Rosterbation
May 13, 2020
by Steve Thomas
Now that we’ve successfully navigated the draft and the meat of the undrafted free agent market, it seemed like the ideal time to do a quick, early review of the roster and a prediction for each position group. I’ve already started my annual film review series for the draft picks and/or the undrafted free agent signings, with tight end Thaddeus Moss already published (click here to read) and receiver / running back Antonio Gibson next up. For now, though, let’s check out where the Redskins stand with their roster as a whole.
As of this moment, the Redskins have 85 players signed to the roster. They can carry 90 in the offseason, so expect the team to sign 5 more at some point prior to training camp. In normal years, they save a couple of spots for signings resulting from the rookie tryout weekend, but that hasn’t happened yet for obvious health reasons. The regular season active roster will be 53.
Our writer Noonefromtampa published his own roster guess – you can read it by clicking here.
Quarterbacks (2):
QB1: Dwayne Haskins
QB2: Kyle Allen
PUP: Alex Smith
Practice Squad: Steven Montez
Cut: None
Ron Rivera vouched for Dwayne Haskins on NFL Network recently, stating that the team didn’t seriously consider drafted Tua Tugovailoa. He’s the undisputed starter, and Allen is the undisputed backup. Steven Montez has natural talent, but on a crowded roster, it’s a stretch to think that he will actually make the active roster this year. He has a live, NFL quality arm, but needs coaching to overcome some mechanical problems and issues with his reads. It’s very hard to believe that Alex Smith will be in any sort of condition to play this year, but after watching ESPN’s E:60 documentary, Project 11, I wouldn’t put anything past him.
Running Backs (4):
RB1: Bryce Love
RB2: Derrius Guice
RB3: Antonio Gibson
RB4: J.D. McKissic
Cut: Adrian Peterson, Peyton Barber, Josh Ferguson
This may be more wishful thinking than objective reality, but I think Bryce Love is going to be healthy. His surgery was in December, 2018, so by the time the season come around, he’ll be 21 months removed, which is a long time for an ACL rehab. If he’s healthy and can be get back to the performance level he showed at his peak at Stanford, I think he’s the best back on the roster. I also don’t believe that the team will be willing to throw away a 2018 second round pick yet, so Guice makes the roster. Gibson is a third round pick, so he’s guaranteed a spot, and I’m a big believer in his talent – he’s going to show something in year one. He may not actually be a running back, but I have to put him somewhere, so for now, he’s in this group. McKissic is the third down back. That leaves Peterson without a slot, despite the fact that he’s a hall of famer who can still play. If Love either isn’t healthy or can’t return to what he was before his ACL tear, or if Guice suffers yet another injury, then Peterson makes the roster.
Wide Receivers (6):
WR1: Terry McLaurin (X)
WR2: Kelvin Harmon (Z)
WR3: Steven Sims, Jr. (slot)
WR4: Cody Latimer
WR5: Antonio Gandy-Golden
WR6: Darvin Kidsy
Cut: Emanuel Hall, Trey Quinn, Jordan Veasy, Jester Weah, Isaiah Wright
Practice Squad: Johnathon Johnson, Cam Sims
McClaurin and Steven Sims are the two most obvious roster locks. Beyond that, Harmon is a fairly safe choice as well. The team needs some veteran leadership in this group, so Latimer makes the cut as well. Gandy-Golden could possibly end up on the practice squad, but I think he will show enough ability and make enough plays in preseason to cause the team to be afraid to risk putting him there. I gave Kidsy the final spot because he’s played well during his time in DC and has some speed. Johnson is a speed demon, and that always has value, so he makes the practice squad.
Tight Ends (3):
TE1: Logan Thomas
TE2: Jeremy Sprinkle
TE3: Thaddeus Moss
Practice Squad; Hale Hentges
Cut: Marcus Baugh, Richard Rodgers, Caleb Wilson
Logan Thomas is in the lead for the starting job simply because he has the largest contract, by far. The team clearly views him as the potential #1 and will let someone prove them wrong. Hentges has developed a bit of fan following, but Sprinkle is the guy who has veteran experience and who performed reasonably well last season – 26 receptions for 241 yards, 1 touchdown, and a 65% catch rate – at least well enough to stay on the roster. Moss isn’t his father, not even close, but he does have some talent and good hands, and also is a good blocker.
Offensive Line (9)
LT1: Cornelius Lucas
LG1: Wes Martin
C1: Chase Roullier
RG1: Brandon Scherff
RT1: Morgan Moses
Swing tackle: Saahdiq Charles
Swing tackle: Timon Parris
Swing guard: Wes Schweitzer
Swing guard/center: Ross Pierschbacher
Practice squad: Keith Ismael, Paul Adams
Cut: Geron Christian, Mike Liedtke, Jeremy Vujnovich
Currently, there isn’t really a great option at left tackle. Charles will likely take a year or two to develop, so my best guess is that Lucas grabs the job. 2019 rookie Wes Martin is probably in the lead for the left guard position, as he acquitted himself fairly well last year filling in for Brandon Scherff. Roullier and Scherff are engrained at center and right guard. Moses has had well-known problems over the past two years, but there isn’t an obvious replacement on hand, at least not until Charles is ready to start at left tackle and Lucus can perhaps take the right tackle job. The Geron Christian experience is going to come to an end, as Rivera has recently sung the praises of Timon Parris. It’s possible that the team will keep more than just Ismael and Adams on the practice squad.
Defensive Line (9):
LDE: Ryan Kerrigan
DT: Daron Payne
RDE: Montez Sweat
Backup DEs: Chase Young, Jordan Brailford, Nate Orchard
Backup DTs: Jonathan Allen, Tim Settle
Practice Squad: Ryan Bee, Caleb Brantley, James Smith-Williams
Cut: David Bada, Cameron Malveaux
I think Kerrigan will begin the season as the starter over Young, simply because the Redskins have the good problem of too many starting defensive lineman both at end and tackle. Kerrigan is the vet, so he’ll get the nod to start with, but at some point soon, whether during this season or in 2021, he will and should get pushed out in favor of the highly-touted rookie. The team has a similar problem at tackle, and my guess is that Allen will draw the short straw because of Payne’s greater strength and ability to wreak havoc. Tim Settle is probably starter-worthy as well, but on a team as stacked as the Redskins, he’ll have to fight for rotational minutes.
Linebackers (7):
SAM: Reuben Foster
MLB: Jonathan Bostic
WILL: Thomas Davis
Backup SAM: Ryan Anderson
Backup MLB: Shaun Dion Hamilton
Backup WILL: Cole Holcomb, Khaleke Hudson
Cut: Jared Norris, Kevin Pierre-Louis
There isn’t a wonderful solution to this position group, as new acquisition Thomas Davis is 37 years old, Reuben Foster is entering season #3 with the Redskins but has yet to actually set foot on the field, and Jonathan Bostic is fairly mediocre. Ryan Anderson may benefit from the switch to the 4 – 3, and Cole Holcomb was a pleasant surprise as a rookie last season; however, call me crazy, but I don’t think he’s starter-worthy yet on a league-average linebacker corps. He’s not strong enough to start at SAM and his coverage skills lack too much to start at the WILL. Hudson is a poor man’s Isaiah Simmons, of sorts, in terms of his athletic profile and skillset and should end up being a core special teamer early in his career. Still, though, this group has the potential to be severely lacking.
Defensive Backs (10):
CB1: Fabian Moreau
CB2: Ronald Darby
Slot: Kendall Fuller
Safety #1: Landon Collins
Safety #2: Sean Davis
Backup CBs: Danny Johnson, Jimmy Moreland, Greg Stroman
Backup Safeties: Deshazor Everett, Troy Apke
Practice Squad: Kamren Curl, Jeremy Reaves
Cut: Maurice Smith
Suspended: Thomas Simeon
To put it mildly, this group is a mess. Fabian Moreau gets the lead corner position by default, not because he’s earned it, and I suspect that Ronald Darby is in the lead for the other outside starter position. I’d like to think that despite his massive contract the coaching staff will recognize where Fuller can be most productive and put him in the slot. The starting safeties are more obvious, with Collins and his $84M contract in one starting slot and Sean Davis in the other. Everett is a special teamer extraordinaire and experienced vet and is thus on the roster. I think Apke makes it by default, simply because no one else is in a position to replace him. Yet.
Specialists (3):
Kicker: Dustin Hopkins
Long Snapper: Nick Sundberg
Punter: Tress Way
There should be no drama with this position group, at least not until the end of the season when the contracts of both Hopkins and Sundberg expire. Punter Tress Way just signed a 4 year extension last year through 2024, so he’s most likely here for the long term.
Am I totally off base? Let me know what you think in the comment section.