The Washington Redskins should target ferocious inside linebacker Bart Scott this offseason. Yesterday, NFL.com reported that Scott is unlikely to be back with the New York Jets in 2012.

It seems that the veteran is set to become one of the high-profile casualties of the Jets’ inevitable house cleaning, following their limp finish to the season.

Mike Shanahan should seriously consider adding Scott to the Redskins 3-4 defense. The 6’2″, 242-pounder is a vicious hitter and a highly aggressive presence in the middle of a 3-4 front.

Scott’s tough tackling and physicality would help improve the Redskins’ soft run defense. Jim Haslett’s unit could use an infusion of tenacity after ending 2011 by surrendering 67 points in two games.

The defense was outmuscled by the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16 and appeared unable to cope with the brute force of bruising back Toby Gerhart.

Scott would add a nasty streak to the defense and make the group more intimidating at the point of attack.

Scott is also an excellent blitzer, having played in Rex Ryan’s multiple fire zone schemes for most of his career.

This skill would make the 10-year pro a valuable weapon in the heavy blitz packages favoured by the Redskins defense.

With London Fletcher now 36, Perry Riley still growing into the position and Rocky McIntosh’s future in the 3-4 in doubt, the Redskins need to add another capable inside linebacker to the mix.

There won’t be many as qualified as Scott available. His abundance of 3-4 experience and fiery demeanour would provide the spark to elevate the Redskins defense from a solid unit to an elite one.

The latter half of the first round will still change depending on the results of the Playoffs, but the first 20 picks in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft are just about set. There are still four picks (8/9, 11/12) that will be decided based on the results of a couple coin flips, but 16 of the first 20 picks are set, and the Washington Redskins will be picking sixth. Here is the Draft order for the first round as it stands now, according to SB Nation.

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Related: Updated NFL Draft Order

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1. Indianapolis Colts, 2-14
2. St. Louis Rams, 2-14
3. Minnesota Vikings, 3-13
4. Cleveland Browns, 4-12
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-12
6. Washington Redskins, 5-11
7. Jacksonville Jaguars, 5-11
8. Carolina Panthers, 6-10*
9. Miami Dolphins, 6-10*
10. Buffalo Bills, 6-10
T-11. Seattle Seahawks, 7-9*
T-11. Kansas City Chiefs, 7-9*
13. Arizona Cardinals, 8-8
14. Dallas Cowboys, 8-8
15. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-8
16. New York Jets, 8-8
17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders, 8-8)
18. San Diego Chargers, 8-8
19. Chicago Bears, 8-8
20. Tennessee Titans, 9-7

*Coin flip will be used at a later date

For more on the Redskins, visit Hogs Haven.

Read More: Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins’ 33-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings ultimately did nothing to affect their position in the 2012 NFL Draft order. With one week to play in the season, the Redskins are still sitting in the No. 7 slot in the draft order, though they did inch closer to moving up even higher depending on what happens in Week 17.

The Redskins currently are tied for the seventh-worst record at 5-10 with the Miami Dolphins, but own the tiebreaker by virtue of their strength of schedule. Redskins opponents have combined for a winning percentage of just under 47 percent this season.

Here is the order as it stands:

1. Indianapolis Colts: 2-13
2. St. Louis Rams: 2-13
3. Minnesota Vikings: 3-12
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-11
5. Cleveland Browns: 4-11
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-11
7. Washington Redskins: 5-10
8. Miami Dolphins: 5-10
9. Carolina Panthers: 6-9
10. Buffalo Bills: 6-9
11. Kansas City Chiefs: 6-9
12. Arizona Cardinals: 7-8
13. Philadelphia Eagles: 7-8
14. Seattle Seahawks: 7-8
15. San Diego Chargers: 7-8
16. Chicago Bears: 7-7
17. Dallas Cowboys: 8-7
18. Tennessee Titans: 8-7
19. New York Jets: 8-7
20. Oakland Raiders: 8-7

For more 2012 NFL Draft order scenarios, visit this StoryStream.

WASHINGTON – Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss owes the Internal Revenue Service more than $250,000, according to the tax agency.

The agency filed a $258,017 tax lien on Moss in Broward County Circuit Court in November, according to The Detroit News’ Robert Snell.

The lien, which has been posted online, says Moss and others owe back taxes from 2006.

Moss, an 11-year veteran, has spent seven seasons in Washington. He spent the first four seasons of his career in New York after being drafted by the Jets in 2001.

Moss and the Redskins were not immediately available for comment.

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(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)

The
New England Patriots
squandered the majority of a seemingly comfortable lead last weekend, leaving an uneasy feeling even after their fourth straight
victory.

They left no such doubts the last time they faced the
Washington Redskins
.

The nation’s capital, however, remains the only NFL city where the Patriots have never won, a distinction that will disappear
Sunday unless the Redskins can pull off the upset and avenge a historic rout four years ago.

New England (9-3) charged to a 28-point lead against winless Indianapolis last Sunday, but was outgained 266-11 and outscored
21-0 in the final quarter, securing a 31-24 victory only after pouncing on an onside kick in the final minute.

Although the Patriots are tied for the AFC’s best record, the near-meltdown reinforced concerns about a patchwork defense
that ranks last in the NFL both overall (412.1 yards allowed per game) and against the pass (310.0).

New England’s starting safeties against the Colts were
Nate Jones
, who was making his Patriots debut, and
Matthew Slater
– typically a wide receiver.

“It’s disappointing. Go back to the drawing board and try to improve,” linebacker
Jerod Mayo
said. “We just have to learn how to put two halves together next week.”

The Patriots certainly did that against Washington during their perfect regular season in 2007, opening the game with 52 straight
points before a late Redskins touchdown made it a 52-7 final.

That remains Washington’s most lopsided loss since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Losing has become all too familiar for the Redskins in recent seasons. The Patriots have won eight division titles – they
would clinch another Sunday with a win and a
New York Jets
loss to Kansas City – since Washington last won the NFC East in 1999.

The Redskins (4-8) lost 34-19 to the Jets last weekend, falling to 0-4 in their last four home games, 0-3 against AFC foes
this season and 1-7 since their promising 3-1 start.

They got even more troubling news after the game, learning that tight end
Fred Davis
and left tackle
Trent Williams
would be suspended for four games – the rest of the regular season – by the NFL for repeated violations of the league’s substance
abuse policy.

“Am I disappointed in them? Big time, yeah,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “Because they affect not only themselves but this organization
and their teammates. That’s a bad decision, and they know they put us in a heck of a position.”

The Redskins selected Williams with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2010, and Davis leads the team with 59 receptions and
796 receiving yards.

The Patriots have also used their tight ends as major weapons in the passing game – particularly
Rob Gronkowski
, who scored three more touchdowns last week. One went down as a rushing score because it was ruled a lateral by
Tom Brady
, leaving Gronkowski with 13 receiving TDs – tied with
Vernon Davis
(2009) and
Antonio Gates
(2004) for the single-season NFL record for tight ends.

“He is a tough kid and he knows how to run the routes,” Colts defensive back
Jerraud Powers
said of Gronkowski. “It also helps when you have one of the greatest quarterbacks.”

Brady may face a bit of a challenge against a Washington defense that has not allowed a 300-yard passer all season. The reigning
NFL MVP has averaged 303.3 passing yards during New England’s four-game winning streak, throwing 10 touchdowns and no interceptions
in that stretch.

Brady, though, struggled against Shanahan’s teams when the coach was in Denver. Including a postseason loss, he went 1-5 against
Shanahan’s Broncos, completing just 56.5 percent of his passes and posting a 78.1 passer rating.

Teammate
Andre Carter
played for Shanahan last season, his fifth year with the Redskins, but the defensive end didn’t fit in the 3-4 scheme. With
the Patriots moving largely to a 4-3 this year, the veteran has clicked, leading the team with nine sacks.

“He’s a very professional guy that’s smart, a well-conditioned athlete,” coach Bill Belichick said. “He really works hard
at football and things are really falling into place for him here.”

Two former Patriots –
Jabar Gaffney
and Donte’ Stallworth – are now wide receivers for the Redskins, but one player is notable in his absence from both rosters.
Each club has parted ways with
Albert Haynesworth
this year, with Washington trading the controversial defensive tackle to the Patriots, who waived him last month.

The Patriots, who’ve won at every other NFL franchise’s home venue, are favorites to defeat the Redskins on the road for the
first time. New England has only played two previous regular-season games at Washington, most recently losing 20-17 in 2003
– a game in which Brady threw three interceptions.

Redskins safety
LaRon Landry
will miss his second straight game Sunday because of a groin injury.