Washington Redskins 2011 Transactions Rely Heavily on Former Baltimore Ravens

To say the Mike Shanahan Era has gotten off to a bumpy start for the Washington Redskins may be too kind a statement.

Shanahan couldn't make things work with two of the teams biggest acquisitions, Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth, so the Redskins basically got fleeced at the end.

Haynesworth, who basically stole an enormous amount of money, was recently dealt to the New England Patriots. The best they could get in return for the malcontent was a fifth-round draft choice next year. If there is anything good from this deal, Haynesworth goes to another team that plays the 3-4 defense he claims to hate being part of.

Washington handed the Philadelphia Eagles two draft picks to get McNabb before last year. One was a second-round selection in the 2010 draft that turned out being promising free safety Nate Allen. Philadelphia ended up trading the other pick, a 2011 selection, to the New Orleans Saints. The Saints used the pick to grab cornerback Johnny Patrick.

Free safety was an area of weakness for Washington last season, and cornerback depth is questionable this year for the Redskins so far.

Washington has now traded McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round pick in next years draft, and possibly another sixth-round selection on 2013. The scale weighing the McNabb moves certainly does not favor the Redskins.

Part of the reason for McNabb's failure as a Redskin was the fact Shanahan and his son, the offensive coordinator for Washington, could not work with a quarterback who has six Pro Bowls on his resume. The Shanahan's preferred journeymen Rex Grossman and John Beck instead.

Now, as the Redskins reload their roster for this season, Shanahan's fingerprints are clearly seen in the formation of the team. Some moves have tapped into the 2010 version of the Baltimore Ravens, having signed three players off that roster already.

Beck, reportedly the favorite to start for the Redskins this season, sat on the bench for the Ravens in 2009. His only five NFL games played came in 2007, where he lost all four of his starts for the Miami Dolphins.

This is a look at the Redskins so far in this 2011 free agent frenzy, even if the team is far from done. For fun, a review of the recent moves can get graded.

Get the Kids into Camp

General manager Bruce Allen wasted no time after the players lock out ended. He quickly signed all 12 2011 draft picks, including top selection Ryan Kerrigan.

The rookies have missed a ton of learning already, so their first seasons may be a wash, yet getting them in immediately was a great move by Allen.

Grade: A+

Josh Stays Home

Josh Wilson is a beloved athlete in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Not only was he a star at the University of Maryland, his dad was as well.

Tim Wilson was one of the best fullbacks in the 1970's while with the Houston Oilers. He led the way for Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, and Campbell is the godfather to Josh.

After being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2007, he joined the Baltimore Ravens last year in a trade and quickly earned a starting job. He is a playmaker who can score touchdowns picking off passes for the defense or returning kicks on special teams.

While Wilson is not a huge cornerback at 5'9" 188, he is unafraid of sticking his nose into the pile in order to support the run. His signing is an upgrade over veteran Phillip Buchanon.

Wilson will square off against former college teammate Kevin Barnes for a starting job. This can only benefit Washington because the pair is familiar with each other and will be able to push one another for the starting job.

Grade: B+

Shoring the Defensive Line

Now that run stopper Kedric Golston is a free agent, Washington looked to strengthen their run support by signing veteran defensive linemen Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen.

Cofield has been a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense since being drafted in 2006. It is unclear if he will rotate between defensive end or nose tackle, but Cofield's specialty is stopping the run.

Bowen is a big defensive end counted on to help stop the run. With veteran Adam Carriker and rookie Jarvis Jenkins also figuered into the equation, these signings can only help a team desperately needing bodies on both sides of the trenches.

Grade: B-

Wide Outs 'R' Us

Washington did have Santana Moss and first-year player Anthony Armstrong shine last year, but it wasn't enough for the type of offense the Redskins want to run. Getting more receivers, which included drafting three of them, was on the itinerary.

Donte Stallworth has always been lauded for talent, yet criticized for failing to reach it consistently. He was trying to rebuild his career even before he ran afoul with the law before the 2009 year with vehicular manslaughter charges.

After being suspended that year, he tried to help the Baltimore Ravens last year. His 2010 season was bereft with injuries, so the 30-year old moved 50 miles down I-95 to join the Redskins.

His signing could be a high reward, though there are no guarantees he even makes the team with all the bodies Washington now has in camp. Now is Stallworth's time to realize his potential.

Washington gave up on promising defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon and dealt him for Jabbar Gaffney.

Gaffney enters his 11th season in the NFL and is joining his fifth team. After not doing a lot his first eight years, Gaffney set career high marks of 65 receptions for 875 yards last year. He is one of the best NFL receivers Spurrier produced while coaching the University of Florida, but he might be a long shot to make the Redskins this year.

These two veterans have had moments in the past where they have played well, but it remains to be seen how much they will contribute to the Redskins in 2011.

Grade: C-

What's Next?

When reliable center Casey Rabach, a starter since 2005, was recently cut by the Redskins, he said the team was going with a youth movement on the offensive line. Chris Chester, yet another ex-Raven, was signed by Washington.

Chester can play guard or center and is pretty athletic. He was even moved to tight end by Baltimore for a few games once. The sixth-year pro started 36 of the last 46 games he played at right guard.

Yet the unit needs more bodies and the pickings are getting thin on the free agent market.

Brian Waters, a five-time Pro Bowler, is a class act who could upgrade the unit for 2011. But he is 34-years old, so the Redskins may not want him even if he is a lot better than the players they plan to start.

Since it appears journeyman John Beck is at quarterback, getting blockers to help the relatively inexperienced fifth-year pro. Good blockers are being signed fast, so Washington will be gambling big if they stay with what they have now at left guard, even if Waters has missed just three games since 2002.

The Redskins need to attack the linebackers market since Rocky McIntosh and his backup H.B. Blades are free agents. It wasn't like the team had much depth there to begin with, and basically have a bunch of defensive ends masquerading as outside linebackers.

Even with the signing of Wilson, the Redskins may scour the market for cornerbacks. With the Philadelphia Eagles acquisitions of Pro Bowlers Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie now putting them as favorites as NFC champions this year, getting depth to stop the oppositions passing game is important.

Especially with a bunch of defensive linemen not known for getting to the quarterback consistently, forcing the Redskins to rely on blitzing linebackers and safeties. Yet the Redskins showed some depth at cornerback last year which forced them to cut Justin Tryon, who then ended up starting for the Indianapolis Colts.

The next few days will be very important for Washington, but it is refreshing not to see owner Dan Snyder have to sign anyone to mammoth contracts. Yet.