Who Are Washington Redskins' Biggest Wild Cards Entering 2015 Season?
With the hope of changing the team's losing culture, new general manager Scot McCloughan has made wholesale changes to the Washington Redskins.
In addition to the changes on the coaching staff, Washington could have as many as eight new starters. And this isn't even taking into account the multiple newcomers who will fill supporting roles.
But even with these moves, the team will fall short of contention if it doesn't see marked improvement from a key cast of returnees.
They've demonstrated in the past the ability to be pivotal cogs to a team's success. More recently, though, they've fallen on hard times. With that said, these wild cards—as we'll call them—are just as likely to return to glory as they are to again fall on their face.
Who are these boom-or-bust players, you ask?
Let's find out. Here are the Redskins' biggest wild cards entering the 2015 season.
In most cases, you wouldn't describe a player with the resume of Alfred Morris as a wild card. Since entering the league in 2012, only Marshawn Lynch has eclipsed his rushing output of 3,962 yards. Oh, and he's durable too.
Morris has yet to miss a game in the NFL.
Even so, there are mitigating factors present that could lead Morris to the bench. As a non-factor in the passing game, it's already a familiar setting for him on third downs.
Morris' production, for one, has steadily declined since his rookie year. He churned out 1,074 rushing yards in 2014 for an average of 4.1 yards per carry, both career lows.
Then there's the change in scheme. Morris was the latest in a long line of unheralded backs to have success in former coach Mike Shanahan's zone-rushing scheme. With a bigger offensive line and Bill Callahan now in tow, though, he'll have to adjust to the power-rushing attack head coach Jay Gruden prefers.
Speaking to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, Morris did reveal that he played in a similar attack in college at Florida Atlantic.
Nonetheless, the fact is he wasn't drafted by Washington to play in it. For that matter, he wasn't drafted by McCloughan either.
Matt Jones was.
The 6'2", 231-pound third-round selection is already poised to lighten Morris' workload, particularly in short-yardage situations. Per Jones, Jones will also take on the third-down role vacated by Roy Helu.
A free agent next season, Morris will have the opportunity to showcase himself with the team's increased emphasis on running the football. Still, with Jones lurking behind him, Morris ending the year as the No. 2 back is just as likely.
Chris Culliver in. Tracy Porter out.
That just about sums up the major transactions at cornerback for the Redskins. Bashaud Breeland's continued development will help, but for what was Football Outsiders' worst pass defense in 2014, these moves will only move the needle so much.
What the team truly needs is improved play from DeAngelo Hall and David Amerson. Knowing that health is Hall's main obstacle in accomplishing this goal, he's the boom-or-bust player of the two.
On one end, Hall could recapture his 2013 form and give the secondary the playmaker it desperately needs. He had three forced fumbles, four interceptions and 13 passes defensed that season.
On the other side, whether it's due to his absence or diminished physical ability, Hall's recovery from a torn Achilles could force the team to lean heavily on Tevin Mitchel or Amerson, a rookie and the secondary's worst defender last year.
A limited participant at OTAs, Hall revealed to CSNWashington.com's Tarik El-Bashir his intent to hold off on doing team drills until training camp opens.
“I probably won’t do anything until training camp,” Hall said. “So, right now, I’m probably just waiting until training camp starts before I get back out there on the field. Physically, I feel like I can do everything now. So, it's just precautionary.”
With Jones noting that Hall's contract only becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the 53-man roster, his performance in training camp will have grave implications.
WR Andre Roberts
Similar to the quarterbacks who oppose them, quality cornerbacks are in high demand but low supply.
As a result, teams with depth at receiver have a decided advantage in the passing game. With this in mind, the Redskins signed DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts to contracts worth a combined $40 million.
While Jackson proved to be worth every penny the team invested in him, Roberts was a bust.
In addition to his mediocre results as a return man, he only registered 36 receptions in 2014.
Regardless of who was under center, the team's quarterbacks struggled the most targeting Roberts, per ESPN's John Keim. Combined, they threw six interceptions and completed just 50 percent of their passes to him.
Despite these struggles, the opportunity will again present itself for him to be a key contributor—the cornerback landscape remains the same, you know?
Consistency has never been a strength of his, but as he demonstrated in 2012 (64 receptions and five touchdowns), he can be a key contributor in the passing game.
Roberts' dead cap hit is most responsible for him being on the team now. But with the number dropping to $2 million in 2016, per Spotrac.com, it won't keep him in the lineup during the latter part of the season—especially with the likes of Ryan Grant and Jamison Crowder waiting in the wings to supplant him.
Washington's defense has improved. The same can be said about its offensive line and running game.
Nonetheless, as is the case for every team, everything ultimately revolves around the quarterback. And after the carousel they had at the position a season ago, the Redskins need theirs to be Robert Griffin III.
From the highs of his rookie campaign to the lows of the seasons that followed, Washington fans have already seen Griffin's boom-or-bust potential play out.
With RG3 injury-free and no longer learning a new offense, the team is counting on him to get his career back on track. After all, it did exercise his $16.1 million 2016 option.
While citing the small sample size, Mike Jones of the Washington Post came away from OTAs feeling that Griffin was both comfortable running the offense and sound mechanically.
Let's say Griffin carries this marked improvement over to the real games, though. You still can't overlook his durability concerns.
With his health and performance as unknowns, you're looking at Washington's biggest question mark.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Pro Football Focus.
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