Redskins 2007 Depth Chart

Xs and Os

The Redskins roster is set for now, there may be some movement at receiver but that's mostly futility slash idealism and not strategy. There is no need for the Redskins to be freaking out for a quote quality unquote fifth receiver since there are no catches in store for that receiver anyway. More on the below.

So now let us walk the depth chart and see what this team looks like going into the 2007 season, which starts Sunday (on CBS no less, it's an AFC game, not an NFC game fon Fox). My thoughts may differ from official pronouncements as below, comments and thoughts are welcome.

Redskins.com runs through the roster here and the team's official depth chart is here. The WaPo depth chart is here, though it is obviously out of date (it features Todd Wade starting at left guard) and the nfl.com Redskins depth chart is here.

Quarterback
1. Jason Campbell
2. Mark Brunell
3. Todd Collins

Notes: Joe Gibbs says he has made up his mind about the backup but will not say yet until the players know. I think we will see more of the half-measure from last season where Todd will be the in-game fill-in and Mark will be the announced starter if Jason is unavailable for the next week. Why do I think this? Because Todd looks good enough to fake out a defense for three or four drives but he will get piledrived if a defense has a whole week to prepare. No matter what we say about Mark, he can keep his cool.


Tailback
1. Clinton Portis
2. Ladell Betts
3. Rock Cartwright
4. Marcus Mason (I'm so proud...)

Notes: for at least the first few weeks, Clinton will get the start and Ladell will get lots of action. Clinton got the diva treatment and played NOT A SNAP in preseason and even if he is good to go knee-wise he will not be in game shape, at least not 25 carries a game shape. Remember the 74 yard run he broke off against the Texans last season? Should have gone house but he was winded from not running while recovering from the dislocated shoulder. Rock Cartwright is not an option as a regular ball carrier (hesitation at the point of attack, poor lateral movement, fumbles) so if Clinton can't go or someone gets hurt, we'll see my boy Marcus Mason off the inactive list and in the game.


Fullback / H-back
1. Mike Sellers

Notes: this guy is so cut this season I think a lead pipe would bounce off him. He has no backup on the roster, Brian Bell is his backup on the practice squad. Joe Gibbs was an H-back guy with little fullback play but in the Al Saunders system there is no H-back with lots of fullbacl play. The team is confident that he can handle the load, and he is a load. The Redskins are set here and it will be a pleasure to see Mike catching balls out of the backfield and bowling opponents over.


Receiver
1. Santana Moss
2. Antwaan Randle El
3. Brandon Lloyd
4. James Thrash
5. Shaun Bodiford or some other stiff

Notes: Santana Santana Santana with a side of Antwaan. Last season number three receiver James Thrash caught 12 passes and putative number two Brandon caught 23. Even if both of those positions double productivity we are still talking 70 passes out of the roughly 270 the Redskins can expect to complete this season. If Santana recaptures 2005 form (which was nearly identical to Laveranues Coles' 2004) he'll pull down 80 to 100 passes and the backs and tight ends are likely going to be in the 120-150 catches range. That does not leave a lot of meat on the bone for the numbers two, three, four and five receivers. All this bullshit about finding the best available number five receiver is like trying to find a window treatment to complement the bedspread. Once this decision is made it will be forgotten.


Tight end
1. Chris Cooley
2. Todd Yoder
3. Cody Boyd or no one

Notes: Chris just signed a longterm deal which is good for him and his wife's shopping habits but I worry about the money-year dropoff. Chris has big play potential catching over 50 passes last year and over 70 in 2005. He's at his best with the catch and run and he has good footwork. Todd Yoder who is allegedly mainly a blocker but did catch a TD pass against the Buccaneers last year, is the backup and fresh-off-the-trashheap Cody Boyd (yeah I know, it's like who?) is number three. To be fair, Cody is a monster, 6-8 264 lbs and maybe... well whatever.


Offensive line
Left tackle
1. Chris Samuels
2. Todd Wade
3. Stephon Heyer

Notes: Chris is back and allegedly running at 100% and ready for the opener. With Pete Kendall coming in at left guard the Todd Wade Experiment at left guard is over and Todd can go back to his natural position of left tackle. Stephon who did pretty well as an undrafted rookie free agent all things considered except for allowing Brett Keisel van Oelhoffen's hit can safely sit at the back of the chart and learn. He has the body of a left tackle if only he can get better. The team's official depth chart has Stephon at number two and Jason Fabini at number three, but I think this is not the way it will play out. Todd played last season and even had a start (granted, at right tackle) and I think he gets the nod in line and if needed will be evaluated for performance and possible demotion to Stephon but we will not be seeing Jason Fabini at LT.

Left guard
1. Pete Kendall
2. Mike Pucillo
3. Todd Wade

Notes: this list differs from the official one on redskins.com (op. cit.). It omits Mike Pucillo but as long as Mike is not called to serve as the center he'll be the number two LG, Todd Wade is an emergency call at LG. By bringing Pete in by trade, this position unfucks itself. Pete and Chris will have to work hard to get rhythm but both are seasoned pros and will make it work. The Redskins will need some hard running by the backs and crisp routes by the receivers to give these two cover while they get used to playing. This makes me more concerned about Clinton's performance.

Center
1. Casey Rabach
2. Mike Pucillo

Notes: Casey has balls and knows how to use them. He is a solid player and the Redskins should have nothing to worry about with him barring injury. Mike will see little action at C if things go well, which is why I Mike penciled in as playing more LG than C.

Right guard
1. Randy Thomas
2. Jason Fabini

Notes: was Randy in the news at all this preaseason? He is so steady we will not be seeing much of Jason Fabini who is himself a former starter.

Right tackle
1. Jon Jansen
2/3. Todd Wade
2/3. Jason Fabini

Notes: I'm not certain who will spell Jon, it was Todd Wade last season that moved in to start when Jon was hurt but between LG and LT Todd may be spread too thin and if he had no reps at RT he won't be there. My guess is Jason Fabini replaces Jon if needed and Todd moves there the next week while Stephon moves to backup LT. Jon had some issues early on in pass protection in the preaseason games but it is what it is and if Jon goes down things get massively shuffled on that line.


Defensive line
Left defensive end
1. Phillip Daniels
2/3. Demetric Evans
2/3. Chris Wilson

Notes: this position was never really in competition, just who plays behind Phillip. The Redskins' site says Chris Wilson is the backup but he is a first year player and at 6-4 240 lbs is a bit smaller than Demetric Evans at 6-3 275 lbs. But Chris apparently has a good first step and could see play on passing downs while Demetric could be a run stopper.

Left defensive tackle
1. Cornelius Griffin
2/3. Anthony Montgomery
2/3. Ryan Boschetti
4. Lorenzo Alexander aka Scarface

Notes: Anthony is a rising second year player with a start from last season and Ryan is a big guy fourth year reserve with few stats. He is clearly a placeholder and if Scarface can show he belons he will supplant Ryan.

Right defensive tackle
1. Kedric Golston
2/3. Anthony Montgomery
2/3. Ryan Boschetti
4. Lorenzo Alexander aka Scarface

Notes: Kedric supplanted Joe Salave'a last season and the right defensive tackle job is his now. The backups start to be interchangeable pending need and down/distance.

Right defensive end
1. Andre Carter
2/3. Demetric Evans
2/3. Chris Wilson

Notes: Andre come on strong after a lackluster start and I hope he can keep it going. His big weakness is run defense and Chris is also a pass rush specialty.


Linebacker
Weakside linebacker
1. Rocky McIntosh
2. Khary Campbell

Notes: the Redskins only kept six linebackers on the roster with two youngsters on the practice squad. With Warrick Holdman's weak performance in 2006 (69 tackles) and subsequent departure this position is all Rocky's. Utility man Khary is the backup but the weak side will rise and fall on Rocky.

Middle linebacker
1. London Fletcher
2. HB Blades
3. Khary Campbell

Notes: although HB is in all analyses linked above listed as the number two middle linebacker I wonder if that is so out of the gate. On the other hand London is an iron man and plays nearly every down and over his career the Maytag repair man could have backed him up. I don't think we'll be seeing much of Khary at this spot. The departed Lemar Marshall played this position last season and would have been London's backup but OH WELL.

Strongside linebacker
1. Marcus Washington
2. Randall Godfrey
3. Khary Campbell

Notes: Marcus thinks he'll be back from the dislocated elbow (ouch!) suffered in the Steelers preseason game. In case he is not Randall will start.


Cornerback
1. Shawn Springs
2. Carlos Rogers
3. Fred Smoot
4. David Macklin
5. Leigh Torrence

Notes: Loveboat Freddie will be lurking in case Carlos gets a case of the brick hands as last season. Otherwise the top three will rotate regularly depending on the situation and who needs a blow (no, Freddie that was not a jab at you but it was funny anyway). David will be the dime back until Shawn Springs gets hurt around week six and all players move up a spot. Byron Westbrook and John Eubanks are on the practice squad.


Safety
Free safety
1. Sean Taylor
2/3. Pierson Prioleau
2/3. Reed Doughty

Notes: Sean now gets to range back and watch the play before deciding whether to maim an opposing ball carrier or receiver. Pierson is back from his season-ending knee injury last season and Reed is showing some development (he played barely at all last season) but Sean's power supply will not be exhausted until the year 4500000000 at which point the Sean swells to engulf Earth and the depth chart is moot anyway.

Strong safety
1. LaRon Landry
2. Pierson Prioleau
3. Vernon Fox

Notes: I may not have been for the LaRon pick and I'll wait to see how the defensive line performs this year before rendering a final judgement but DAMN he's fun to watch. He appears to have the whole package: speed, acceleration (lateral and medial) vision and a superpower similar to Sean Taylor's: that unique ability to focus the entirety of his body's force into the direction of the runner. In this regard LaRon is like The Rhino to Sean's Juggernaut. I expect we will see some of the depth chart here because despite his stature LaRon is still a rookie. He'll get beat and he'll get tired.


Special teams
Kicker
Shaun Suisham. Notes: he never faced any competition which I thought was odd but the team will have no compunction about bringing in a kicker to challenge, maybe a fresh face like John Hall (lol), Brett Conway (crunk) or Scott Blanton (pwned).

Punter
Derrick Frost. Notes: also faced no preseason competition, woo-hoo let's go Derrick. His preseason kicks ranged from awesome to awful so there you go. Derrick is also the kick holder, as it should be.

Returns
Kickoffs
Rock Cartwright. Notes: this is odd since he's not that explosive. Behind him is anybody's guess, maybe that number five receiver they are dreaming about.

Punts
Antwaan Randle El. Notes: he's happy here, let him have it. Ditto for who's behind him.

Long snapper
Ethan Albright. Notes: he's been with the team like 100 years.


The depth chart will be maintained this season under this label.



Redskins stats from here, check out the handy-dandy dropdown for previous years' stats.

Pro football field dimensions from here.