Position Check: Assessing Washington Redskins' Strengths and Weaknesses

Even after some pretty significant turnover during free agency, the Washington Redskins are still strong on offense and suspect defensively. Specifically, the Burgundy and Gold will enter the 2017 NFL season once again boasting a pass attack the envy of most teams in football.

The weakness on offense remains on the ground because the Redskins still don't have a bluechip workhorse to carry the load. Not being able to move the chains running the ball will continue to hamstring this team at the business end of a season.

Issues on the ground could persist on defense, although the Redskins have given themselves a better chance of stopping the run after recruiting two new starters along the line.

Those moves were timely and necessary from team president Bruce Allen. But he may see his good work undone unless similar fixes are applied at inside linebacker, where Washington's D' still lacks elite athleticism.

Surprise, surprise, the Redskins also still find themselves wanting at safety. New coordinator Greg Manusky will have to choose between a host of converted cornerbacks or a pair of hitters who look limited in space.

Find out which of Washington's position groups rate as strengths and weaknesses ahead of the new season.

Quarterback: Strength

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Quarterback is a position of strength as long as Kirk Cousins remains under center. He's thrown 54 touchdown passes in the last two seasons, while twice going over 4,000 yards.

Cousins has become prolific because he's in an offense geared to taking advantage of his core skills. Those qualities include a comfort at making quick decisions and smart throws from the pocket.

Yet Cousins' best attribute may be his knack for spreading the ball around. Everybody gets the ball and stays involved in the offense with Cousins throwing the passes. It's the best way to operate for a unit loaded with multiple playmakers at receiver and tight end.

For all the good stuff he does, though, there are two serious questions hovering over Cousins. The first is how long can he continue to produce amid uncertainty about his long-term future? This will be the second season running when No. 8 operates under the shroud of a franchise tag.

Playing up to stay in the shop window is one thing, but the pressure of knowing each mistake may cost him his next move could eventually weigh too heavily on Cousins.

So could throwing to a supporting cast notably weaker than last season's group. It can't be any other way after two 1,000-yard wide receivers, DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, each took a walk in free agency.

Cousins has the talent to make it work this season, especially considering the quality weapons he still has at his disposal. Frankly, even a Cousins dip may not hurt this team too much with a dependable backup like Colt McCoy still on the roster.

Running Back: Weakness

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Running back is quite possibly the weakest position on Washington's roster headed into the season. Issues with ball security, a lack of dynamism and an absence of breakaway speed are among the main problems.

Things would look a lot different if Matt Jones had developed as expected after generating some excitement as a rookie in 2015. Instead, the former third-round pick continued the spill the rock at an alarming rate last season, putting the ball on the deck three times before head coach Jay Gruden sent him to the bench.

Jones was sat down after fumbling eight times and losing six of those spills since entering the big league. The only viable alternative turned out to be rookie free agent Robert Kelley.

In fairness, Kelley showed some promise by averaging 4.2 yards per carry. But Kelley is no guaranteed source of big plays, he's more of a grinder who will get three or four yards when you expect him to and when you need more.

Question marks over Kelley and Jones are bad enough, but things look worse when you consider the threadbare depth. Mack Brown and Keith Marshall are unknown quantities, while Chris Thompson remains more effective in the passing game.

With such a paucity of talent on the depth chart, it's surprising the Redskins have so far resisted bringing in a marquee veteran. It's not as if there's a shortage of them on the market when Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson are still looking for new homes.

At least Washington retains the option of choosing from a draft class deep in quality runners. Any one of Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara or Kareem Hunt should be too good to pass up later this month.

Wide Receiver: Strength

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Calling wide receiver a strength is a true judgement call without Garcon and Jackson on the roster anymore. Fortunately, Allen and the Redskins moved quickly to bring in another 1,000-yard receiver to offset the losses.

The wideout in question is Terrelle Pryor Sr., who posted triple digits in just his first season at the position in 2016. Pryor's achievement was all the more impressive on a Cleveland Browns team that was the worst in football last season, where Pryor caught passes from six different quarterbacks.

Pryor's now former head coach Hue Jackson has backed the fledgling receiver to continue his success at the position in Washington, per ESPN's John Keim: "He's a guy that works extremely hard. His arrow is going up. He's very talented; he can run and catch the ball. He understands football, knows how to prepare. They're getting an all-around player. He just has to take the next jump."

Pryor will ensure the Redskins' offense still has a vertical threat in the passing game. His ability to take the top off defenses will dovetail well with Jamison Crowder's talent for shaking coverage underneath.

Crowder amassed 847 yards on 67 grabs in 2016, including seven touchdown catches. He's one of the genuine success stories from the era of ex-general manager Scot McCloughan.

Crowder winning from the slot and Pryor stretching the field with his speed will mean the Redskins have a game-winning receiving corps in 2017. The picture will be rosier still if last year's first-round pick Josh Doctson rebounds from the litany of injuries he experienced as a rookie and shows the potential that convinced McCloughan to draft him 22nd overall.

Depth will at least be strong thanks to the signing of Brian Quick and the ongoing presence of Ryan Grant.

Tight End: Strength

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It would be appropriate to underline the word strength every time it's typed in relation to Washington's wealth of talent at the tight end position.

Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis are both elite players at the position, even if Davis is in the winter of his career. The 33-year-old still has plenty left in the locker, something he proved in 2016 by averaging 13.3 yards a catch on 44 receptions.

Davis is the in-line grinder every team needs for a successful play-action game. By contrast, Reed is the roving mismatch able to attack defenses at every area of the field from multiple alignments.

Having two clutch targets as good as Reed and Davis available is one reason why Cousins may not miss Jackson and Garcon too much. He would surely miss one of his premier tight ends, though.

The good news for Cousins and the Redskins is Derek Carrier and Niles Paul remain on the roster to provide excellent depth. Both would likely start for other teams but simply top up the embarrassment of riches at this position in Washington.

Offensive Line: Strength

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The Redskins will enter the 2016 season boasting an offensive line strong everywhere except at its most central position. Center will remain a question mark, as converted guard Spencer Long figures to replace the retired Kory Lichtensteiger after John Sullivan was left unprotected on the veteran market.

Fortunately, Washington already has four other solid building blocks in place along the front. The best of those are left tackle Trent Williams and right guard Brandon Scherff, two Pro Bowl-worthy talents who make sure this O-line remains formidable.

Right tackle Morgan Moses and left guard Shawn Lauvao round out the group by offering imposing size at their respective spots. This is a front five lauded line guru Bill Callahan will continue to shape into one of the league's best.

It's just a shame Callahan hasn't got a more natural and formidable pivotman to work with.

Defensive Line: Strength

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The Redskins could let Chris Baker leave in free agency, despite him being the team's best D-lineman last season, because their new arrivals will ensure big No. 92 won't be missed.

Terrell McClain is the best of those newbies, after establishing a niche as a force at 0-technique for bitter NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys. Not everybody is convinced by McClain, though.

In fact, Bleacher Report's own Doug Farrar named the 28-year-old as one of the players overpaid in free agency:

"

Terrell McClain was a decent reserve player for the Dallas Cowboys last year, amassing three sacks, four quarterback hits, seven quarterback hurries and 23 stops in 500 snaps. But he's never played more than 500 snaps in a season, and Washington is paying him as it would a fringe starter: four years, $21 million and $10.5 million in guarantees.

"

However, any doubters would be well-served lending more weight to McClain's value as a surprisingly effective run defender. He has become adept at slanting into gaps and using deceptive initial quickness and core power to beat interior blockers.

The Cowboys appreciated McClain's value, according to SportsDay's Kristi Scales: "McClain was an unsung hero for the Cowboys defense in 2016. He led linemen with 41 tackles, but also got a good push up the middle of the pocket (2.5 sacks, nine pressures). He also had three tackles for loss."

Make no mistake, McClain played his part for the NFL's stingiest defense against the run in 2016. He'll immediately upgrade Washington's ability to stand up to a productive running game.

The same is true of Stacy McGee, a burly trench warrior brought over from the Oakland Raiders. Like McClain, McGee won't make many so-called "splash" plays, but he will quietly occupy blockers and clog running lanes.

Adding McClain and McGee alongside the returning Ziggy Hood, who was surprisingly disruptive at times last year, means Washington's defensive line is much stronger. The only thing missing is a truly dominant force.

It's something the Redskins can find in the 2017 NFL draft.

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler believes Washington will use its first-round pick to take Michigan State defensive tackle Malik McDowell. Meanwhile, former Redskins general manager Charley Casserly thinks Florida's Caleb Brantley will be the lineman Allen takes off the board, per the league's official website.

Drafting either would complete a comprehensive and essential remake of the front three.

Outside Linebacker: Weakness

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It's tough to feel confident about the outside linebacker rotation, even though Ryan Kerrigan is still around to cause havoc off one side. The problem, as it's usually been ever since Kerrigan was drafted in the first round in 2011, is the lack of credible support for No. 91.

It's a problem Junior Galette was supposed to solve, yet he's instead missed the last two seasons with injury. Galette is still in town, but he's being counted on to turn the clock back to 2013-14 in order to bring the pressure Washington's defense needs over left tackles.

There is even extra onus on Galette with Trent Murphy suspended for the first four games of the new season. It's a blow for a player who had a career year in 2016, logging nine sacks to finish second only to Kerrigan in this key category.

Of course, Murphy's absence and the doubts about Galette would be eased if Preston Smith could be counted on to deliver. But while Murphy was creating a ton of pressure last season, Smith was struggling to generate heat with any consistency.

The former Mississippi State man logged just 4.5 sacks. He also had long stretches without producing big plays, going five games without a sack to start the season. Smith has talent, but he has to show it more often.

The situation on the edges will look a lot stronger if the Redskins opt to bolster their options in the draft. It's something NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks Haason Reddick would do as the 17th-overall pick: "Reddick can play off the line of scrimmage on run downs and rush off the edge on passing downs. He is an elite athlete who has really helped himself during the postseason."

Reddick makes sense as a dynamic presence who can apply pressure off either edge. He's got the natural dynamism as a pass-rusher a team that logged only 38 sacks in 2016 is still missing.

Inside Linebacker: Weakness

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Things look a little better at inside linebacker after the Redskins wisely signed free agent Zach Brown on a one-year deal, per Stephen Czarda of the team's official website. As Czarda noted, Brown is a 27-year-old coming off a Pro Bowl year.

However, inside linebacker still rates as a weakness in Washington because the rotation lacks a true downhill thumper to go with Brown. He may have been in on 149 tackles in 2016, but Brown was also part of a Buffalo Bills run defense soft enough to allow opposing ball-carriers to average 4.6 yards per attempt.

The number is hardly an endorsement of Brown's ability to bolster a Washington rush defense that allowed 119.8 yards per game on the ground, compared to the 133.1 he and the Bills surrendered.

To his credit, Brown is a better athlete than Will Compton and more effective in space than Mason Foster. Yet this position will look a lot stronger if Allen pairs Brown with one of the many bruisers available in this year's draft.

Any one of Alabama's Reuben Foster, LSU hitter Kendell Beckwith or Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State would offer the Redskins the intimidating physicality this position still lacks.

Safety: Weakness

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There are just too many question marks for safety to be considered anything other than a weakness for the Redskins headed into the new season. Those questions concern the health and talent of virtually all the primary options at both spots.

For instance, will Su'a Cravens stay healthy and make the position his own after an indifferent rookie year spent playing multiple spots? Similarly, can 33-year-old DeAngelo Hall stay healthy and rediscover the ball skills to finally become the centerfielder Washington's defensive backfield has missed for too long?

If Hall can't go, the pressure will increase on free-agent pickup D.J. Swearinger, a journeyman who has played on four teams in as many seasons. Swearinger may not be the answer at free or strong safety.

The same is true of Will Blackmon, another converted cornerback expected to make a seamless transition to free safety. It's a big ask for a 32-year-old.

Allen and Washington's brass may not be able to avoid dipping into the draft to land a safety possessing some true upside. Fortunately, there are a few credible options in this year's class.

NFL.com's Draft analyst Chad Reuter has the Redskins picking Ohio State's Malik Hooker at 17: "Hooker's range is unbelievable; only team needs push him down this far."

Another draft guru for the league's official website, Lance Zierlein, sends Michigan's versatile ace Jabrill Peppers to Washington: "This is probably earlier than I would go with Peppers, but with Deangelo Hall on the back end, Peppers would be allowed to play in space and be deployed all over the field like he was at Michigan."

Zierlein's view presupposes Hall will be a key figure this year, while the Redskins will opt against finding out what they really have in Cravens. It would be a surprise if this was the choice, though, especially after Swearinger was brought in during free agency.

Cornerback: Strength

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Cornerback is still a strength, even if Josh Norman didn't quite live up to his price tag in 2016. Norman may have struggled at times during his first year at Redskins Park, but he also showed glimpses of the elite talent that made him a star with the Carolina Panthers.

Norman should be better in Year 2 and able to lock down one side of the field. Meanwhile, the other side will continue to be manned by Bashaud Breeland, one of the more opportunistic cover men in the league.

Breeland can be beaten on the outside, but he knows how to get his hands on the ball. The ex-Clemson man has intercepted seven passes and forced as many fumbles in three seasons as a pro.

There are more than a few teams in football who would love to boast a cornerback tandem as gifted as the Norman and Breeland double act.

Depth is also intriguing thanks to second-year man Kendall Fuller, who was injured for most of his rookie year but still possesses good size for the position. Converted wide receiver Quinton Dunbar has also shown a knack for the big play.

This much talent means cornerback is one of the strongest positions on the roster. This group could dominate in 2017 if aided by a little more pressure from the front.

Special Teams: Strength

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Special teams just about qualify as a strength, despite a down season for kicker Dustin Hopkins and punter Tress Way. Hopkins missed eight kicks in 2016, while Way ranked near the bottom of the pack when it came to pinning opponents inside their own 20.

Still, Hopkins and Way are usually as solid as most at their respective positions. What this unit needs more is greater explosive potential in the return game, where neither Crowder nor Thompson scare teams.

When Jackson left he also took his game-breaking return skills with him. Now the Redskins are left waiting for a standout to emerge in this area. Perhaps a healthy again Doctson will make the role his own.

If not, there would be merit to drafting Peppers, who averaged 26 yards on kickoff returns and 14.76 returning punts during his final season with the Wolverines, per cfbstats.com.

At least there has been some steady improvement in the coverage units on coordinator Ben Kotwica's watch. Overall, there are more positives than negatives to call football's third phase a weakness in Washington.

The same applies to most of the roster headed into a decisive season for both Allen and Gruden. Two-straight winning records can't overshadow just one playoff appearance in three years.

However, there is enough talent at most of the key positions to believe Washington will again be in the postseason mix in the NFC East in 2017.