Washington Redskins Preseason: Week 3 Stock Report
After two preseason games, the stock report makes for depressing reading for several prominent members of the Washington Redskins. They include the burgundy and gold's starting quarterback, as well as a pair of draft picks from a year ago.
Fortunately though, there's good news for one intriguing player from this season's rookie class. He's joined by a young edge pass-rusher, along with a veteran wide receiver who is not always a fan favorite but has at least impressed his head coach.
The problems under center are good news for the backup passers, Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins. Both started games last season and have to fancy their chances of doing the same again this year.
Find out what the stock report looks like as the Redskins prepare for their third exhibition game against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
Stock Up: Matt Jones, RB
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There hasn't been much to like about Washington's offense this preseason, except for the running game and specifically Matt Jones.
This year's third-round pick has been an effective sledgehammer through the first two weeks. As expected, the 6'2", 231-pounder is battering would-be tacklers.
But what's most impressive is how quickly Jones is getting through the line. His acceleration from the handoff and quick first step are putting him beyond the first wave of defenders where his size can do real damage.
Head coach Jay Gruden is already an admirer of the former Florida runner, per CSNMidAtlantic.com's Rich Tandler: “Matt Jones continues to hit the hole the way we want him to—hard. He gets through the second level, he’s a problem.”
Tandler speculated about Jones' role once the real action begins. It's a reasonable question considering Alfred Morris' status as Washington's primary ball-carrier.
But Gruden spelled out how he sees things working with Jones in the fold:
"Right now I would say more of a relief back. Take some load off of Alfred late in the game or the second quarter here and there, spell him from time-to-time. Alfred is doing so good and has been in such good shape, it is hard to take him out of the game on first or second down.
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That statement appears to apply pressure on Jones to widen his skill set for third-down work. But he can at least start life as a pro by handling short-yardage chores.
Ultimately, the goal ought to be something close to a split of the carries between the rookie and Morris. That way, defenses will have two punishing rushing threats to account for.
Based on what he's showing this preseason, Jones appears ready for that kind of future.
Stock Down: Trent Murphy, OLB
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Trent Murphy certainly isn't playing like a man who knows there's plenty of competition at his position. Despite rookie Preston Smith and young fringe players such as Houston Bates and Jackson Jeffcoat making an impact the last two weeks, Murphy hasn't made many splash plays.
In fact, the ex-Stanford man has posted a mere two solo tackles this preseason. That's hardly a great audition for a player who needs to prove his pass-rushing chops in his second year.
Murphy recorded 2.5 sacks last season as a rookie, despite making 15 appearances and eight full starts. That was barely even a modest return from the player who led collegiate football in sacks in 2013.
He showed he can set the edge against the run and play in space. But there's no changing the fact 3-4 outside linebackers are judged by how many quarterbacks they take down.
Smith, Jeffcoat and Bates have each registered sacks. Worst still for Murphy, late arrival Junior Galette is now ready to take the field, according to CSNMidAtlantic.com's Tandler.
Galette has logged 22 sacks in the last two seasons. If the former New Orleans Saints starter makes an impression against the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, Murphy is going to have a hard time justifying his spot as a starter.
Update: Since this morning, Galette has been ruled out for the season after tearing his Achilles, per CSNMidAtlantic.com's Chick Hernandez. Zac Boyer of the Washington Times puts Galette's recovery timetable at 6-8 months.
While rough news for Galette, this essentially puts the Redskins back where they were before he signed. Namely, needing young players to step.
That means Murphy will be under closer scrutiny. So will this year's second-round pick Preston Smith. You can also expect even greater attention being paid to how Bates and Jeffcoat progress this preseason.
Stock Up: Houston Bates, OLB
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Murphy needs to do more because of the waves that Bates is making. The first-year free agent formerly of Louisiana Tech is currently Washington's sack leader this preseason, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post.
Clarke notes how Bates "devoted the spring to working with a pass-rushing specialist in Arizona." That kind of devotion to a craft is always going to impress coaches. So is his three-sack production through two games.
Bates is showing a natural flair for turning the corner and winning on the edge. Those are vital skills in this version of the 3-4 defensive scheme.
It's a knack Bates has always displayed, dating back to his college days, according to CSNMidAtlantic.com's JP Finlay: "Throughout college, Bates played D-end and showed an ability to sack the QB. In his final collegiate game, Bates registered 4.5 sacks in a bowl win over Illinois, a serendipitous moment if there ever was one."
He's turning heads as a pass-rusher, but both Clarke and Finlay concluded Bates' best bet for making the final roster will ultimately rest on how he performs on special teams. As Finlay stated, having lost senior unit figures Niles Paul and Adam Hayward to injury, the Redskins need a boost in football's third phase.
If Bates keeps making impact plays this preseason, his versatility and rush skills will be too enticing to leave off the final 53-man roster.
Stock Down: Ryan Grant, WR
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Sometimes, life isn't fair. Sometimes, circumstances conspire against you. Ryan Grant must know both feelings.
The second-year wide receiver is a terrific route-runner with great hands who has enjoyed an excellent offseason. Those skills should put Grant in line for an extended workload this season after he caught a mere seven passes as a rookie.
Yet he still seems certain to remain on the fringes of the offense. He hasn't helped his case by making just three catches for 36 yards in two games this preseason.
That meager production shows how the former Tulane standout has failed to take advantage of other members of the wide receiver depth chart being on the shelf. DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder have both been nursing injuries.
It's the latter who represents the most intense competition for Grant. He and Crowder are each ideally suited to work from the slot. Production from that position is one of the few things missing from this team's skill positions.
A diminutive catch machine who can beat coverage on option routes and present an easy target can be invaluable to Washington's trio of suspect quarterbacks. Starting outside in place of Jackson hasn't given Grant many chances to audition for that role.
Of course, neither have the drab performances from Robert Griffin III this preseason. No wideout lining up with the first-team unit has had many opportunities to actually get his hands on the ball.
Grant will get another chance with Jackson still out, per CSN Mid-Atlantic's Tarik El-Bashir. Grant must make the most of his opportunity, especially with Crowder back at practice, according to ESPN.com's John Keim.
Stock Up: Andre Roberts, WR
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Andre Roberts has a lot of people to win over after a disappointing first season in Washington. But one person who is certainly convinced by the veteran's quality is his coach.
Gruden recently noted how well Roberts has performed after he's caught five passes for 75 yards in two games, per CSNMidAtlantic.com's El-Bashir: "Andre's answered the bell. He really has."
Gruden went on to spell out Roberts' value to this passing game: "He’s a very good receiver. He’s very accountable for what he is doing. He knows all three [receiver] positions well. He’s a smart player. He’s doing some good things."
After the lows of 2014, it's been easy to overlook what Roberts brings to this offense. He has the instincts to work well over the middle, but his best asset is his ability to stretch coverage.
Roberts is another speedster who can offer a legitimate vertical threat, alongside Jackson and Pierre Garcon. Sadly, the current passing game is not really equipped to take advantage of that talent.
But Roberts can thrive after the catch, helping turn short, high-percentage passes into positive gains. That's a trait Griffin will certainly need to lean on this season, no matter how long he lasts under center.
Coaches will always value players who don't shy away from competition but instead thrive under the added pressure. Roberts has done that.
Now he must use the remainder of preseason to show his concentration has improved and his hands are more reliable.
Stock Down: Robert Griffin III, QB
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He's going to remain the starting quarterback, according to ESPN.com's John Keim, but there's no doubt Griffin's stock took a battering this week. Of course, a lot of the decline was due to the battering he took at the hands of the Detroit Lions' pass rush in Week 2.
RG3 was mauled by the Lions, and depending on who you talk to, he bears the blame. That's certainly the view of ex-Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, per a broadcast for ESPN's 980 (h/t Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post).
Cooley felt as though Griffin's poor footwork and prolonged decision-making process contributed to many of the hits and breakdowns in protection evident against Detroit: "You have to be able to slide as a quarterback to distribute. You can’t just let pressure come into your lap. It’s a simple movement of two steps right, throw ball."
By contrast, former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner explained how Griffin's problems weren't of his own making during an NFL Network broadcast (h/t the Post's Steinberg).
Rather than chiding his footwork or lamenting his hesitancy in the pocket, Warner focused on the offensive line's role in Griffin's systematic destruction: "He wasn’t back there holding onto the ball, hitching, looking both directions. He was back there, he was dropping, he was trying to get the ball out of his hands, and his offensive line really, really struggled [Thursday] night."
The truth is somewhere close to the middle, even if it's leaning more in Warner's direction based on the Lions game. But Griffin's struggles can't be isolated to just one game.
In reality, No. 10 always remains at best a major question mark. The Redskins were certainly hoping for more than an imponderable this summer.
That's why the franchise's decision-makers have dedicated so much of this offseason to easing the burden on their quarterback, per the Washington Post's Mike Jones and Liz Clarke.
Trying to reduce the influence of football's most important position is going to be a tough needle to thread. Both Jones and Clarke noted how the support doesn't seem to be helping.
The Redskins can't go on trying to prop Griffin up. Sooner rather than later, he has to show a true commitment to ironing out the real and persistent flaws in his game.
That commitment can't just show up on the practice field. It has to reveal itself against credible league opposition.
Gruden says Griffin will start against Baltimore, despite his concussion, so long as he's cleared by a neurologist, according to CSN Mid-Atlantic's Tandler. This team is always long on chances when it comes to sending them RG3's way.
It's time he took a few and ran with them.
Stock Up: Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy, QBs
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The party line might be that No. 10 remains the starter, but not even the Redskins will tolerate another season of double-digit losses. Surely, they won't. Will they?
Gruden is at least a good bet to push for a change if he sees more of the same from RG3. By the time preseason wraps up, he may not be able to ignore the evidence endorsing a change.
So far, that evidence is confined to work against the second- and third-string units of the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. But whatever the opposition, there's no denying both Cousins and McCoy have played well during the first two exhibition games.
They've each averaged 9.4 yards per pass. It's a figure in stark contrast to the 3.4 yards per throw that Griffin has tallied.
The significant thing here is how pushing the ball further down the field better suits the weapons this team boasts on offense. Limiting the scope of the pass designs and routes just wastes the playmaking potential offered by Jackson, Garcon, Roberts and tight end Jordan Reed.
That's the conundrum facing Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay entering the new season. How do you fashion a downfield scheme for a quarterback who can only get rid of the ball quickly if he makes basic reads on short passes?
But the answer may present itself if Griffin continues to struggle and Cousins carries on making the most of his opportunities. He has an impressive 76.9 completion percentage so far this preseason.
As Steinberg noted for the Post, this already has the feel of a quarterback controversy. Cousins and McCoy could turn a feeling into reality if they shine in Week 3.
The way they've played so far, you'd be smart not to rule that out.
Still dealing with a quagmire at quarterback has to be immensely frustrated for everyone connected to Washington. But at least young players such as Jones and Bates are catching the eye. Improvement from a veteran like Roberts is also always welcome.
All statistics and player information via NFL.com.
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