota Vikings
Week 11: at New Orleans Saints
Week 12: New York Giants
Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 14: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 15: Arizona Cardinals
Week 16: Denver Broncos
Week 17: at New York Giants
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