Washington Redskins: The Top Five Needs for the Team Heading Into 2011
Now that we've established that the Washington Redskins are rebuilding, it's time to assess where their biggest needs are.
They have the 10th overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft and all indications are they will be looking for a quarterback.
As it stands now, they also have five other draft picks in 2011— a second, two fifths, a sixth and a seventh.
Undoubtedly, they will also try to shop a few players, namely Donovon McNabb and Albert Haynesworth, to acquire a couple more picks, although that won't be easy.
The 2011 Free Agency market, whenever it actually begins, is expected to include some big names. Could the Redskins fill all of their needs in one offseason? This cautious fan says no, but let's take a look at the Redskins' top five needs heading into the 2011 season anyway.
Need No. 5: A Ball-Hawking Free Safety
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The Redskins' defense had many holes in 2010. One of the major deficiencies was at the most important position in the defensive backfield.
Jim Haslett tried a number of players at free safety this season: Kareem Moore, Chris Horton, Reed Doughty and Kevin Barnes (a cornerback). Regardless of who was back there, the Redskins consistently got gashed in the middle of the field and behind the defense.
Laron Landry is playing right where he belongs, at strong safety, but the Redskins desperately need a playmaker next to him. It would have been something special to see Laron Landry playing next to the late Sean Taylor for a decade.
Need No. 4: A Disruptive Force on the Defensive Line
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With Albert Haynesworth expected to be cut or traded before the 2011 season, the Redskins will need to find someone who can create havoc on the defensive line.
Using guys like Adam Carriker, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Anthony Bryant and Kedric Golston, Jim Haslett's defensive line produced almost no pass rush to speak of. They're solid enough against the run, but none of these guys were able to take any pressure off of Brian Orakpo coming off of the edge.
The Redskins need to find a young, athletic beast of a defensive lineman who can penetrate into the backfield, preferably one that won't stomp on a guy's face or refuse to speak with his head coach.
Need No. 3: A Gamebreaker on Offense
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The Redskins offensive skill players currently consist of a bunch of average or slightly below average talent.
Santana Moss is a No. 2 playing the No. 1 position. He should be in the slot, serving as a reliable veteran who can move the chains, not much more. Anthony Armstrong showed some flashes, but the consistency was lacking to say the least.
Guys like Chris Cooley and Ryan Torrain are both solid players, when healthy, but neither are going to light up the stat sheet or wow you with highlight plays.
What the Redskins have lacked over the past few years is a legitimate playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. The players they have now would be even more valuable if there was a No. 1 option ahead of them. They need a Chris Johnson type running back who can break a 70 yard run or a Vincent Jackson type wide receiver who can stretch the field.
Until they find this player, the offense will remain mediocre.
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Need No. 2: Interior Offensive Linemen
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Regardless of who played quarterback for the Redskins in 2010, there was one thing that never changed: pressure. And the majority of this pressure came right up the middle.
Trent Williams looks to be the long term solution at left tackle and the combination of Jammal Brown and Stephon Heyer are at least somewhat serviceable at right tackle. But the interior linemen consistently got beat off the ball, either thrown out of the way or pushed into the backfield.
Casey Rabach is aging and guys like Will Montgomery and Kory Lichtensteiger are probably better suited as backups.
I know Mike Shanahan's zone running scheme is supposed to employ smaller offensive linemen, but it's hard for a running back to find holes when he's got offensive linemen laying sprawled out at his feet.
Need No. 1: A Franchise Quarterback
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The long-term solution at quarterback for the Washington Redskins is currently not on the roster.
There is a zero percent chance Donovon McNabb will ever take another snap for this team and although Rex Grossman looked pretty good the last three games of the season, he's far from the answer.
John Beck, for some reason, was given a contract extension as the third-string quarterback, but I highly doubt it was because Mike Shanahan thought he could eventually compete for the starting job.
No, Shanahan and company will need to draft the quarterback in April to be the future of this franchise.
It doesn't necessarily have to come in the first round, but he better be darn good. The quarterback crop in this year's draft appears to be pretty deep with guys like Jake Locker, Cam Newton, Ryan Mallett, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder all coming out.
We'll see who the Shanahan's fall in love with.
Ultimately, the best-case scenario would be to have Rex Grossman start the 2011 season and eventually hand the offense over to the new guy when he's ready to take over. Whether that occurs in Week 6, 10, or the 2012 season remains to be seen.
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