Washington Redskins: Why They May Be Worse This Year...Much Worse

Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. It's an expression that might be more true for the Redskins than any other team in the NFL right now.

Just for some perspective, look at where the Rams, Lions, Bucs, and some other recent risers were a few years back. (Hint: they were downright awful.) These same teams took their growing pains in stride while building smartly through the draft, and now they're reaping the benefits of that approach.

Unfortunately, the Redskins have been staving off a "rebuild" year since Dan Snyder took over. To be fair, Washington has been undervaluing the draft even before Snyder bought this franchise, but his tenure with Vinny Cerrato turned a bleeding wound into a critical hemorrhage. 

This year, things changed and the Redskins finally have some much needed youth to help compete for roster spots and contribute on this team. That's good. What's not? In hindsight, the McNabb trade looks like another bad move that ended up resetting this team, while the o-line continues to be a problem.

Show me a team that's pressed the reset button on quarterback and/or head coach nearly every season over the past 10-15 years, and I'll show you a team that isn't going to contend in the playoffs any time real soon.

As a 'Skins fan, I've lived on top of that reset button so long I don't even know what "continuity" is any more. I only know that the great franchises have them and we don't.

True, this team had too many holes to fill with one draft, even with 12 picks. They did address many key issues, and they will certainly do more of the same in free agency. The concern, though, is whom they may acquire.

More "win now" personnel decisions could undo this rebuild year. 

The Quarterback

Rankings from 2010: 23rd in completion percentage, 22nd in QB rating, 24th in 1st down percentage, 11th in INTs

I really do think that John Beck or Rex Grossman should be the starting quarterback for the Redskins this season. Let's all understand and accept that this team isn't ready. It's not our time.

The Shanahans need Beck and/or Grossman to run this offense, not for personal vindication or pride, but to fully assess how far way they are. They got a taste of that at the end of last season, but the experiment has to run its course.

I highly doubt Beck is the guy for this job in the long term. Perhaps as a consistent backup in the right system, he might've been (a la Aaron Rodgers). Perhaps he could prove all the doubters wrong, as could McNabb on another team. Yet if Beck's history in this league thus far is any indicator, then Washington will be searching for their franchise quarterback in next year's draft.

Most people already sense that probability.

The Offensive Line

Rankings from 2010: 30th in total rush yards, 31st in total QB hits allowed, and 27th in sacks allowed

At the end of last season, if you'd have told me the Redskins had the worst offensive line last year, I'd have said, "Of course, what else is new?" and sighed miserably.

If you then told me that we'd actually have 12 draft picks come late April, I'd have been ecstatic. If you finished by saying that only a single seventh-rounder would be used on an offensive lineman, I'd start strangling you.

I don't get it. The offensive line was arguably the biggest personnel issue on this team throughout the 2010 season. It was like that the year before, and the year before that, and so on. Shanahan has to know this, yet in a time when Washington is suddenly getting younger, they leave their biggest hole unaddressed?

If you believe in Shanahan, which I still do, then there are some clear options for why he played the draft this way. He may not have liked the rookie linemen enough to use up valuable early-round picks, and he may also like his chances in free agency and with the practice squad players he acquired last year.

If you're a doubter, well, then this was just a stupid move. Their offensive line, especially the interior, has been shamefully awful at times. If this season proves to be a repeat performance for that unit, someone on that coaching staff, even Shanahan possibly, is going to get fired.

With Snyder, anything is possible.

The Defensive Line

Overall DEF Rankings in 2010: 23rd in rush yards per game allowed, 31st in pass yards per game allowed, 25th in sacks, 7th in fumbles forced

This unit over-achieved last year under a new base defense using meager talent and little depth. None of the defensive linemen on this team are playmakers (let's please exclude a certain disgruntled defensive tackle). If there's one player that absolutely must be a dominant player for a 3-4 defense, it's the nose tackle.

Without that key ingredient, the Redskins can probably expect a heavy dose of running plays right up the middle from opponents. There is still hope in free agency with available players like Abrayo Franklin and Cullen Jenkins. Those space eaters could significantly help this unit to stop the run and take on double teams for the pass rushers.

Until this team gets that nose tackle spot filled, the defense will be hamstrung.