Fourth-year man Carlos Rogers is returning from reconstructive knee surgery and figures to be a big question mark. He has stated several times that he expects to return for the start of the regular season, but even if he is medically cleared, it is not likely he will reach 100 percent pre-injury condition this season.
Most players returning from this type of surgery, Rogers tore both the ACL and MCL in November of 2007, are not able to reach pre-injury performance levels until the season following their medical clearance.
Rogers’ status creates a dilemma for the Redskins. He is likely to start the season on the PUP list (physically unable to play), giving the team up to six weeks to decide whether or not he can play, making the decision on who to keep on the active roster a critical one.
Forth-year player Leigh Torrence earned most of the playing time last year following Rogers’ injury, surprisingly beating out veteran David Macklin and every other corner who started the season ahead of him on the depth chart in 2007.
He has the upper hand in the competition for the nickelback position, but it is far from a foregone conclusion. He will be pushed by several players. Rookie Justin Tryon has performed well in camp, and second-year player Byron Westbrook, younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Brian Westbrook, has also looked good after spending last season on the practice squad.
Cedric Holt is also trying to make a name for himself, and could easily earn a spot on the practice squad. Rookie Matteral Richardson had a solid college career, but has not looked the part thus far in camp.
At linebacker, the starters are also set, with veterans Marcus Washington and London Fletcher returning as the incumbents. Third-year player Rocky McIntosh, like Rogers, is returning from reconstructive knee surgery. But McIntosh’s injury was not as severe as Rogers’, and he is expected to be fully recovered by opening day.
McIntosh had question marks concerning his knees entering the 2006 draft, and those questions remain, making the backup linebackers just as important.
Second-year player H.B. Blades and veteran Khary Campbell are virtually guaranteed roster spots. As a rookie, Blades earned significant playing time while filling in for both McIntosh and Marcus Washington at times, and he figures to be the heir apparent to veteran London Fletcher at middle linebacker.
He has also been a standout special-teams player, increasing his value considerably.
Campbell has long been a special-teams player, but has also played well in a reserve role over his four years with the team. Second-year players Danny Verdun-Wheeler and Matt Sinclair have both earned praise during camp from coaches, and both stand a good chance of making the roster.
Third-year man Rian Wallace and rookie Curtis Gatewood have also reportedly performed well in camp, but special-teams play will be a key factor for all of these players.
On the defensive line, veteran DE Demetric Evans has looked like a new man in camp. Evans followed fellow DE, and personal mentor, Phillip Daniels’ offseason workout regimen, and it has shown dividends through training camp thus far.
Since newly-acquired defensive ends Jason Taylor and Erasmus James won’t play this week, we will get the opportunity to see Evans and late-round draft pick Rob Jackson on the field Sunday night. Third-year player Kevin Huntley will also likely see plenty of playing time this week; he will need to standout to make the final roster.
For the Redskins, difficult decisions will need to be made concerning the defensive line. How many defensive linemen will they carry on the opening-day roster? Fourth-year player Chris Wilson (he played two years in the Canadian Football League before signing with the Redskins prior to training camp in 2007) earned praise throughout the 2007 season for his hard work and improvement.
He flashed some of this improvement throughout the season in a reserve role, recording four sacks and 15 tackles in the regular season, and two sacks in the playoff loss to Seattle.
With James trying to recover from knee surgery, and being a relatively unknown quantity, and J. Taylor making the transition to a new team and a new defense (and likely switching sides), the coaches will be taking chances, no matter the answer to that question. They will likely be looking for these players to show versatility by being able to play inside tackle as well as defensive end.
There is no competition at place kicker, as Shaun Suisham, entering his fourth year as a pro, is all alone in camp. Last year, he connected on 29 of 35 field-goal attempts and 29-of-30 PATs for 116 points. A solid performance. He will look to continue that this season.
Most teams round out their rosters using special-teams play as the defining factor in determining the backup players. The Redskins will be no different. For insight into who has the best chance of making the final roster, we will be best served to watch special teams closely.
While there are many names we are not familiar with, there is plenty to pay attention to. So print out those rosters and watch closely.
Updates
LB H.B. Blades is being listed as out for three to four weeks following a knee scope. While this will not likely hurt his chances of making the final roster, it does open up opportunities for the young linebackers vying for roster spots to get on the field even more.
CB Carlos Rogers participated in a full practice on Tuesday, his first full practice since injuring his knee last season. While he will be monitored closely, this is a good sign for him and the Redskins. His situation is to be watched closely.
Defensive lineman Zarnell Fitch has been cut to make room for another tackle, Babatunde Oshinowo. Oshinowo is a former sixth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, and he comes to the Redskins from the Chicago Bears.
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