SOW: NFL Draft 2013: Some Final Thoughts One Week Later

It's hard to believe that the 2013 draft has been over for more than a week, UnDrafted Free Agents (UDFAs) have been signed and the Redskins are on the final day of a rookie mini-camp held for the new rookies and veterans who saw limited action in 2012. By now you'd think all of the analysis, grades and commentary on this draft would be long over and many fans will be going back to watching the NBA or NHL playoffs or baseball until training camp while others are salivating for the next OTA. That said, I think that there is some significant things to takeaway from this draft class and how the team feels about its coaching staff, roster and what they look for in players. So let's go back one more time, one week later and look at some of the things that took place during the 2013 NFL Draft.

I've broken down the commentary into some sections so that you can skim through it since this is more about multiple topics than one topic.

Grading The Redskins Draft Need Pt.2: Defense and Special Teams

(DeAngelo Hall is back for 2013, but there are serious question marks for 2014 and beyond at corner.)

With the offense out of the way, we can finally take a look at some of the bigger needs that many hope the

Redskins address early and often in the 2013 draft: the defense. Most importantly we'll take a look at the biggest area of need - the secondary.

Defensive End

Notable Players: Stephen Bowen, Jarvis Jenkins, Adam Carriker, Kedric Golston

Analysis: It was revealed that Adam Carriker suffered a setback in his rehabilitation of a torn quadriceps injury and it questions whether or not he'll be able to play at the start of the regular season. That's bad news since Carriker was dominating on the line of scrimmage and was helping with the pass rush prior to the injury. There is good news however. The Redskins re-signed Kedric Golston who will provide solid depth to the position. The Redskins also have Doug Worthington and Phillip Merling who will both fight for roster spots and can provide rotational depth. This position is one of the deepest on the roster, so I doubt the Redskins will target a DE unless a highly talented player falls to them in later rounds.  I give the position a grade of 2 only because this is such a deep DE draft class this year.

Grade: 2

Nose Tackle

Notable Players: Barry Cofield, Chris Baker, Chris Neild

Analysis: Barry Cofield has been a solid contributor and team leader during his stay with the Redskins. Chris Baker provided good rotational depth behind Cofield last year and can be used as more of a traditional run stuffing NT because he fits more of the prototypical size/girth for a NT. Chris Neild is coming off of an ACL tear but had a good 2011 season as Cofield's back up.

Baker signed his restricted free agent tender for 2013 but will be a free agent in 2014. The Redskins could look for a prospect for 2014 and beyond but have decent depth with Cofield and Neild.

Grade: 1

Outside Linebacker

Notable Players: Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Rob Jackson

The Redskins hope to find another OLB prospect in the draft like they did with Rob Jackson.

Analysis: The return of Brian Orakpo to the lineup is critical to the success of Washington's pass rush. Rob Jackson filled in well when Orakpo went down with his second pectoral injury over the past two seasons but it took time for him to adjust to being a starter. Kerrigan seemed to improve upon his pass coverage from 2011 but seemed to struggle with the run game at times and wasn't as much of a pass rush threat as he was the previous year. This is probably due in part with Orakpo's injury and absence from the roster.

With the loss of Lorenzo Alexander, the Redskins will be looking for more depth at the OLB position. They re-signed Rob Jackson to a one year deal and have signed former Eagles defensive end Darryl Tapp to convert to the position. The Redskins do have issues in 2014 and beyond. Both Orakpo and Jackson will be free agents, so it would be wise of the Redskins to at least find some future talent in the draft and determine if they will be able to keep at least one of the upcoming free agents.

Grade: 3.5

Inside Linebacker

Notable Players: London Fletcher, Perry Riley, Keenan Robinson 

Analysis: In a matter of a few years, the Redskins have developed a solid inside linebacking corp. Perry Riley has become a solid starter, Keenan Robinson showed potential as a run stopper and pass rusher before he was knocked out for the season with a pectoral tear. London Fletcher had another great year although he played with injuries and missed a few more tackles than normal.

The Redskins may need to address the inside linebacker position in this year’s draft because of a few factors. First is that London Fletcher is in the final year of his deal and probably the final year of his career in the NFL. Those will be big shoes to fill, but it would be prudent to find a young linebacker to teach and groom for a year along with Riley and Robinson. Second is that Perry Riley is a free agent in 2014. While I expect that the Redskins will make him one of their top priorities to re-sign, it still would be smart to have players in place if they are unable to do so. Third is that Robinson is coming off an injury from his rookie season. He is still a developing prospect and we really don’t know how he’ll pan out long term with the team or in the NFL.

The good news is that the Redskins have been able to find starting ILB talent in later rounds. Both Riley and Robinson were 4^th round picks and it seems like the Redskin will be able to find at least depth in the 4^th-7^th rounds.

Grade: 3.5

Cornerback

Notable Players: DeAngelo Hall, Josh Wilson, EJ Biggers, Richard Crawford 

Analysis: The Redskins secondary struggled significantly during stretches of the 2012 season. There was missed coverage, miscommunication with the safeties and being beaten by WRs at various times. While corner and safety are positions that need to be addressed in this draft, the Redskins have set things up so that corner isn’t a position of dire need at least during 2013. The Redskins signed corner EJ Biggers from Tampa Bay during the off-season. Biggers has knowledge of the secondary because of working with secondary coach (former head coach of the Buccaneers who drafted Biggers during his tenure in Tampa) Raheem Morris and provides speed that the team has wanted.

The team also re-signed DeAngelo Hall after releasing him earlier in the off-season for salary cap reasons. Hall has always been known as a gambling playmaker who takes risks in order to make plays. While not being known as a great cover corner, Hall ended the 2012 regular season with an amazing shut down performance against Cowboys WR Dez Bryant. The Redskins are hoping Hall can have repeat performances like that and be more consistent in 2013.

Josh Wilson had a down year in 2012. Part of the reason may have been because he on many occasions had to go up against the top WRs on the opposing teams. Wilson also may have struggled because a lack of pass rush may have forced him to cover players longer and he seemed to be the most frustrated with not getting help on plays. It was clear that many times Wilson was expecting safety help and didn’t get it or got it late leading to big plays. Hopefully, with some adjustments at the safety position and an improved pass rush, Wilson will be in more of his 2011 form.

While the 2013 starting unit could be set, the 2014 roster and beyond does not have starters in place at the corner position. Biggers, Hall and Wilson will be free agents at the end of the 2013 season. Behind them are a couple of players in Richard Crawford and Chase Minnifield. Minnifield at one time was considered to be a 2^nd round talent but went undrafted because of injuries and some struggles (associated with said injuries) on the field in his final year at Virginia. He then tore his ACL with the Redskins but should be ready for the 2013 season. Richard Crawford is still developing but had a good year for a rookie. He saw some playing time as the team’s nickel corner and had success returning punts replacing an ineffective Brandon Banks.

The Redskins will probably look towards the future and draft a corner somewhere in the draft. While the ‘Skins may have potential in Crawford and Minnifield, it may be prudent to find a prospect early in the draft that can compete for a starting job in 2014. This would allow the Redskins to not have to depend on Minnifield’s health or have to re-sign all three free agents if money becomes a factor.

Grade: 4.5

Safety

Notable Players: Tanard Jackson, Brandon Meriweather, Reed Doughty, DeJon Gomes

Analysis: I still am of the belief that the starting safety tandem was supposed to be Tanard Jackson and Brandon Meriweather last season. Combined, both players played a total of two quarters in 2012. That’s right, two quarters. Jackson was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and Meriweather was injured most of the season. He tore his ACL during a game against the Eagles.

I like Reed Doughty but the Redskins need a significant upgrade at the safety position.

What was left was a rotation consisting of Reed Doughty, Madieu Williams, DeJon Gomes, Jordan Pugh and any player that could help play the position (DeAngelo Hall played FS on occasion). It was an ugly experiment as the backups lacked the speed to play deep center, struggled in coverage against tight ends/WRs and failed to provide help to corners in double coverage.

As we head into 2013, Jackson and Meriweather are still on the roster but questions remain if they can be reliable starters. Jackson is still suspended. If he’s allowed to return to the Redskins, it won’t be until the end of August or early September. He will have missed all of the off-season workouts, training camp and the majority of pre-season. Meriweather will be coming off a torn ACL and until he gets out onto the field, we really won’t know if he’ll be able to start.

As  far as I’m concerned the Redskins really need to draft at least 1-2 safeties in this draft with hopes that one of them will be able to start day 1 and develop while on the field. The current roster has some players who are decent at the position in certain packages and could start in an emergency but I really don’t want them to be everyday starters.

Grade: 5

Long Snapper

Notable Player: Nick Sundberg

Analysis: The Redskins are not going to draft a long snapper. They just re-signed Sundberg.

Grade:1

Punter

Notable Player: Sav Rocca

Analysis: The Redskins just re-signed Rocca. He had a decent 2012 despite playing with a torn meniscus in his knee. The Redskins are not going to use a draft pick on a punter. If anything, they’ll bring a free agent into camp to compete with Rocca.

Grade:1

Kicker

Notable Player: Kai Forbath

Analysis: The Redskins were very happy with Forbath after he replaced Billy Cundiff for the job. While Forbath could improve upon his kickoffs, the Redskins will not be using a draft pick on a kicker. If anything they will bring in a free agent to compete with Forbath in camp.

Grade:1

After looking at the entire roster it is clear that the most immediate needs for the Redskins are at the safety, corner and offensive tackle positions. That’s pretty obvious without looking at the entire roster. What is interesting is that the team has needs at other positions that could be addressed during the draft to improve upon depth or to deal with upcoming free agency in 2014. There are significant holes on the roster despite the front office doing a good job keeping their core players intact. An injury or suspension at one of these positions could have detrimental effects to that position group if the Redskins don’t address those issues prior to the start of training camp. However, the Redskins enter the 2013 draft with seven draft picks and it is possible that they leave the draft with even more picks because of trades that may occur. Hopefully, the 2013 Redskins will have significant depth at most positions and will have picked up a few starters thanks to the 2013 draft.

Grading The Redskins Draft Needs Pt. 1: Offense

If I asked you what are the biggest needs the Redskins need to address during the draft you would probably say the secondary, either safety or corner. You'd be right. But have you thought about all of the improvements that the Redskins could make to make the team better for the upcoming season and beyond?

Believe it or not there are more areas of need than you think or even want to think about.

This article is going to take a look at every position on the roster; look at the starter and the depth behind him and then give a grade based on how badly the Redskins need to improve upon the position.

The grading is simple and is based on a five point scale with 5 being a priority need and 1 being a doubtful need. Below is the point scale and explanations for each point:

5) Priority Need- There is currently no starting talent at the position. There may or may not be depth at the position but if there is they are not ready to be a regular starter.

4) Probable Need- There is a starter or starting talent at the position. However, the position could use an upgrade at the starting position. There may or may not be depth at the position but if there is they are not ready to be a regular starter.

3) Need- There is a solid starter at the position. There may be little to no depth behind the starter or the roster could use an upgrade or even more depth at the position. Also, the team may want to look at future years by finding new, long-term and probably cheaper options.

2) Questionable Need- There is a solid starter at the position. There may be sufficient depth at the position but the team may want to bring in competition to push the current players or to address potential needs in future years.

1) Doubtful Need- There is a solid starter at the position. There is sufficient depth at the position. It's highly unlikely a draft pick is needed for this position.

While it's most likely that the team will focus on the defense in this draft let's start off by looking at the offensive needs. Then we'll look at the defensive needs and finish by looking at special teams.

Quarterback

Notable players: Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, Rex Grossman 

Analysis: Even with RGIII's injury, with the re-signing of Grossman and the signing of Pat White, it makes little to no sense to waste a draft pick on a quarterback. That's a good thing because this year's QB draft class is dreadful.

Grade: 1

Running Back/Full Back

Notable players: Alfred Morris, Roy Helu, Evan Royster, Darrel Young

Could the Redskins find another Alfred Morris in this year's draft?

Analysis: Alfred Morris had a brilliant rookie season. He shattered records and looks to be the workhorse RB that the Redskins have been looking for since Mike Shanahan took over in 2010. That said, the Redskins would like to add more speed and pass catching ability to the roster. Last year the RBs had 41 catches for 340 yards. In 2011, with a speedster like Roy Helu, the Redskins more than doubled the 2012 number with 84 catches for 686 yards. Helu could be the solution.

Roy Helu has been great when he's healthy. The problem is that he's missed significant time due towards injury in both 2011 and 2012. In two seasons, he's only played in 18 games. Maybe the Redskins feel confident that Helu can be more durable in 2013 and beyond, but I doubt it. I expect Mike Shanahan to work his magic and draft another "diamond in the rough" RB like he has done before.

Darrel Young is the lone FB on the roster and has been a huge asset to the 'Skins in both the run game and passing game. That said, the Redskins aren't big on keeping two fullbacks on the roster and they won't draft a FB when they can use other players in emergency situations or pull a player off the practice squad.

Grade: 3

 Tight End

Notable Players: Fred Davis, Logan Paulsen, Niles Paul 

Analysis: With the re-signings of both Davis and Paulsen there is little need at the position for 2013. Beyond this year may be a different issue. The Redskins like Fred Davis and are giving him another "prove it" year to show his abilities and prove that he can last a full season without a suspension or significant injury. The Redskins could draft a TE but I doubt it would be early unless they are willing to keep 4 TEs on the roster or aren't convinced that Davis is healthy enough to play. Most likely if they draft a TE, it will be in later rounds in order to push Niles Paul to develop further.

Grade: 2

Wide Receiver

Notable Players: Pierre Garcon, Joshua Morgan, Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson

Analysis: On paper this looks like a really good group with a good mix of experience ans potential. Last year this corp. put up some pretty decent numbers despite injuries and touch competition. But there are issues that may be addressed during the draft. Both Garcon and Morgan are coming off of injuries from 2012. Morgan had various surgeries and should be 100% when training camp starts in a few months. Garcon did not require surgery to a damaged ligament (not that surgery would have fixed the issue) but is doubtful that he'll be 100% next year. The Redskins did not have a solid #2 WR last year across from Garcon and it really showed when Garcon missed six games with his injury. Also, Santana Moss will be 34 in June and the Redskins may need to look for his potential replacement for 2014 and beyond.

Santana Moss will never be forgotten for the "Monday Night Miracle", but is it time to move on?

While there are issues, there is some significant promise in this group. Leonard Hankerson will be in his third year which is normally a break out year for developing WRs. Hankerson will have his first full off-season to work with the team (in 2011, there was the lockout and in 2012 he was recovering from a hip injury). One hopes that he can show why the Redskins used a 3rd round pick for him in 2011 in the 2013 season. Aldrick Robinson also made a few big plays during last season and could also push for more playing time.

If the Redskins feel that their players will be healthy enough to start camp and that Morgan or Hankerson can become that #2 WR this season, then I would expect the team to only look at the position in later rounds or if the best player on their board is a WR. If they don't feel comfortable with this group or if an amazing talent somehow falls further than expected, then they might use a pick in rounds 2-4. RGIII never can have enough options to target.

Grade: 3.5

Center

Notable Player: Will Montgomery

Analysis: It's a fair statement to say that Montgomery was the 2nd best OL on the team last year behind pro-bowl LT Trent Williams. With the exception of a few bad snaps in the Seattle game and a couple of missed assignments, Montgomery was a key component of the Redskins success in 2012. In prior years, some had argued if the position was in need of an upgrade. At this point I would say no. That said, the Redskins do have depth behind him in Kory Lichtensteiger and Josh LeRibeus.

I do like Cal's Brian Schwenke as a perfect fit for the Redskins scheme if they decided to draft another interior lineman, but I just don't see the Redskins going that way or Schwenke falling into a later round where the 'Skins could afford the luxury of drafting an interior lineman to develop.

Grade: 2

 Guard

Notable Players: Kory Lichtenstiger, Chris Chester, Josh LeRibeus, Adam Gettis, Maurice Hurt  

Analysis: This is a pretty solid group. As individuals, many sites that rank players don't grade them out that well, but they fit well in this scheme that relies on creating multiple options for the running back. Behind the starters are players that have shown (even in limited snaps) that they can step up if needed. Maurice Hurt and Josh LeRibeus have taken snaps in regular season games. Adam Gettis also showed potential during the pre-season when he filled in for an injured Chris Chester. I don't see the Redskins taking a guard in this draft after addressing the position with two draft picks last year.

Grade: 1

Offensive Tackle

Notable Players: Trent Williams, Tyler Polumbus, Maurice Hurt, Jeremy Trueblood

Analysis: Trent Williams is living up to the potential Mike Shanahan saw in him three years ago. While almost everyone expected Shanahan to take the more polished Russell Okung, he went for the more athletic Williams. It has taken a few seasons, but Williams has become the all-pro talent that Shanahan envisioned. As long as Williams can stay healthy and avoid recreational drug use, he could be an elite left tackle for years to come. Tyler Polumbus had a good 2012 with some ups and downs but for a player who was supposed to be a backup (remember Jammal Brown was to be the starter and never took the field because of a reoccurring hip injury) he fared well.

The Redskins re-signed Polumbus to a two year deal recently but one wonders if they could use an upgrade and/or long term solution at the right tackle position. They do have some options with former draft picks Maurice Hurt (who started one game last year at RT) and Tom Compton and recently signed veterans Tony Pashos and Jeremy Trueblood but the veterans may be towards the end of their careers and the younger players have little experience and may not be regular starters at the NFL level.

The Redskins could also use a long term solution at their back up "swing tackle" position. This would be a #3 OT who could play either LT or RT if one of the starters goes down. In past years, Mike Shanahan has had Willie Smith and Jordan Black play the role. Tom Compton or Tyler Polumbus seems like the best option but the Redskins may look at the draft to bring in a player who could develop in his first year by playing as the #3 OT and then being a starter in year two.

Grade: 4

Tomorrow we look at two of the Redskins biggest needs as I review the defensive side of the ball and the special team specialists.

TMZ Interviews RGIII

I was digging around my email inbox tonight and found this little tidbit from TMZ and I figured I'd share since it is an RGIII interview after all.

Robert Griffin III -- Knee 100% Healed ... for Chinese Food

57 minutes ago by TMZ Staff

Robert Griffin III's amazing rookie season ended with a horrific knee injury, but the Washington Redskins' superhuman QB looks ready for action again -- and claims he'll be even BETTER next year. 

RGIII -- who showed no signs of a limp last night outside of Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills -- said he's "feeling good" and brushed off the injury ... reminding us the torn ACL he suffered in college was way worse.

When our camera guy pumped up RGIII telling him he'd be just as good this coming season -- Griffin shot back, "I'll be better."
Click on the video to watch the full video at TMZ.

SOW: Free Agency Preview: Addressing Right Tackle

From Son of Washington

(Ed. Note: FEATURED BRIEFLY ON REDSKINS.COM)

March 12th is nearly here and the Redskins have some big decisions to make as the start of the 2013 NFL calendar year approaches. Currently, the Redskins are around three million dollars over the estimated salary cap of 123 million. They have some serious needs to address during the off-season including tight end, corner, safety and offensive line but little cap money to address those needs. Most importantly, the Redskins need to determine who will be starting at those positions. At this point, the Redskins do not have a starter in place at right tackle.

Jammal Brown’s contract was voided and his career is likely over with a ailing hip that has kept him out of the Redskins lineup during his three years in DC (started only 26 of 48 games). Tyler Polumbus, who filled in for Brown and eventually became the starting right tackle in ’11 and 2012 is a free agent. Also, veteran tackle Jordan Black is a free agent but is likely to retire. Either way, there is a good chance that none of these players will be with the Redskins in 2013.

So with little to no cap room, how can the Redskins find a starting right tackle on the cheap? Well, I’m glad you asked. In all the years the Redskins could use an affordable right tackle, 2013 could be one of the best years to obtain such a player. There is a glut of offensive tackles available in free agency. The draft has a few prospects that could start, fit the Redskins zone blocking scheme and be available when they pick in the second and third rounds. Most importantly, the Redskins have been grooming potential prospects over the past two seasons that they drafted,  are still on their rookie contracts and could be ready to start.

Let’s take a look at some affordable options for the Redskins at right tackle.

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SOW: Ravens Should Beg to Lose to the ‘Skins Each Year

If you live anywhere in Maryland (like I do) or in a surrounding state or district, then you’ll probably be reminded on a daily basis about the recent Ravens Super Bowl victory over the 49ers. The Raven fans have come out of the woodwork or jumped on the bandwagon wearing their gear and talking about their team…. and that’s fine. That’s what I would do if the Redskins won the Super Bowl (I do it anyway no matter how good or bad the Redskins are playing).

But if a Raven fan decides to crow a little too much about their year or wants to talk some smack about the Redskins all you have to do is remind them that the ‘Skins beat the champs with the help of a back up rookie QB.

Matter of fact, the Redskins beat the Ravens in the regular season both times the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

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SOW: Labor of Love: A Redskins Fan Guide to the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine

This weekend the NFL will host more than 300 players at the annual scouting Combine in Indianapolis. More or less this is a job fair where all 32 potential employers will get to meet and determine which candidates they may want to have on their team. Instead of resumes, players are poked, prodded, take tests and perform drills to impress.

Do we really learn anything at all from The Combine?

Yes and No. You can see a players speed, how well they can take direction and some of the tangibles that coaches look for in players they want to fit their scheme. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the really important elements of the combine: the medical evaluations and the interviews.

The interviews are key. Usually a team has a player breakdown plays on a whiteboard, or ask character questions or even try to catch a player off guard to see how they respond to stress. In most cases the fans and media never learn what goes on behind closed doors. What we do find out is usually spread by a team or an agent trying to raise or lower a player’s draft stock.

The Combine is one of the most anticipated events in the off-season for fans suffering from football withdrawal. For a player, it can help make or break a player’s draft stock. For a team it can help set up it franchise for years to come. But do you want to know the biggest secret of The Combine, something the NFL Network doesn’t want you to know?

It Is Incredibly Boring.

Click Here for the rest of the article

SOW: Which Draft Prospects Have the Redskins Targeted So Far?

From Son of Washington.

Interviews and meetings are common practice for teams and prospects as we get closer to the draft. This is the first (and possibly last) time a team can meet with a player, learn about him and determine if he fits the scheme and the chemistry of the team. Teams try to meet with as many players as possible and will be allowed to bring in a certain number of candidates to the team facility during the process.

Even if a team won’t be able to draft a player, they still might meet with him to possibly lure him to the team when his rookie contract is up. We still have Pro Days and scheduled meetings/workouts to take place but the Redskins have already started to meet with players during The Combine, East/West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl.

Does this mean anything? Well possibly yes.

Click Here to read entire article

Major Announcement and a Look at the Future

If you follow Twitter, possibly Facebook (honestly, I don't use Facebook much so I don't know if the announcement was made over there or not) and/or read Son Of Washington then you've probably seen that I have joined SOW as a writer for the site.

I Think it is a great opportunity for me as a blogger and as a writer. SOW has really become a big site covering the Redskins and they have some big plans upcoming in the future. I can't write about all of those plans (you'll have to wait but if these plans come to fruition, it will be very exciting) but I will say that SOW is extending itself beyond a podcast and website with articles/blogs. I hope to be a significant contributor with SOW and this move has motivated me to start writing more. I've already done 2 articles on the SOW website, some other material for the site and this blog entry on IIWII.

So what does this mean for IIWII? Well, many articles that I do on SOW will eventually be linked as a post on IIWII with a link to the original article on SOW. I plan on doing the majority of my Redskins coverage with SOW. That doesn't mean that I won't be writing original Redskins content here. There may be a time where I feel like bitching about my team, the ticket office or the front office or complaining about something that I don't want to involve SOW (primarily to keep them out of trouble) or just show some of my game picture galleries. They will be here.

IIWII isn't going anywhere. It's just changing a bit. I still think I will cover some NFL topics here and Meaningless Mock, fantasy football stuff and weekly picks (if I have the time to write them) will remain. I also hope to write about some non-football stuff including bringing back movie reviews, TV and what not. I would also like to bring back Friday Night Videos as I enjoyed posting crazy You Tube stuff on the site.

Anyway, thank you again for reading and please check out what we're doing over at sonofwashington.com

Top Redskins Off-Season Position Needs

(Of course, Robert Griffin's knee and recovery is the top priority.)

With the Combine only a week away and free agency not that far behind it, its time to look at the Redskins biggest off-season needs to address. In this case I'm just addressing top needs more than who to target, cap numbers etc. When we get slightly closer to free agency (post-combine) I'll have some more targets to look at as potential new Redskins.

1. Safety. Quick, name the starting safety tandem in 2012. If you said Madieu Williams and Reed Doughty then you are correct. That said, that wasn't the intended starting tandem. It was supposed to be Tanard Jackson and Brandon Meriweather. Jackson was suspended indefinitely prior to the start of the season and will not be eligible to be re-instated until the end of August 2013. Meriweather had a great half against the Eagles, but that was it as knee injuries kept him off of the field throughout most of 2013. The Redskins need a significant upgrade at the position heading into the 2013 season because neither Williams or Doughty should be starting on a regular basis. Most importantly the Redskins need to find a fast, agile, good tackling FS who can cover a WR and play single deep safety. The last legitimate FS on the team was Sean Taylor in 2007. Since then players have had to play out of position (LaRon Landry, Reed Doughty) to fill a hole in the roster.

2. Cornerback. Josh Wilson had an okay 2012. Yes, he got beat a few times and  missed a couple of tackles but generally he did what was expected of him. DeAngelo Hall had another up and down season but finished well with a shut down performance on Dez Bryant. There was some clear miscommunication between the corners and the safeties during the season and it led to blown coverages and easy TDs for the opponents. The Redskins clearly need to get better, faster and possibly younger at this position if the team is to have any success in a pass happy NFL. Hall may not even be with the Redskins unless he takes a significant pay cut or re-structure/extension as he is due $7.5 million and the Redskins are currently around 4 million over the salary cap number. Richard Crawford is still developing and could be a possible option in the future. Chase Minnifield is the real wild card in this mix. Considered by many to go as high as the 1st round last year, Minnifield went undrafted because of injury concerns with his knees. Minnifield tore his ACL during OTAs and is currently rehabbing. If he can stay healthy could the Redskins have a potential starting corner on the roster? I still expect them to look for talent at this position through the draft.

3. Tight End. Fred Davis, Chris Cooley and Logan Paulsen (RFA) are free agents. It's not likely that we'll see a return of Captain Chaos to the Redskins. Davis will only be welcomed back for the right price because he has been unable to finish the last two seasons (injury, suspension). I expect Paulsen to be tendered at a reasonable price that at worst will give the Redskins a draft pick if another team makes an offer they can't match. The Niles Paul experiment has hit some early bumps and while Paul has been a great blocker and kick returner, he's has yet to show that he'll be the next Shannon Sharpe. The Redskins could use at least 1-2 more TEs to enter the season with one of them being a significant pass catching threat.

4. Right Tackle/OT. Jammal Brown's contract was voided. Tyler Polumbus and Jordan Black are free agents. While I like Polumbus to come back and be an extremely good depth player with the capability to start at multiple positions in a pinch, the Redskins could use an upgrade at right tackle. They have a few options on the roster in Maurice Hurt and Tom Compton but neither may ready to be a starter if ever for the team. Hurt has had the majority of his snaps as a guard and Compton has limited experience. The good news is that there is a large FA market or tackles this year and the Redskins should be able to get a starting caliber RT at a reasonable price if they don't see a starter worth taking in the early rounds of the draft.

5. Wide Receiver. It's not that the Redskins don't have talent at the position, it's just that beyond Pierre Garcon and Santana Moss (who is more part time WR than starter at this point in his career) the talent needs to step up and be much more consistent. Josh Wilson was arguably a great run blocker and made some tough catches, but virtually disappeared at times on the field. He needs to be the consistent pass catcher to complement the other players. Leonard Hankerson is a huge question mark. He has the size and talent and has flashed it at times. That said, other times he has ran sloppy routes, dropped easy passes and gave up on plays. This has to be the year he steps up and shows what he can do, or he'll be the next Devin Thomas. Aldrick Robinson is another guy with blazing speed who has flashed at times and then disappears. I don't expect Brandon Banks to be back with the Redskins. The Redskins could look for another WR on the cheap in free agency or try to find the next Garcon in the later rounds of the draft.

6. Linebacker. I add this a little late because of the uncertainty of the position. Right now we don't know if London Fletcher is coming back or if he will retire. Nor do we know if Brian Orakpo will recover from his 2nd pectoral tear and be able to play without re-injuring it again. Nor do we know if Keenan Robinson will be 100% after his knee injury. Chris Wilson, Lorenzo Alexander and Rob Jackson (I believe is still considered a RFA) will be free agents. I expect Alexander to be a priority to re-sign for the 'Skins and the team will try to keep Jackson or at least try to get something for the former 7th round pick. It really depends on what happens in free agency and health that will determine the need for this position group.