Biggest Surprises of Washington Redskins' Offseason so Far
Coming off a 4-12 campaign, expectations are predictably low for the Washington Redskins entering the 2015 season. But what's an NFL season without its share of surprises?
Seemingly every year, a team journeys from worst to first. A journey that begins not with the season's opening kickoff, but during the offseason that precedes it.
First things first, though. Before Washington as a team can do the unexpected, it'll need some of its own players to exceed expectations.
Looking at the Redskins' offseason thus far, five players have done just that.
Who are they? Let's find out.
LB Trent Murphy
1 of 5
You can never have too many pass-rushers in today's pass-happy NFL. Even so, with Preston Smith's selection in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, Trent Murphy is on the clock.
As Washington's top pick a season ago (and a pick that wasn't made by general manager Scot McCloughan), Murphy had an uneven rookie campaign.
On one end, he starred as a run defender. Per Pro Football Focus, he was the sixth-highest-rated linebacker against the run.
Who are we kidding, though? The team's main motivation in acquiring Murphy was to bolster the team's pass rush. With just 2.5 sacks, he didn't contribute much there.
With the work he's put in this offseason, that's bound to change.
Reporting to OTAs, Murphy was noticeably bigger. According to CSN Washington's Tarik El-Bashir, at 267 pounds, Murphy added nearly 10 pounds to his 6'5" frame from last season. And not only has bulking up not cost him in the quickness department, but it's made Murphy even more explosive.
“I feel faster and more explosive,” Murphy said.
“That was my only concern, ‘Oh you gained this muscle mass and you got stronger, but is it going to slow you down?’ That hasn’t happened, so that’s been pretty awesome.”
Of course, Murphy's offseason work will have to translate to the gridiron. According to Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, it has thus far.
"Trent Murphy’s pass-rushing technique was on point, and he twice got to the quarterback on a straight line," Phillips said after a recent minicamp practice.
All and all, should Murphy carry this momentum into his sophomore season, Brian Orakpo's departure will become an afterthought.
CB Chris Culliver
2 of 5
When does Washington ever get more than it bargained for in free agency?
Signed to a four-year, $32 million contract, cornerback Chris Culliver has played as advertised and better for the Redskins this offseason.
His standing as Washington's top corner is no surprise. Per Pro Football Focus (h/t Conor Orr of NFL.com), he surrendered an opposing passer rating of 66.5 in 2014, which was sixth-best in the league.
Even so, Football Outsiders found Culliver to be best set in a supporting role:
| Top Supporting Role Cornerbacks by Adjusted Success Rate, 2014 | ||||||||
| Player | Team | Games Started | Charted Targets | Est Tgt% | Rk | Adj Yds/Pass | Rk | Adj Success Rate |
| Corey Graham | BUF | 9 | 58 | 20.0% | 8 | 4.8 | 1 | 71% |
| Kareem Jackson | HOU | 13 | 66 | 20.6% | 12 | 5.7 | 3 | 61% |
| Brandon Boykin | PHI | 0 | 56 | 30.3% | 41 | 6.2 | 6 | 59% |
| Rashean Mathis | DET | 16 | 74 | 18.8% | 4 | 5.7 | 2 | 58% |
| Chris Culliver | SF | 14 | 74 | 22.6% | 22 | 6.2 | 7 | 58% |
| Orlando Scandrick | DAL | 14 | 52 | 16.2% | 2 | 7.2 | 12 | 57% |
| Brandon Browner | NE | 9 | 53 | 22.5% | 21 | 7.4 | 14 | 56% |
| Jerraud Powers | ARI | 11 | 76 | 26.0% | 34 | 7.7 | 18 | 56% |
| Aqib Talib | DEN | 15 | 91 | 22.4% | 20 | 5.9 | 4 | 55% |
| Adam Jones | CIN | 3 | 76 | 24.9% | 30 | 6.1 | 5 | 55% |
| Patrick Robinson | NO | 6 | 51 | 20.7% | 14 | 7.0 | 10 | 53% |
| D.J. Hayden | OAK | 8 | 60 | 31.3% | 42 | 8.4 | 26 | 53% |
| Cary Williams | PHI | 16 | 92 | 21.4% | 15 | 9.1 | 31 | 52% |
| Jimmy Smith | BAL | 8 | 37 | 20.6% | 13 | 6.8 | 8 | 51% |
| Byron Maxwell | SEA | 12 | 66 | 25.4% | 32 | 6.9 | 9 | 51% |
Ask head coach Jay Gruden, though, as 247Sports' Jamie Oakes did, and he'll tell you Culliver has all the makings of a true No. 1 corner:
"He can play through press, he’s a great bump and run corner, a great man corner, he can play from off, he can play zone, he’s got decent ball skills. But I like the fact that he’s a tough physical corner.
So if there is a running back that gets outside and he has to make a tackle, he’s going to make the tackle. You know, all these screens that you see—receiver screens—he does a great job of fighting off receiving blocks and getting off and making tackles.
I like tough, physical corners and then to have one that can also cover is a heck of a bonus. We feel very good about him and his progress and his work ethic. It’s been good.
"
With the likes of DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon playing against him in practice, Culliver will have all the preparation he needs before battling opposing No. 1 receivers during his inaugural season in Washington.
S Duke Ihenacho
3 of 5
Who here thought the Redskins' answer at safety was on the roster in 2014?
Not Washington. After all, conventional wisdom said that Dashon Goldson and Jeron Johnson were targeted to replace Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather as the team's starting safeties.
Well, Duke Ihenacho didn't get the memo. In team workouts, Ihenacho has seen his fair share of snaps with the starting defense:
"FWIW, Colt McCoy took the first set of reps with 2nd team. Duke Ihenacho started at safety with 1's but Jeron Johnson rotating.
— Chris Russell (@Russellmania980) June 3, 2015"
It's easy to overlook because he only suited up in three contests last season, but after Goldson, Ihenacho has the most starting experience at safety. During the Denver Broncos' failed Super Bowl run, he started 14 games, tallying 73 tackles.
In comparison, as a result of playing behind star safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, Johnson has just one career start under his belt.
The real battle will commence in training camp. But the fact that there is one between Johnson and Ihenacho is a surprise in itself.
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WR Ryan Grant
4 of 5
Andre Roberts, Jackson and Garcon are the highly paid vets. Jamison Crowder is the shiny new toy Gruden has to work with. And yet again, it's Ryan Grant who the head coach can't help but rave about:
"Gruden: "(WR) Ryan Grant ... He's awesome. He really is. He runs every route like you tell him to. He doesn't make any mental mistakes."
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) June 17, 2015"
A forgotten man in Washington's receiving hierarchy, Grant has put his best foot forward to draw his coach's attention. Speaking to ESPN's John Keim, Gruden praised Grant for his preparation and work ethic.
"He’s been great, works hard. He’s trying to prove that he deserves some reps and every time he gets a rep he takes advantage of it, and that’s the one thing we’re trying to get across these guys.
You may get 10 reps a day in practice. Make sure you take advantage of those reps, and Ryan is one of those guys who takes advantage of every rep he gets. Even the reps that he doesn’t get the ball thrown to him, you can see he’s working his hardest coming in and out of breaks and getting open and fighting to get off bump-and-run or what have you. So very, very, very impressed with Ryan and [he’s] done an excellent job.
"
Jackson and Garcon are entrenched atop the depth chart. But should Roberts falter again, Grant could nab himself a prominent role in the offense as the team's slot receiver by season's end.
OL Josh LeRibeus
5 of 5
By all accounts, Josh LeRibeus was a disappointment in his first three seasons in the league.
Washington's woes along the offensive line are well documented. And by virtue of LeRibeus owning just one career start, it's hard to say he's lived up to the billing of a third-round pick.
As luck would have it, though, LeRibeus has been granted a second chance—one he can thank Chris Chester for. With Chester's ouster, the team has a void not only at guard in the starting lineup, but also at center behind Kory Lichtensteiger.
Looking to secure a place on the roster, LeRibeus has taken a stab at playing a new position:
"Josh Leribeus worked some at center today. Skins need emergency backup if something happens in a game. Spencer long will get snaps there too
— John Keim (@john_keim) June 3, 2015"
He'll have competition from rookie Austin Reiter, but should he transition well, LeRibeus' versatility could be the determining factor when it comes time for the team to trim down its roster.
It should also be noted that while Lichtensteiger was one of the team's better linemen in 2014, at 315 pounds, LeRibeus, not Lichtensteiger, is the better fit in Bill Callahan's power-blocking scheme.
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