Washington Redskins OTA Standouts Worth Keeping an Eye on This Offseason

A quarterback for the secondary. O' my kingdom for a quarterback for the secondary. That's might be the offseason battle cry of Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden.

He though he'd found the right on-field coach to guide a fragile defensive backfield last offseason. But veteran Ryan Clark didn't deliver. Now it's the turn of veteran Dashon Goldson.

Fortunately, the player who has deep ties to new general manager Scot McCloughan has already impressed his coaches during offseason workouts. But the combative free safety isn't the only standout turning heads.

Rookie running back Matt Jones has made a fast start to life at a position previously owned by Alfred Morris. While Jones will struggle to supplant Morris in his first year, he already looks primed to create the kind of competition coaches love to see.

Find out which Redskins players performing well during OTAs bear close watching this offseason.

Dashon Goldson, FS

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One reason to be encouraged by the prospects for this franchise on McCloughan's watch is how the team's new decision-maker wasted no time overhauling a dreadful secondary. There were no half measures like in previous offseasons, instead McCloughan simply added three veterans and two draft picks to the depth chart.

Of the new arrivals, Goldson is certainly the most significant. He'll have the key role of free safety, the organizer and enforcer of the new-look group.

That's a big responsibility for a player once considered one of the league's best while a member of the San Francisco 49ers. But Goldson's career practically bottomed out when he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013.

Two uneventful seasons later, this hard-hitting 30-year-old is being asked to act as the glue holding a defensive backfield that has a lot to prove together. Fortunately, Goldson is already winning over new defensive coordinator Joe Barry, per ESPN reporter John Keim: "With Dashon, just being around him the last five weeks, he’s exactly what you want in that position back there. He’s the quarterback of the secondary."

Of course, McCloughan already knows what Goldson can do. After all, he drafted him back in 2007.

Goldson's career niche has been laying the wood on any pass-catcher who dares to roam the deep middle on his watch. But while that physicality is welcome for a team that's lost more than its share of bruising battles during the last two seasons, Goldson will ultimately be judged on how well he covers.

That certainly wasn't a problem for him when he went to consecutive Pro Bowls under the guidance of then-San Fran defensive guru Vic Fangio. He placed a lot of emphasis on the free safety positions, utilizing a swarming Cover 2 shell and also relying on Cover 1 robber looks that left Goldson in charge of the deep middle.

If he can handle the same responsibilities in D.C., Goldson will not only repair the reputation damaged in Florida, he'll also provide Barry's defense with a major boost. CSN Washington writer Tarik El-Bashir offers a look at what the other side of that coin might look like:

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If Goldson can rediscover the form that made him a Pro Bowler in 2011 and 2012 (or anything close, really), he’ll resuscitate his career and perhaps find a home in Washington on a re-worked contract. If he struggles, the Redskins will move on and Goldson will be an aging, faded star seeking employment.

"

Because of the importance of his position and the questions about how much he has left, Goldson should be one of the more closely scrutinized players on the roster during the offseason.

Duke Ihenacho, SS

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Goldson isn't the only safety who's ensured he'll be watched closely during offseason workouts. One of the main surprises of the initial stages of OTAs was how Duke Ihenacho worked with the starters.

The former Denver Broncos rotational player, who joined Washington last season, began ahead of new addition Jeron Johnson. It was an intriguing development that indicates a competition is brewing at the strong safety spot.

Ihenacho may have the early lead after taking his chance to impress. ESPN's John Keim detailed how the 6'1", 207-pounder "reacted fast to the run."

Of course, that's only part of a safety's job description showcased during a very brief exposure to working with the first team. Keim also noted how Johnson snatched an interception once he made it onto the practice field, offering some of the big-play potential this defense needs in 2015.

If Ihenacho hopes to make the job his own he'll have to refine the raw aspects of his game, as well as overcome the health problems that derailed his 2014 season. Another report from Keim provides details:

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Ihenacho started 14 games for Denver in 2013, but was one of the Broncos’ final cuts before the 2014 season. His coverage skills were knocked, but he’s still a young player with experience. But Ihenacho played in just three games before suffering a season-ending foot fracture.

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It remains to be seen how much of a factor experience will be in any battle between Ihenacho and Johnson. Certainly, those 14 starts Keim referenced far outstrip the sole start Johnson made during four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

The fact Ihenacho got initial work with the starters may not mean much ultimately. It's possible coaches wanted a closer look at Johnson on special teams, an area where he thrives and where the Redskins still need help.

But Barry and new secondary boss Perry Fewell clearly haven't dismissed the idea of handing Ihenacho more responsibility. How well he reacts will make for particularly interesting viewing.

David Amerson, CB

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David Amerson is another defensive back who's used OTAs to make a solid first impression with new coaches. Of course, Washington's top draft pick in 2013 needs to make a good early showing after a pair of mediocre seasons in the pros.

After being inconsistent as a rookie starter, perhaps understandable given the demands of playing cornerback in a pass-first league, Amerson regressed badly in 2014. He became a favorite target for offenses needing a big play.

A tall and rangy cover man who's struggled to use either asset to his advantage needs to shape up, and fast. So it rates as good news then that Amerson has at least been demonstrating a renewed commitment to getting better.

The extra study has certainly caught Barry's eye, according to ESPN's John Keim:

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He’s been great. He’s been locked in. He’s been a true professional in the classroom. He’s working his butt off in the weight room. The limited amount of stuff we’re able to do with him on the field he’s been great. From a skill set he has everything you want. He has to continue to develop the next four weeks.

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It's good Barry's set a time frame for Amerson to continue proving his worth. He'll certainly need to, given the increased competition at the edges of Washington's revamped secondary.

The emergence of Bashaud Breeland as a fourth-round steal last season put pressure on every cornerback on the roster. That pressure has only increased following the return from injury of veteran DeAngelo Hall, along with the arrival of Chris Culliver during free agency.

Hall and Culliver were the starters during initial OTAs, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post. If Amerson wants to stay relevant, he has a lot of work to do to prove he can.

Jamison Crowder, WR

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Jamison Crowder used rookie minicamp to show what he can do as a slot receiver. Now he's used working with the veterans to display his talent as a returner.

The team's fourth-round pick in this year's draft, Crowder has an excellent pedigree as a punt returner. His experience dates back to when he first started playing the game, as he told Redskins Nation host Larry Michael, per Stephen Czarda of the team's official site:

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Punt returns are something that, you know, I’ve been doing since middle school ball and high school ball...I led the state one year, my junior year I believe, and then in college, I was given an opportunity to go back there and field a few punts and returned a few. In college, punt return was a weapon we used, special teams as a whole was a weapon that Coach [David] Cutcliffe and Coach [Zac] Roper, the special teams coordinator, thought was a weapon for us.

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The idea of using special teams as a weapon is particularly intriguing. It's intriguing because football's third phase has only been a source of self-inflicted wounds for Washington in recent seasons.

One disaster after another has befallen consistently weak and poorly coached units. Improvements were mild at best in 2014, the first year with Ben Kotwica in charge.

But the Redskins need more impact plays from their special teams in the new season. Crowder, a 5'8", 185-pound burner who's insanely shifty, can play a significant role in that process.

A returner who consistently creates favorable field position can also be an offense's best friend, particularly an offense with a major question mark under center.

The one thing that's really easy to like about Crowder's enthusiasm for return work is his emphasis on ball security. He told Michael it's the "most important thing."

It may sound obvious, but it's something a group that's been a bloopers reel for two years always needs reminding of.

Crowder has spent the early stages of full-team OTAs working as a return man, according to CSN Washington's Tarik El-Bashir. He notes how the rookie is competing with players such as fellow wideout Andre Roberts, as well as pint-sized running back Chris Thompson.

How Crowder fares will be something worth keeping a close eye on this offseason.

Matt Jones, RB

Just how big a role will third-round pick Matt Jones play in Washington's running game during his rookie season? That's fast becoming one of the key questions facing a rebuilding team this offseason.

It's a pressing question not only because current starter Alfred Morris is a free agent in 2016. He's also facing an adaptation period after three seasons running in an outside, zone-stretch system.

As a 6'2", 231-pound muscle-bound piledriver, Jones certainly fits the power scheme new offensive line coach Bill Callahan will lean on. B/R analyst Matt Bowen believes Jones can be an excellent downhill, short-yardage runner as a rookie.

But it isn't just his suitability for a smashmouth ground attack that's putting Jones in the frame.

He's also winning over coaches thanks to his skills as a receiver and blocker, skills Morris doesn't possess. They are also skills Gruden has already endorsed in Jones, per the team's official Twitter account.

It's that kind of versatility that really puts pressure on Morris and gives Jones a shot at earning extended playing time in his first year, according to CSN Washington reporter Tarik El-Bashir:

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My gut tells me Jones is going to have a bigger role in 2015 than some are anticipating. Sure, Morris is the starter. But Jones is big, powerful and, most important, has good enough hands to be a threat out of the backfield. The question right now is how quickly can he grasp the playbook?

"

Jones is certainly being given every chance to answer the question El-Bashir posed. He played as both a ball-carrier and pass-catcher when he "received a fair amount of time with the first team" during early OTAs, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

Aside from what it might mean for Morris, it'll be fascinating to see if a brute-force, bowling ball-style runner like Jones can really master third-down versatility. If he can, it'll be a major boost for the offense.

As for Morris, don't expect him to walk away from his job as the main rock toter anytime soon. He can also run with power behind drive and gap-style blocking, something he recently explained, according to Tom Schad of the Washington Times.

But if Jones can really impress lugging the rock, he'll give Washington a bruising one-two punch opposing defenses will fear. That's the dream scenario for this team's running game in 2015.

Most of the focus being on the secondary is only natural, given how it's held the defense back for years. Good early impressions are encouraging for Washington, but the real proof lies ahead.

Similarly, Jones and Crowder can add dimensions that were missing the last two seasons. But they'll first have to prove they can perform in tougher conditions than OTAs.