So Long Devin

It is official. After not even being listed on the wide receiver depth chart for several weeks, Devin Thomas has been released by the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins have had some painfully memorable top draft pick busts in the past, such as Desmond Howard, Heath Shuler, Michael Westbrook, Patrick Ramsey, and Rod Gardner to name a few.  However, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have joined to become the team's first "pair" of busts in recent memory.

Since the Dynamic Duo were drafted in together in the second round of 2008, it has been one disappointment after another. Between showing up for training camp out of shape, showing off lackluster efforts in practice, and an inability to run routes, this duo has not only gone down as a pair of complete busts, but they have also gone down as two of the fastest busts in a long time.  There are only a very special few first and second round draft picks that actually get released by their team in only their third season.  Welcome to the club boys.

So long Devin. You should have stayed in school for your Senior year.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

Week 4 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia - Chalk up another ugly win. Ugly, may very well become the theme the Redskins 2010 season.

Early on, it looked like Michael "The Dog Beater" Vick was going to run and pass all over the Redskins. Fortunately, the Redskins caught a break when Kareem Moore and DeAngelo Hall slammed into him from both sides at the end of a 27 yard run and knocked "The Dog Beater" out of the game.  If it weren't for that play, this could have been a very long day for the defense.

The Redskins managed to get their running game going early and looked fairly impressive.  Clinton Portis reeled off 55 yards before having to leave the game and then Ryan Torain took over and ran for another 70 yards and a touchdown.

The most surprising aspect of this game was that Donovan McNabb only completed a mere 8 passes for 125 yards.  McNabb finished the day 8/19 with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

The defense stuck with the same "Bend, but Don't Break" scheme that we have come to know and love over the last decade giving up 201 yards passing to Keving Kolb and 4 yards per carry to LeSean McCoy.  Andre Carter did manage to squeeze in for his first sack of the year, but the defense again generated very little pass rush.

LeSean McCoy had the best day of anyone running for 64 yards and catching 12 passes for a whopping 110 yards.

The good news is that, in the end, the Redskins won the game.  The bad news is that they did not look like they deserved to win. Even worse news is that Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy look like Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook from 12 years ago.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

Week 3 vs. St. Louis Rams

St. Louis - The ugliness has officially begun. If there was a list of the Redskins up and coming most hated teams, the St. Louis Rams would have to be near the top of the list.  The Rams have been one of the worst teams in the NFL for several years now, just above the Detroit Lions. Yet, every time the Rams and Redskins meet, it is the Redskins that look like the weaker team.

In 2008, the Rams finished a paltry 2-14.  One of those wins, as fans well remember, was a 19-17 victory over the Redskins.  This was the worst loss of the year and left Redskins' fans completely deflated for the remainder of the year.

In the 2009 rematch, the Rams finished a humiliating 1-15.  Yet, in week 2, it was the Redskins that barely squeaked by with the win connecting on 3 field goals in a 9-7 snorefest.  Even with the win, the ugliness of the victory left fans feeling like they were scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Back to the future in 2010 with Mike Shanahan on the sideline, the ugliness returned. The Redskins traveled to St. Louis and not only lost the game, but were soundly defeated 30-16 by a team with a rookie quarterback in his third game, below average wide receiving corp and a very average offensive line. Once again, Redskins' fans have to be held back from throwing in the towel for the entire season.

With the exception of 2 long plays, the Redskins could not run the ball at all.  Donovan McNabb did manage to throw for 236 yards, but outside of Santana Moss and Chris Cooley, there was virtually no one to throw the ball to.

The defense continued the same trend putting up lackluster numbers.  Brian Orakpo had one sack and continues to look like a man among boys.  However, the defense as a whole is generating very little consistent pass rush. Albert Haynesworth is still a mystery lurking in the shadows on the sideline. We can only hope it gets better than this.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

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Wide Receivers: Santana Moss, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Who???

So far, this has been a very productive offseason for the Redskins.  They have improved several key areas of their team in a very short period of time including the coaching staff, quarterback, and the offensive and defensive lines.  The only problem is that there is still a long ways to go.

One key area that has yet to be addressed is the wide receiver position.  Santana Moss has been the team's staple #1 WR for several years now and he is back again this season and should be a solid contributor.  However, Moss has two issues working against him.  First, his best asset has always been his speed and, at age 31, that advantage is slowly becoming less and less.  Second, there is still the quietly looming HGH scandal that he is involved in.  While other star athletes in and outside of the NFL have been thrust into the lime light and made spectacles of for steroid use, the HGH scandal involving Santana Moss has been uncharacteristically quiet. Despite a lack of publicity, Moss may be facing a significant suspension from the NFL if the looming investigation turns up evidence against him.

The best case scenario for Redskins' fans is that Moss is cleared in the investigation and lines up to start the season as their starting #1 WR.  The worst case scenario is that Moss is suspended for 4 games (or more) and the Redskins' starting WR's are Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.  Thomas and Kelly have been disappointing to say the least in their first two seasons with the team.  Although, when the Thomas was drafted in 2008, he was thought to be a raw talent and would take some time to develop, so he does still appear to have some upside still.

Malcolm Kelly, on the other hand, was supposed to be "NFL ready" when he was drafted.  Of course, as fans know, Kelly showed up for his first training camp out of shape, got hurt, and hardly played at all in his first season.  Kelly then came out in his second season as the starting #2 WR and proceeded to lose that job after mustering only 7 catches in his first 6 games.  Now, Kelly is again hurt with a bad hamstring, is missing badly needed offseason work, and the rumors of him actually being released by the team are beginning to circulate.

Needless to say, Thomas and Kelly would be a less than ideal 1-2 punch at the WR position.  And who knows what would happen if Kelly is still hurt or released and cannot even play. So what else has the team done to add depth and help solidify the WR position?

The Redskins signed Bobby Wade who is a quality veteran probably best suited as a #4 or #5 wideout at this point in his career. The 33 year old Mike Furrey was a good special teams signing who can help out in a pinch at WR or even on defense in the secondary. The team also signed the 38 year old veteran, Joey Galloway, who caught 7 passses last season and only 13 in 2008 and is hopefully only being used to mentor the team's younger WR's during training camp.  They also signed Roydell Williams who has not played in the NFL since 2007 and, again, is hopefully just filling in as a warm body in practice.  Top the list off with a few unproven undrafted rookies and there you have the entire Redskins' WR core.  Not exactly what we were hoping for.

As painful a pill as it may have been to swallow, the Redskins should have signed WR Terrell Owens. Yes, he has been a great deal more trouble than he was worth in the past.  Yes, he did also once play for "Team Evil" in Dallas.  Yes, he is getting older, a little slower and he does drop some passes.  With all of that said, he still would have provided an actual threat down the field.  He also appeared to mellow a bit last season after perhaps being humbled a bit on a poor team with the Buffalo Bills.  Bills' WR James Hardy shared how Owens took him "under his wing" and helped teach him how to prepare for the season and for games.  If he did this for Hardy, couldn't he have done it with Thomas and Kelly?

While it may have seemed impossible a few years, it is possible that Owens has matured a bit and could actually be a positive asset to a team now.  Now, of course, it is too late as T.O. has already signed with the Cincinnati Bengals for a mere one year $2 million contract.

Lately, there are rumors of the Redskins possibly trading for disgruntled Chargers' WR Vincent Jackson, but do not hold your breath.  Jackson is probably not worth the money he will demand and he is already showing now what type of distraction he can be to a team.  Plus, if the Redskins trade anymore draft picks, they may not even be invited to attend next year's college draft because they will not be involved in it.

With all that said, the Redskins need help at the WR position and they need help pretty badly. Unfortunately, that situation will probably not be addressed until next offseason.  For now, thank goodness for the team's outstanding TE combination of Chris Cooley and Fred Davis.  Without them, Donovan McNabb might be in for a very long season.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

Offensive Line, From Weakness to Strength?

After finally adding a badly needed top tier offensive tackle via the college draft, the Redskins added another Pro-Bowl caliber offensive tackle in a trade with the New Orleans Saints.  Jammal Brown may not be a household name just yet, but he is an excellent player and a major upgrade for the Redskins.  Or, at least, we hope so.

Jammal Brown played left tackle for the Saints and played it at a very high level.  However, the Redskins seem intent on playing their top draft pick, Trent Williams, in that spot so Brown will need to adjust to life on the right side of the line.  Given that Brown missed all of last season with hip and sports hernia injuries, he may very well be a little rusty and step slow in the early part of the season so playing on the right side against second tier defensive ends could be a blessing for him until he gets up to full speed.

On the other hand, if Trent Williams struggles mightily or, God forbid, gets injured, at least the Redskins have someone who can naturally slide in at left tackle and take over.  On paper, these two key pieces make the Redskins' offensive line as a whole look much improved over last year's squad.

Adding Artis Hicks from the Minnesota Vikings could also prove to be a very valuable pickup.  While Hicks is not a dominator by any means, he played both guard and right tackle with the Vikings.  With Stephen Heyer, the teams starting right tackle the last two years, also returning, the Redskins seem to have one thing they have not had in a very long time on the offensive line, flexibility.

Of course, this is only on paper.  All it takes is one recurring injury to Jammal Brown and one rookie, Trent Williams, to struggle and Donovan McNabb could be in for a long, long season.  For now, though, there is hope and reason to be optimistic.

After watching the annual 'Daniel Snyder Offseason Freak Show' for the last 10 years, this already has to be considered one of the best offseasons the Redskins have had in a very long time.  But, there are still several areas where the team must improve if they hope to contend for the playoffs.  Next up, how to continue improving the team...

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

New Regime, Same Boom or Bust Draft

While Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan instill a lot more confidence in Redskins fans than the previous regime, fans can't help but notice that the 2010 NFL draft process seemed all to familiar.  The Redskins had very few picks yet again in this year's draft, only one of which was in the first 3 rounds.

The new braintrust of the team selected a left tackle, which the team does desperately need.  They get high marks for that.  However, it was the left tackle they selected that will make fans nervous.

Russell Okung was tabbed the best left tackle in the draft by many analysts.  Trent Williams was also ranked very highly.  Several "experts" even proclaimed that Williams has more upside and "could" become the better NFL player.  Unfortunately, Williams also appears to have more downside.  Anytime a college weight trainer makes a public statement questioning a player's desire or dedication the weight room, a big wavy red flag goes flying through the air.  Now, Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are now responsible for rolling up that red flag and putting it into storage where it belongs.

If anyone can motivate Williams and transform him into a Pro Bowl caliber left tackle, it is probably Mike Shanahan.  So will he?  Only time will tell.  Williams could become the cornerstone of the team's offense for the next 10 years or he could become an inconsistent up and down player that gets moved to right tackle and/or guard.  Check back in 3-4 years to find out.

Then, just because Redskins fans need all the good news and hipe they can get, the team landed a seventh round steal in Selvish Capers!  Honestly, does anyone believe there is such a thing as a seventh round steal?  Does anyone think that every pro scout in the NFL missed this guy?

Several "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" came out after the draft had concluded calling Capers a seventh round steal saying he could have been a third or fourth round pick.  I  am not trying to knock the poor guy, but he is a seventh round developmental pick, nothing more, nothing less.  Considering the Redskins' offensive line needs all the help it can get, he has a shot to make the team and contribute.

Player Watch
- Keep an eye on the situation in New England with Patriots guard, Logan Mankins.  He is not signing his restricted free agent deal and is skipping OTA's.  He wants a long-term deal and if he skips their mandatory camp June 15-17, it could get interesting.  While the chances of Mankins being released may be small, he is someone that should become an immediate target if he became available.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

Hello Coach Shanahan, Good Bye to Many

Welcome aboard coach Mike Shanahan. Redskins' fans can breath a sigh of relief now that Daniel Snyder has assembled our new management team quickly while the NFL playoffs have only just begun. This will give Bruce Allen, Mike Shanahan and newly hired defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett, a full offseason to evaluate the team's current players and begin moves and preparing for the draft. What may be even more important is the fact that "Danny Boy' hired this staff the right way this time starting with the GM, then the Head Coach and then the offensive and defensive coordinators. Perhaps, Danny learned from his last mistake two years ago with Jim Zorn and company.

Our fans have known all season that big changes were coming and they are finally here. As exciting as it may be, it is still difficult to say goodbye to some familiar faces. Some players are sure to be gone soon including Philip Daniels, Randy Thomas, Renaldo Wynn. Chris Samuels may and should retire after his neck injury this season.

Other players that will most likely be gone are Fred Smoot, Mike Sellers and Rock Cartwright. Then, there is the "on the bubble" list. This list, of course, includes Jason Campbell, Carlos Rogers, London Fletcher and Antwaan Randle El.

If he Redskins had extra draft picks, that would make the decision much easier for some of these players. However, the Redskins are left with only 5 draft picks for April. All season long, popular opinion has been that the Redskins will dump Jason Campbell and select a QB in the first round of the draft. However, do not be surprised if Campbell stays with the team for one more year. With so many needs along the offensive line and other areas, the Redskins to choose to select an offensive tackle with their first pick or they could very well try to trade down in the first round to get extra picks. The team needs not only quality, but quantity as well.

For now, the team is off to a good start with its new management team in place. Much of what happens in the draft will depend on what happens with the collective bargaining agreement and free agency. Keep your fingers crossed.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog

Week 17 vs. San Diego Chargers

San Diego - The 2009-10 NFL season came to a merciful end for Redskins' fans and ended in a fitting manner. The season finale with the San Diego Chargers was a virtually meaningless game as the outcome did not effect either team. With a win or a loss, the Chargers are going into the thick of playoff battle and Redskins' coaches, players and fans are going home again trying to forget about the last 4 months of their respective lives.

The Chargers are clearly a better team than the Redskins. Their offensive unit, led by perennial Pro Bowl QB Philip Rivers, are in a completely different league compared to their counterparts in burgundy and gold and it showed when the game began.

Rivers only played for the first two possessions in the first quarter and wasted no time throwing for 99 yards and giving his team a 10-o lead before being replaced by backup QB Billy Volek. Volek continued the push and gave the Chargers a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter.

As the Chargers' second and third stringers quickly began coming into the game, Jason Campbell was able to gain some brief momentum in the second quarter and he connected with two the team's top touchdown specialists, TE Todd Yoder and FB Mike Sellers. As usual, though, it was not enough. The Redskins mustered only two field goals in the second half and gave up a late touchdown with only 35 seconds left to Billy Volek and company that gave the Chargers the win.

Jason Campbell finished the day with good numbers, at least, on the surface. He finished 28/42 for 281 yards, 2 TD's and 0 INT's. However, he did not move the ball at all against San Diego's starting unit. As he has done all season and career long, Campbell racked up his numbers either against second and third units or at the end of the game playing against prevent defenses. Even against San Diego's backups, Campbell still only manager a 6.7 yard per catch average.

The Redskins running game was virtually non-existent as it has been all season. Starting RB Quinton Ganther managed a mere 27 yards on 12 carries. Surprisingly, Jason Campbell was only sacked one time. On the receiving side, WR Malcolm Kelly had a personal record 84 yard catch. On the downside, how many WR's have you seen make an 84 yard catch and still do not score a touchdown? Besides the record catch, Kelly had an uninspiring 4 catches for 25 yards.

It was nice to see long-time Redskins favorite FB Mike Sellers end the season and possibly his career with a touchdown catch. Sellers will be 35 next season and the Redskins already have rookie FB Eddie Williams that they drafted in 2009. Williams spent much of the year on IR so it is still possible that Sellers could make a return for one final run with the team. Iron Mike has a total of 46 rushes, 102 receptions and an impressive 21 touchdowns in his 10 year career. If this is the end of his career, Mike will be truly missed by hard core Redskins fans.

A bright spot for the Redskins was the kicking game. PK Graham Gano was 2 for 2 kicking field goals. Albeit, his long for the day was only 25 yards, but that is besides the point. The Scotland born, Gano, was signed late in the season and finished 4 for 4 with the team. Now, the Redskins need to lock him up for the 2010 season. Gano had an impressive training camp with the Baltimore Ravens before being let go at the team's final cuts. Besides, every NFL team should to have at least one Scott or one Irishman on it. Between, PK Graham Gano and P Hunter Smith, this would be one important box already checked off on the Redskins' offseason to do list.

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JacksGhost
Washington Redskins Hog Blog