(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Only three NFL teams had fewer sacks than the Washington Redskins in 2008. Those teams—the Bengals, Browns, and Chiefs—finished with a combined record of 10-37-1.
So, in classic Daniel Snyder fashion, the team went out and added All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to the mix.
After failing to move up and make a run at USC quarterback Mark Sanchez in the draft, the team stayed with the No. 13 pick and added DE/OLB Brian Orakpo out of Texas.
The team fully expects these two players to wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball right off the bat, and fans can expect to see a noticeable difference. Having a tackle like Haynesworth, who has arguably been the best in the game at his position the last two seasons, allows for a defensive coordinator to be more creative with his schemes.
More pressure off both sides of the line can be expected. With Haynesworth clogging up the middle, and likely taking up a double team on every play, guys like Orakpo and Phillip Daniels are free in single coverage and can make an impact more often.
The secondary of the Redskins is formidable, with LaRon Landry leading the safety corps, and Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall leading the cornerbacks. With more pressure on the quarterback, the likelihood of interceptions skyrockets; the team ranked 17th in the league in picks last season.
On the offensive side of the ball, a couple of additions along the offensive line should prove key in allowing quarterback Jason Campbell continued maturation. The team brought back Derrick Dockery and signed Mike Williams as a free agent.
Few and far between were the times last season that Campbell had time to go through his complete progression to find the open receiver. He was often only allowed to see his first choice and throw the ball away because the offensive line, noticeably one of the oldest and slowest in the league, did not give him enough time.
The addition of these two guys and the development of Stephon Heyer shows a vast improvement over last season's bunch.
The other notable situation is actually derived from an addition that didn't happen.
2009 will be the first season in the NFL that Campbell continues in the same offensive scheme. Coach Jim Zorn's offense calls for accuracy, something critics say Campbell struggled with after the team's late-season meltdown last year. But if Campbell has time to find the open target, he could prove to be a very effective weapon for the Skins this season.
Look for the NFL's fourth-ranked defense from a year ago to key on the newcomers and make a run at being the top defense in the league this year.
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