The Washington Redskins’ added one of the last missing pieces to their offense by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with veteran running back Tim Hightower.
That adds Hightower to a running back mix that features Roy Helu, Evan Royster and sixth-rounder Alfred Morris. Let the competition begin.
The team will hold its first round of organized team activities next week. They will run on May 21, 23 and 24th, May 29-31 and June 4-7. The team’s mandatory minicamp takes place June 11-14, and then comes a lull in the action until late July, when training camp kicks off.
Many starting jobs appear to be decided, but some remain up for grabs. Sure, it’s early and a lot could – and likely will – change between now and the start of the season. But let’s take a look at the projected starting lineups and possible position battles on offense and defense.
OFFENSE:
QB Robert Griffin III
RB Tim Hightower. Challengers: Roy Helu, Evan Royster
FB Darrel Young
TE Fred Davis. Challenger: Chris Cooley
WR: Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan, Leonard Hankerson. Challengers: Santana Moss, Anthony Armstrong, Brandon Banks, Aldrick Robinson, Terrence Austin
LT: Trent Williams
LG: Kory Lichtensteiger. Challengers: Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis, Maurice Hurt
Notes: Hightower is coming back from a torn ACL, but Redskins coaches consider him valuable. He’s the most well-rounded of the backs on the roster and a strong leader. Helu and Royster aim to overtake him with a year of playing time under their belts. … The Redskins don’t currently have a backup fullback on the roster, but Kyle Shanahan’s three-receiver and double-tight end sets often eliminate the need for a fullback. … It will be interesting to see how things play out at wide receiver, where Garcon and Morgan, or Hankerson, will likely start. Those three are likely to be on the field together often, with either Morgan or Hankerson lining up in the slot. How does that affect Santana Moss? Judging by Coach Mike Shanahan’s comments last week, it sounds as if the soon-to-be 33-year-old will be reduced to a reserve role. But he also has Banks and Robinson eying snaps at that slot receiver position. … Lichtensteiger continues to make progress in his return from torn knee ligaments, but LeRibeus (who also is being groomed as a backup center) or Gettis could contend for that starting left guard job. … Right tackle will be interesting. Shanahan says he feels much better about Jammal Brown and his hip after an offseason of rehab, but will the former Pro Bowl tackle be able to truly return to form? If not, does the team go with a promising second-year player in Smith with Polumbus and sixth-rounder Tom Compton as the backup tackles? … Another key competition is at kicker, where incumbent Graham Gano and free agent signing Neil Rackers face off.
Notes: The front seven remains intact thanks to the re-signings of Fletcher and Carriker, but the team gets a valuable addition with the return of Jenkins, who missed all of his rookie season with a torn ACL. He figures to see significant snaps at both left and right defensive end. The team also brought back the reliable Kedric Golston, who can spell either end as well, and is counting on second-year pro Chris Neild for depth at nose tackle. … Hall and Wilson both return, but there will be competition at nickelback. Kevin Barnes remains under contract, but the team signed veteran Leigh Torrence and undrafted rookie Chase Minnifield, and also has second-year back, Brandyn Thompson. And where does Cedric Griffin fit? … The biggest question mark involves the two safety positions. Gone are LaRon Landry and Oshiomogho Atogwe, and there are some uncertainties about nearly every player in the mix. Can Meriweather return to the two-time Pro Bowl form he showed in New England in 2009 and 2010, or will he disappoint as he did in Chicago, where he lost his job after four games? Can Gomes flourish in his second season and hold down the free safety duties? Or will one of two free agent signings, Jackson or Williams, claim the job?
It is a foregone conclusion that the Washington Redskins will take Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. The real mystery is what the Skins will do after they take RGIII.
Griffin addresses the team’s pressing need for a franchise quarterback, but G.M. Bruce Allen and head coach Mike Shanahan still have holes to fill through the draft and free agency.
Since they have traded away this year’s second-round pick, as well as the first rounders in 2013 and 2014, each free-agent acquisition and draft pick is that much more important.
The 5-11 Redskins had inconsistencies in pass coverage, on the offensive line, and at wide receiver. Shanahan was aggressive in signing wideouts Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan to complement Santana Moss and the promising Leonard Hankerson, so I think it is unlikely they will take a receiver with their third-round pick (69th overall).
That leaves the secondary and the O-line as the Redskins’ two biggest weaknesses, and one of these (or both) should be addressed in the draft.
There may be a tendency to want to protect Griffin as much as possible, and there is a good argument for this. After giving up so much to get him, it seems ridiculous not to protect that investment with a solid offensive line.
Looking at the team objectively, however, the greater need is at safety. Both starting safeties from the 2011 team are gone—LaRon Landry is now a Jet, and O.J. Atogwe was released after a disappointing and injury-plagued season.
The Redskins did sign veteran safety Brandon Meriweather to fill one of the open slots, but Reed Doughty is so slow he is liable to get beat deep by smaller offensive linemen, and he is nothing more than a backup/run stopper.
What position should the Redskins address first in the draft?
What position should the Redskins address first in the draft?
Safety
Cornerback
Offensive Line
There will still be safety talent available in the third round, and Shanahan would be smart to at least give Doughty some competition with this pick.
The best option here is Antonio Allen, a safety from South Carolina who is currently projected to go in the third round.
Allen is a 6’1″ 210-pound safety who specializes in playing inside the box. He ran a 4.67 40-yard dash at the combine, and was a tackling machine at South Carolina.
This may seem like a bad fit, since the Redskins’ corners like to take chances and force safeties to help over the top.
What I love about Allen, however, is his ability to cover tight ends. In today’s NFL, the tight end is becoming an increasingly important weapon on offense. Guys like Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez create mismatches because they are too big for corners to cover in man, but way too fast for a linebacker to cover downfield.
Allen specialized in press covering tight ends at USC, a skill that translates perfectly to the NFL. He did not play a traditional safety in college, but Meriweather is an experienced cover safety that can drop back in zone or help over the top.
This would allow Allen to step up and play inside the box, where he can provide terrific run support or press a tight end on a passing play.
The Redskins do need improved coverage from their corners for a safety like Allen to really be let loose at the line of scrimmage, but he would be a terrific value pick early in the third round. His size and athleticism translate well to the NFL, and I would love to see him in burgundy and gold in 2012.
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
The Redskins have some major holes in the secondary, with cornerback DeAngelo Hall being the team’s only sure starter in the defensive backfield.
The Redskins signed free agents Cedric Griffin and Brandon Meriweather, but neither is a strong starter in the secondary.
Griffin is a big cornerback who has the versatility to play both cornerback and free safety, but has been shaky for the Minnesota Vikings, only signed a one-year contract and has injury concerns. He is not a solid long-term starting option
Meriweather has a big reputation as a fast safety who hits hard, but he is a serious liability in coverage. He could end up replacing LaRon Landry as a starting safety, but he should not be a long-term option.
The Redskins really could use upgrades throughout their secondary, especially in the NFC East, a very passing-potent division. They should look to upgrade the secondary as early as possible.
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
The Detroit Lions were interested in free agent safety LaRon Landry, but will have to search elsewhere for help in its secondary.
Landry has signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets for $4 million, according to The Jets Stream writer Manesh Mehta. The Lions previously expressed their interest Landry, but the Jets won his services for 2012.
Detroit has also expressed interest in Washington Redskins free agent safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, who will visit the Lions’ facility this week. If Detroit is interested in improving its secondary, the Lions might make a strong run and Atogwe this week.
Atogwe played in 13 games (eight starts) for Washington last season. He had 60 tackles and three interceptions. Atogwe has 99 career starts since 2005, 373 tackles and 25 interceptions.
Landry, 27, spent five NFL seasons with the Redskins before today’s signing. The hard-hitting safety played in only 17 games the past two seasons due to a nagging Achilles tendon injury. He is currently rehabbing a season-ending Achilles injury that has not needed surgery.
Overall, Landry has 291 tackles and four interceptions in his career.
Detroit recently hosted cornerback Jacob Lacey, but he left Allen Park without a contract.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
WASHINGTON (AP) Free agent cornerback Cedric Griffin has signed with the Washington Redskins.
Griffin agreed Friday to a one-year deal which could be worth as much as $2.5 million, according to The Washington Post.
Griffin was cut last week by Minnesota, where he played for six seasons. He came back after tearing the ACL in both knees in 2010 to play in all 16 games last year, but he wasn’t able to regain his previous form, was benched late in the season and expressed dissatisfaction with his demotion.
He had three years left on his contract when he was released by the Vikings and had been due $4.1 million in salary for 2012.
The Redskins could be looking to move Griffin to safety, where the team is seeking to replace LaRon Landry and Oshiomogho Atogwe.
The Redskins also announced that tight end Fred Davis has signed his franchise player tender, a one-year deal worth $5.446 million. General manager Bruce Allen has said he hopes to sign Davis to a long-term contract.
The Washington Redskins designated tight end Fred Davis their franchise player on Friday. The move, which was expected, significantly increases the likelihood the Redskins‘ most explosive receiver will return to the team next season. Davis was scheduled to become a free agent on March 13.
Washington also tendered a one-year restricted free-agent contract to left guard Kory Lichtensteiger and a one-year exclusive rights free-agent contract to kicker Graham Gano.
The franchise tag includes a one-year contract tender. It’s unknown if the Redskins used the “non-exclusive” or “exclusive” tag. If the Redskins used the non-exclusive tag, Davis still could sign an offer sheet with another team, and that team would owe Washington two first-round draft picks if Washington opted not to match the offer to retain Davis.
If Washington used the exclusive tag, Davis is not permitted to negotiate with other teams.
The exact franchise-player salary for a tight end has not been publicized by the league. It will be approximately $5 million, significantly more than the $459,000 base salary Davis finished last season with.
Retaining Davis‘ rights with the franchise tag makes sense for the Redskins, who were determined to protect themselves in light of Davis‘ violation of the NFL drug policy last season. If Davis were to test positive for banned substances again, he would be suspended for a year.
The franchise tag minimizes the Redskins‘ long-term risk and forces Davis to prove he can stay clean in order to earn a long-term contract.
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan met with Davis after last season concluded and was optimistic about his future.
“I do feel very good about Fred as a person,” Shanahan said on Jan. 2. “I like the way he worked. I like his attitude. I like his development over the last year and a half since I’ve been here. I think he’s had a complete change in the way he’s handled himself off the field to prepare himself be a consummate pro with working out. Hopefully the mistake won’t happen again that he made this year.”
Davis, 26, was on pace to lead the Redskins in receptions and receiving yards until he was suspended for the final four games of the 2011 season. The four-year veteran finished with 59 catches, 796 yards and three touchdowns. Washington also missed his run blocking during the final quarter of the season.
Safety LaRon Landry was a candidate for the franchise tag, but he is still recovering from the Achilles injury that forced him to end last season on injured reserve. Landry did not adhere to a specialist’s recommendation to have surgery, and his fitness remains uncertain with off-season programs scheduled to begin next month.
The Redskins protected their rights to Lichtensteiger and Gano by tendering them qualifying offers.
Lichtensteiger was tendered an original round qualifying offer, meaning that the Redskins would receive a fourth-round draft pick (the round in which Lichtensteiger was drafted) if he were to sign with another team and they didn’t match the offer to retain him. Lichtensteiger’s base salary will double to $1.2 million in 2012.
Lichtensteiger’s speed and athleticism make him one of the team’s best blockers in the run game and for screen passes. He played in five games in 2011 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The Redskins‘ line play significantly suffered with him sidelined. He is expected to be ready for training camp.
By tendering Gano, the Redskins established exclusive negotiating rights with him. He’s scheduled to make the league minimum. Gano made 31 of 41 field goals last season; five of those misses were blocked.
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Redskins’ record is a matter of perspective.
Steve Spurrier infamously proclaimed 5-11 was “not very good” after his 2003 season with Washington. He quit the next day, done with the NFL after two years and a 12-20 record.
Mike Shanahan’s spin couldn’t be more different.
“Even though the record may not show it,” Shanahan said Monday, “we’re a much better football team than we were a year ago.”
The Redskins regressed from 6-10 to 5-11 this year, so Shanahan’s mark in two seasons in Washington stands at 11-21. He’s never had a worse full-season record as a head coach, and Washington has now finished in last place in the NFC East for four years running.
“Thank God I haven’t been through any like this before — I might not be in this profession very long,” Shanahan said. “But it’s something that really drives you and motivates you. It’s something that I look forward to doing, putting a great football team together and doing it the right way, and sometimes it takes a little bit longer than sometimes expected.”
Shanahan cited the team’s improved depth as evidence that he has the Redskins pointed in the right direction. Even so, there are significant upgrades needed at receiver, in the secondary, along the offensive line and in a special teams unit that had five blocked field goals this year — the most allowed by a team in the NFL in eight years.
But it all starts and ends with the quarterback, and Shanahan needs to find one.
After failing to make it work with Donovan McNabb last year, Shanahan made the bold statement that he was staking his reputation this season on Rex Grossman and John Beck. Grossman ended up committing 25 turnovers in 13 games, and Beck lasted for all of three winless starts.
“I don’t care what anybody says, I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of — and I know that I will achieve it,” Beck said Monday before stuffing his belongings into a large clear plastic bag at his locker. “I thought it was going to happen this year. It didn’t. But it’s going to happen. I’m not going to let it not happen.”
Grossman’s self-confidence was just as strong. While Beck is under contract for next season, Grossman is a free agent — but it’s possible he could be brought back to mentor a quarterback taken in the first round of the draft.
“There’s a lot of things that I can do to improve,” Grossman said. “But definitely there was a lot of good, and we’ll see how they evaluate it.”
Shanahan has already starting looking for someone else. For weeks now, he has been spending about a half-hour in the mornings looking at video of the top college prospects. The Redskins hold the No. 6 overall pick in the April draft.
“Everybody’s looking for a franchise quarterback,” offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said. “You want one of those guys that there’s no question about. There’s probably only about five or six of them in the league. Then there’s a lot of guys who can play and there’s some guys who need to be replaced. You’re always trying to find that one and (we’re) still working to do it.”
The Redskins’ noteworthy free agents include linebacker London Fletcher, safety LaRon Landry, tight end Fred Davis, defensive end Adam Carriker and running back Tim Hightower. Shanahan said Fletcher is a priority to re-sign, while Landry’s value is subject to his return from a left Achilles injury and Davis has just completed a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drugs policy. Davis was one of three Redskins players suspended this season, the latest black eye for the franchise.
But the Redskins, being the Redskins, couldn’t wrap up the season without one final bit of consternation. Shanahan, as is his usual routine, gave his parting words to the players in the locker room Sunday after the final game. On Monday, with the coach not even in the room, the players heard from Navy SEALs and a marine as part of a program mandated by the NFL.
While many players said they found the presentation inspiring and that it helped them put football in perspective, backup offensive lineman Sean Locklear tweeted that it was the “Worst exit meeting ever!” because no coaches or front office people spoke. He later went back on Twitter to apologize.
“I talked to Sean after the game and, obviously, he must not have liked my speech,” Shanahan said with more than a touch of sarcasm. “Obviously he must have been disappointed in it. I’ve only been doing it that way for a number of years, and he must be used to a different way. So I apologize, Sean, it’ll never happen again — at least not with me.”
——
Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP
ASHBURN, Va. – The Washington Redskins’ record is a matter of perspective.
Steve Spurrier infamously proclaimed 5-11 was “not very good” after his 2003 season with Washington. He quit the next day, done with the NFL after two years and a 12-20 record.
Mike Shanahan’s spin couldn’t be more different.
“Even though the record may not show it,” Shanahan said Monday, “we’re a much better football team than we were a year ago.”
The Redskins regressed from 6-10 to 5-11 this year, so Shanahan’s mark in two seasons in Washington stands at 11-21. He’s never had a worse full-season record as a head coach, and Washington has now finished in last place in the NFC East for four years running.
“Thank God I haven’t been through any like this before — I might not be in this profession very long,” Shanahan said. “But it’s something that really drives you and motivates you. It’s something that I look forward to doing, putting a great football team together and doing it the right way, and sometimes it takes a little bit longer than sometimes expected.”
Shanahan cited the team’s improved depth as evidence that he has the Redskins pointed in the right direction. Even so, there are significant upgrades needed at receiver, in the secondary, along the offensive line and in a special teams unit that had five blocked field goals this year — the most allowed by a team in the NFL in eight years.
But it all starts and ends with the quarterback, and Shanahan needs to find one.
After failing to make it work with Donovan McNabb last year, Shanahan made the bold statement that he was staking his reputation this season on Rex Grossman and John Beck. Grossman ended up committing 25 turnovers in 13 games, and Beck lasted for all of three winless starts.
“I don’t care what anybody says, I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of — and I know that I will achieve it,” Beck said Monday before stuffing his belongings into a large clear plastic bag at his locker. “I thought it was going to happen this year. It didn’t. But it’s going to happen. I’m not going to let it not happen.”
Grossman’s self-confidence was just as strong. While Beck is under contract for next season, Grossman is a free agent — but it’s possible he could be brought back to mentor a quarterback taken in the first round of the draft.
“There’s a lot of things that I can do to improve,” Grossman said. “But definitely there was a lot of good, and we’ll see how they evaluate it.”
Shanahan has already starting looking for someone else. For weeks now, he has been spending about a half-hour in the mornings looking at video of the top college prospects. The Redskins hold the No. 6 overall pick in the April draft.
“Everybody’s looking for a franchise quarterback,” offensive co-ordinator Kyle Shanahan said. “You want one of those guys that there’s no question about. There’s probably only about five or six of them in the league. Then there’s a lot of guys who can play and there’s some guys who need to be replaced. You’re always trying to find that one and (we’re) still working to do it.”
The Redskins’ noteworthy free agents include linebacker London Fletcher, safety LaRon Landry, tight end Fred Davis, defensive end Adam Carriker and running back Tim Hightower. Shanahan said Fletcher is a priority to re-sign, while Landry’s value is subject to his return from a left Achilles injury and Davis has just completed a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drugs policy. Davis was one of three Redskins players suspended this season, the latest black eye for the franchise.
But the Redskins, being the Redskins, couldn’t wrap up the season without one final bit of consternation. Shanahan, as is his usual routine, gave his parting words to the players in the locker room Sunday after the final game. On Monday, with the coach not even in the room, the players heard from Navy SEALs and a marine as part of a program mandated by the NFL.
While many players said they found the presentation inspiring and that it helped them put football in perspective, backup offensive lineman Sean Locklear tweeted that it was the “Worst exit meeting ever!” because no coaches or front office people spoke. He later went back on Twitter to apologize.
“I talked to Sean after the game and, obviously, he must not have liked my speech,” Shanahan said with more than a touch of sarcasm. “Obviously he must have been disappointed in it. I’ve only been doing it that way for a number of years, and he must be used to a different way. So I apologize, Sean, it’ll never happen again — at least not with me.”
ASHBURN, Va. (AP)—The Washington Redskins’ record is a matter of
perspective.
Steve Spurrier infamously proclaimed 5-11 was “not very good” after his
2003 season with Washington. He quit the next day, done with the NFL after two
years and a 12-20 record.
Mike Shanahan’s spin couldn’t be more different.
“Even though the record may not show it,” Shanahan said Monday, “we’re a
much better football team than we were a year ago.”
The Redskins regressed from 6-10 to 5-11 this year, so Shanahan’s mark in
two seasons in Washington stands at 11-21. He’s never had a worse full-season
record as a head coach, and Washington has now finished in last place in the NFC
East for four years running.
“Thank God I haven’t been through any like this before—I might not be in
this profession very long,” Shanahan said. “But it’s something that really
drives you and motivates you. It’s something that I look forward to doing,
putting a great football team together and doing it the right way, and sometimes
it takes a little bit longer than sometimes expected.”
Shanahan cited the team’s improved depth as evidence that he has the
Redskins pointed in the right direction. Even so, there are significant upgrades
needed at receiver, in the secondary, along the offensive line and in a special
teams unit that had five blocked field goals this year—the most allowed by a
team in the NFL in eight years.
But it all starts and ends with the quarterback, and Shanahan needs to find
one.
After failing to make it work with Donovan McNabb last year, Shanahan made
the bold statement that he was staking his reputation this season on Rex
Grossman and John Beck. Grossman ended up committing 25 turnovers in 13 games,
and Beck lasted for all of three winless starts.
“I don’t care what anybody says, I know what I can do and I know what I’m
capable of—and I know that I will achieve it,” Beck said Monday before
stuffing his belongings into a large clear plastic bag at his locker. “I
thought it was going to happen this year. It didn’t. But it’s going to happen.
I’m not going to let it not happen.”
Grossman’s self-confidence was just as strong. While Beck is under contract
for next season, Grossman is a free agent—but it’s possible he could be
brought back to mentor a quarterback taken in the first round of the draft.
“There’s a lot of things that I can do to improve,” Grossman said. “But
definitely there was a lot of good, and we’ll see how they evaluate it.”
Shanahan has already starting looking for someone else. For weeks now, he
has been spending about a half-hour in the mornings looking at video of the top
college prospects. The Redskins hold the No. 6 overall pick in the April draft.
“Everybody’s looking for a franchise quarterback,” offensive coordinator
Kyle Shanahan said. “You want one of those guys that there’s no question about.
There’s probably only about five or six of them in the league. Then there’s a
lot of guys who can play and there’s some guys who need to be replaced. You’re
always trying to find that one and (we’re) still working to do it.”
The Redskins’ noteworthy free agents include linebacker London Fletcher,
safety LaRon Landry, tight end Fred Davis, defensive end Adam Carriker and
running back Tim Hightower. Shanahan said Fletcher is a priority to re-sign,
while Landry’s value is subject to his return from a left Achilles injury and
Davis has just completed a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drugs
policy. Davis was one of three Redskins players suspended this season, the
latest black eye for the franchise.
But the Redskins, being the Redskins, couldn’t wrap up the season without
one final bit of consternation. Shanahan, as is his usual routine, gave his
parting words to the players in the locker room Sunday after the final game. On
Monday, with the coach not even in the room, the players heard from Navy SEALs
and a marine as part of a program mandated by the NFL.
While many players said they found the presentation inspiring and that it
helped them put football in perspective, backup offensive lineman Sean Locklear
tweeted that it was the “Worst exit meeting ever!” because no coaches or front
office people spoke. He later went back on Twitter to apologize.
“I talked to Sean after the game and, obviously, he must not have liked my
speech,” Shanahan said with more than a touch of sarcasm. “Obviously he must
have been disappointed in it. I’ve only been doing it that way for a number of
years, and he must be used to a different way. So I apologize, Sean, it’ll never
happen again—at least not with me.”
———
Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP
The Washington Redskins’ 5-10 record entering Sunday’s finale at Philadelphia might not show it, but they will be in better shape entering the offseason than a year ago.
The Redskins are improved at running back, defensive line, linebacker and special teams. The personnel on defense is better suited for the 3-4 scheme. Coach Mike Shanahan rid the roster of problems, two drug suspensions aside. Thanks to a strong 2011 draft, the depth helped counter persistent injuries.
The improvement has not been reflected in the win-loss record, though, and that’s the bottom line. Washington has fewer needs entering free agency and the draft. Unfortunately, they’re monster ones.
The Redskins’ need for a quarterback will dominate the offseason. The problem is they may not get one in the first round. A good quarterback can be found in the second round, but try selling that to the shrinking number of season-ticket holders.
The right side of the offensive line must improve, and the Redskins have to hope that injured left guard Kory Lichtensteiger and suspended left tackle Trent Williams return ready. Nobody lets solid offensive linemen become free agents, so Washington’s best chance is to draft one in the first three rounds. Depending on when the Redskins take a quarterback, they might have to wait until the third round for a lineman. Of course, guard Tre Johnson was a third-rounder, and he started 69 games for the Redskins.
A big, dominating receiver remains vital. That might come down to whether Leonard Hankerson returns healthy for his second season. The Redskins won’t draft a receiver, and there aren’t many top free agents willing to sign with a losing team that has a rookie quarterback. The elite seek Super Bowl rides.
The front seven on defense are fine, but both safeties could be in play, and improving at cornerback wouldn’t hurt. If safety LaRon Landry leaves as a free agent, which is less likely after two injury-shortened seasons, then the Redskins must sign one.
These are the pieces Shanahan must fill in his third year or he might not reach a fourth one. Those who preach patience often are the ones who don’t succeed.
Redskins fans have been more than patient, backing a team that has made only three playoff appearances in 20 years and now has a third straight 10-loss season for the second time since its last Super Bowl victory.
That patience is running out. If Washington doesn’t get much better in 2012, the franchise seriously risks inflicting a final blow to its diminishing supporters, who no longer come close to filling the stadium. Visiting fans sometimes own FedEx Field.
The Redskins are better, but they’re not nearly good enough. That’s the bottom line. The offseason either nets a new quarterback, some offensive linemen and a few more playmakers or the once inexhaustible hope of the fans will be spent.
Meanwhile, San Francisco doubled its six wins from a year ago to win the NFC West. It just proves five-year plans are not always needed.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email rsnider@washingtonexaminer.com.
Although we’re all aware that injuries are a part of the game and that all teams are forced to adjust, even a Cowboys fan would have a little bit of sympathy for the Redskins and the way the injury bug attacked the team this season.
I’m not trying to sound like a crybaby with it or anything, but it seemed like one injury after another for the Redskins this season—all at key positions.
Running back Tim Hightower blows out his knee, safety LaRon Landry hasn’t been right since last season, left guard Kory Lichtensteiger blows out his knee, tight end Chris Cooley drops to IR, wide receiver Anthony Armstrong is set back early, rookie Jarvis Jenkins blows out a knee, rookie wideout Leonard Hankerson begins to shine and he hits IR, safety O.J. Atogwe gets a rough start while recovering and the list goes on. It almost didn’t seem fair.
The only good news that can come from such injuries is the fact that all of these guys had time to heal over the course of the season (if they went down early) and the upcoming offseason to heal and prepare for next season.
Again, I’m not blaming a 5-11 or 6-10 record on injuries alone. But I’m also not denying that it makes a season exponentially harder. And to add fuel to the fire, dummies like Trent Williams and Fred Davis don’t help the situation by earning suspensions for a quarter of the season.
Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said the team will officially place safety LaRon Landry on injured reserve Friday afternoon, but he doesn’t expect to make a corresponding roster move before Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
The team announced Thursday that Landry will miss the rest of the season with a strained left Achilles’ tendon, which requires surgery. He will become the ninth Redskins player to wind up on injured reserve this season.
That means the Redskins will have only 52 players on the 53-man roster.
“We’ll go with 52 into this game, and then put someone up next week,” Shanahan said.
The coach said league rules don’t require the team to carry 53 players on the roster Sunday. But the usual limit of 46 active players on gameday still apply.
NFL teams typically have seven players inactive each Sunday. With just 52 players on the roster, the Redskins will have only six, Shanahan said.
Read More: LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), New York Giants, Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan confirmed Thursday that safety LaRon Landry will be placed on injured reserve as a result of injuries to his Achillies’ tendon and groin.
“I talked to LaRon earlier today and he felt that it was quite sore,” Shanahan told Redskins public relations. “He’s been trying to push it, trying to get back the last couple of weeks and thought it was in his best interest to go on IR. Usually what’s in a player’s best interest is usually what’s in our best interest, so we’re going to put him on IR and hopefully he can get that thing well.”
Shanahan said Landry’s timetable for a return at this point remains unclear and that the team will seek a few more opinions before deciding a course of action for the veteran.
The coach noted Landry’s tendon is not torn, but that he’ll likely need surgery at the end of the season to fix the injury.
As the Redskins prepare to face the New York Giants on Sunday, Shanahan just hopes Landry can regain his form of early last season, before he went down with a similar injury, and get back on the field soon.
“I think he would have been Defensive Player of the Year [last year].” Shanahan told Redskins public relations. “But he hasn’t been able to stay healthy and hopefully he can get it fixed.”
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Read More: Sav Rocca (P – WAS), Reed Doughty (S – WAS), London Fletcher (LB – WAS), Jammal Brown (OT – WAS), Stephen Bowen (DE – WAS), LaRon Landry (SS – WAS), New York Giants, Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins hit practice field today to prepare for their NFC East match up with the New York Giants. The Redskins were missing four players from practice however, including starting safety LaRon Landry, who’s still dealing with a groin and Achilles injury. ”Even if he does come back, what speed can he practice at? What speed can he play at? Usually when a guy comes back after being away for a week or two weeks, it takes a little time to get back in football shape and play in a game. If he does come back tomorrow, we’ll see how he practices and if he can suit up for the weekend,” head coach Mike Shanahan said after practice. Three other players missed practice:
OT Jammal Brown (groin), FB Mike Sellers (elbow), WR Donte Stallworth (illness/ankle)
The Redskins also had four players limited in practice, including linebacker London Fletcher, who is dealing with an ankle injury.
S Reed Doughty (rib), P Sav Rocca (ankle), DE Stephen Bowen (knee)
For more on this game, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more info on the Giants head over to Big Blue View, and for more on the Redskins check out Hogs Haven.
