The 5 Biggest In-House Questions for the Washington Redskins in 2011

The term "in-house" can cover a wide range of moves for a football organization, and the Redskins' list of questions for this upcoming season won't be a short one.

Whether it is in the front office, the locker room or on the field, this upcoming season will present some challenges.

But from what we've seen so far from the Redskins revamped management this offseason, there shouldn't be any doubt about Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen handling things the way they should be.

At the same time, sometimes things pop up unexpectedly, and those are the entertaining ones. Using my biggest crystal ball, some speculation and a dash of analysis, I do my best to predict those that will arise in 2011. 

1. Quarterback of the Future

This ones isn't a surprise or shocker to anyone, but it has been on the minds of Daniel Snyder, coaches, players and fans for quite some time. 

For this season, John Beck appears to be the coaches' favorite. Perhaps not necessarily the fan favorite, but Beck is the No. 1 quarterback heading into camp. 

At the age of 29, Beck could unload this season and turn into the quarterback all of us want and love. On the flip side, Beck could flounder this season, suddenly he's 30 and we're right back to where we started. 

The free agent quarterbacks set to hit the market next summer are garbage. And when I say garbage, I'm talking about guys like Kyle Boller, Sage Rosenfels and Brady Quinn.

In the class' defense however, former Redskins signal-caller Jason Campbell is also set to hit the market. 

But then there's the 2012 quarterback class. The class that's flooded with Andrew Luck's name while the rest of the quarterback prospects go almost unnoticed. 

Hands down, Luck is the elite prospect of next year's class, quarterback or kicker. But considering I don't promote the "Suck for Luck" campaign, I think it's wise to look elsewhere. 

Matt Barkley (USC) is a top-notch prospect with valuable experience in the pro-style offense. Landry Jones (OKL) is a strong and accurate passer that's following in the footsteps of Sam Bradford, and we all see what he's doing. Kirk Cousins (MSU) is a player that possesses all of the attributes that Shanahan prefers.

Eventually you fall into quarterback talent outside of the first round, and it's still pretty solid. Look into guys like Nick Foles, Ryan Lindley, GJ Kinne, Chandler Harnish and Dominique Davis. 

I don't mean to keep hammering home with this draft class for next season, but I have a slightly hesitant feeling about Beck (which is fair), and I think there's too much potential to pass up the quarterback position in the first round in 2012.

So whether it's Shanny, Kyle, the scouting team or all of 'em, everyone's eyes should be on college quarterbacks this season, whether Beck starts 3-0 or 0-3.  

2. Addressing the Right Tackle Position

This prediction gets a little hairy in the sense that no one knows what could happen at right tackle before the start of this season. 

Free agent tackle and former Shanahan draft pick Ryan Harris is still on the market and certainly a viable option for the position. But there is also talk of the Redskins re-signing Jammal Brown after he recovered from injury and played good football down the stretch last season.

Let's assume the Redskins re-sign Brown this offseason. By the time we start 2012, Brown will be 31 years old and battling whatever injuries could come up next.

I hate to expect injuries for someone or jinx people, but Brown hasn't necessarily had the best of luck when it comes to staying healthy.

Now, with a tackle over 30 that tends to battle at least one injury every season, the Redskins will have to look at solidifying the right side of the line. Again, this is assuming a lot in a specific scenario, but it's plausible.

Hopefully the front office can resolve this issue early and take care of the issue before it arises. The answer? Ryan Harris.

Listen, I like Brown, and I think he played very well at the end of last season, but Harris could be a long-term solution at the right price.

To be fair, however, Harris does come with his own track record of injuries. Even so, Shanahan is familiar with the 26-year-old Harris, and he obviously believes in the young man's ability to play in his system.

Harris should come at a cheaper price than Brown, and it seems like the better fit. 

3. Continuous Work on the 3-4 Scheme

Last season, many were skeptical of the Redskins newly implemented 3-4 scheme. It was almost comical that so many people threw up their white flags and suggested the team revert back to the traditional 4-3 scheme.

Understandably so, the Redskins roster last season had more 4-3 personnel, but total team changes—such as a defensive scheme transition—never takes place overnight. The fact that fans were screaming for a step backwards is a little alarming.

This season, after solid drafting and some very thrifty shopping on the free-agent market, the Redskins defense will look entirely brand new.

Not only do the players from last season have a year under their belt, but the team's new acquisitions were either handpicked for the 3-4 scheme or have played in the 3-4 scheme at one time or another.

Locking up rookies like Ryan Kerrigan, Jarvis Jenkins and Chris Neild and signing big time free agents like Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen and Josh Wilson, will make this season's unit much more effective and the numbers should certainly improve.

The cornerback position may require some more help before the season starts and the linebacking corps will need some attention in the near future (I'll get to this next), but overall, the transition to the 3-4 scheme is going very well.

Perhaps you don't need to chalk this up as an actual issue within the organization, but it's an ongoing process as the team moves forward.

It's not as if the defense this season will be tops in the league and suddenly look like the Pittsburgh Steelers' 3-4, but Mike Shanahan and Jim Haslett are on the right page.

4. The Future at MLB

Easily one of the most likeable men in all of football, middle linebacker London Fletcher has been nothing but productive and efficient his entire career. Even at the age of 35, Fletcher is reliable, smart and running with the best of 'em.

However, not even London Fletcher can last forever. As tough as it is to imagine Fletcher leaving football, the day will certainly come and the last of his playing days may come by way of the Washington Redskins.

Fletcher is set to become a free agent in 2012, and I couldn't imagine any long-term deal for the fella that holds down the center of the defense so beautifully.

That being said, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen are likely scoping out their options for the future.

One possibility is that of a trade, where Shanahan and Allen put a semi-attractive player on the block, wait for bites and then possibly toss in a draft choice to sweeten the deal.

Potential trade partner? I'm liking the New England Patriots.

Now, I can't take full credit for this, as the gentlemen at Hogs Haven first made mention of the idea, and I just really latched on. But I think it's very intriguing. The possibility of trading for an inside linebacker by the name of Gary Guyton.

Guyton was an undrafted linebacker out of Georgia Tech in 2008 that has shown serious potential since being signed by New England.

At 6'3" and 245 pounds, Guyton has all the tools of what defensive coordinators look for in a middle linebacker. Guyton has three years of professional experience in the 3-4 scheme, and his production thus far is awesome.

Guyton will be just 26 this season, and he's set to become a free agent in 2013. With the Patriots stacked at that position with young talent like Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo, perhaps they'd be willing to listen to offers.

If you think that trading for a player like Gary Guyton is wishful thinking by a Redskins fan, you're probably right, in which case you'd probably side with the other remedy of the future at MLB and think about the draft.

Some MLB prospects to keep your eye on this college football season are Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State, Luke Kuechly from Boston College, Manti Te'o from Notre Dame, Dont'a Hightower from Alabama, Tank Carder from TCU and Shayne Skov from Stanford.

Although all of the above-listed guys are likely first- or second-rounders, anything can happen with the brain that is ShanAllen.

Remember, I love London Fletcher just as much as the next guy, and he's still a solid linebacker. But the realistic side of things is that the future will require someone new.

5. Locking Up the Long-Terms

There's no way I could possibly doubt the Redskins management of player personnel at this point, nor would it matter because they couldn't care less about what I think.

However—and if they're listening by chance—I think it's extremely important to lock up the guys that are deserving of long-term deals.

As I've mention in previous articles, locking up safety LaRon Landry is priority No. 1. With his new role in Haslett's 3-4 scheme, Landry is one of the greatest assets to the defense, and he'll be a Pro Bowler barring any injuries.

Landry is set to become a free agent in 2012, and the Redskins shouldn't go past Week 5 of this season without a fat ol' juicy contract for Dirty Thirty.

Another guy who the Redskins will need to look at is tight end Fred Davis. A second-round pick in 2008 by the disgusting and utterly awful Vinny Cerrato, Davis has shown great signs of potential.

Of course, Chris Cooley is the man in town for right now, but Davis is set to become a free agent in 2012, and Cooley is due to hit the open market in 2013.

Davis is 24 and is more of a pass-catcher than a blocker (this is obvious). Cooley, on the other hand, is 28 years old and can do it all.

I'm not saying to forget about Cooley or lock down Davis with a huge contract, but the team has to do something. If you like the idea of keeping both Cooley and Davis, then sign Davis this season to an extension.

If you like the idea of keeping Cooley and moving on without Davis, then put him on the trading block and watch team's interest rise.

Personally, I like both tight ends, and I think they both offer something different. In an ideal situation, the Redskins keep both guys and use them both as safety valves for the rookie quarterback that we grab in next year's draft (wink, wink).

And then there's London Fletcher, who I mentioned in the last slide. At the age of 35 and set to become a free agent in 2012, London Fletcher and the Redskins have some discussing to do.

At this point, Fletcher is still very much able to play at a high level, and perhaps he'll receive an extension.

But with the way Shanahan and Allen play everything so close to the chest, I'd guess that we won't know the future of London Fletcher until it actually happens.