Only seven rounds?
Update Wed 22 April, thanks to reader James for pointing out that I omitted the strong side linebacker position from my pre draft breakdown, I prepped notes and references and somehow forgot to insert into final, omission corrected and thanks for the spot.
Those who fail to know their team face certain failure in the draft. Curly R's five part series prepping for the Redskins 2009 draft continues.
Part One: The Offense
Part Two: The Defense and Special Teams
Part Three: The Contract Years
Part Four: The Draft Picks
Part Five: What the Redskins Must Do
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Where do you start when a team needs everything? Even well managed teams need everything, there are only seven rounds in the NFL draft these days, old time football fans will remember when the draft was 21 rounds and took all week, teams could scrape every hint of talent out of the colleges and then own those players.
Now you get seven picks, maybe a couple extra supplementals if you lost a decent player in free agency and that is it. Then every team scrambles together to sign every other prospect.
So those draft picks have to count, you only get to make each one once. You need to pick the player that meets the need of the team.
Here is Curly R's review of the defensive and special teams positions and their relative state of need, these are strictly the opinions of Curly R writers and editors:
Right defensive end
Players: Andre Carter is the principle starter, he will be 30 when the season opens and in his fourth season with Washington. I will agree with Greg Trippiedi at Hog Heaven, anyone that is still stuck on his weak 2006 performance is not paying close enough attention, sure Andre is not Michael Strahan or Deacon Jones, no one is. He is exceptional against the pass but could be a lot better against the run. The last two seasons CFL veteran Chris Wilson was the primary backup, rising second year seventh rounder Rob Jackson will also be in the mix at right end.
State of the position: while the defensive end position overall is in dire need, the right side is in better shape than the left. Andre should have a better season this year than last, just do not expect him ever to be solid against the run.
Draft need: A tough case to make. With the opportunity cost of another player in need it would not make sense for the Redskins to spend a high pick on another pass rushing right end. That talk of Brian Orakpo aka Oh Crappo is interesting for its prurient value but not what the team needs most. Check back with me in the third round.
Right defensive tackle
Players: Albert Haynesworth, the bonus baby. Solid role players Anthony Montgomery and Kedric Golston will spell Albert, as he never makes every play in a game.
State of the position: all good now, at least in theory. The Redskins have had a dreadful defensive line, soft in the middle and easy to run around, for some time. Anthony and Kedric are high effort guys though really holding the position until a better solution could be found. The numbers game could catch either one of those guys in camp.
Draft need: NO WAY JOSE! While BJ Raji is a fantasy for Washington, he will not be available at thirteen and in any event if the Redskins were to trade up it would not be for BJ, it would be for Mark Sanchez or some other madness.
Left defensive tackle
Players: Cornelius Griffin is the incumbent and turned 32 last December. He is in his sixth season with the team, having signed in Joe Gibbs' first year back. Lorenzo Alexander, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston and Demetric Evans variously have spelled Cornelius.
State of the position: Cornelius is a solid player with good size at 6-3 311, he does not have terrific lateral mobility and seems to be in decline. He is a hole stuffer and with the addition of Albert Haynesworth to his right, Cornelius is likely to have a better 2009 and maybe even extend his career a year or two.
Draft need: Yo quiero draft pick! While BJ Raji is the guy that gives team execs wood, think about BJ and Albert side by side, there is no way the team could draft BJ given the opportunity cost of another player. However down the draft the team should be looking for a big body to bring in and start thinking about the future.
Left defensive end
Players: Phillip Daniels is back with the team after missing all of 2008 with a knee injury, Phillip is 36 and this will be his sixth season with the team, like his line mate Cornelius Griffin, Phillip came aboard with Joe Gibbs. After two year absence from the team, Renaldo Wynn is back, Renaldo will be 35 when the season starts, this will be Renaldo's sixth season with Washington.
State of the position: after Phillip went down on the first day of training camp last year, Demetric Evans stepped up and had a great season, then the team inexplicably let him go and for a time there was no one on the roster with experience and the left, run stuffing end position. Phillip drew no interest from other teams and Renaldo is also back on a veteran minimum deal, these are tough and strong guys that are at an advanced NFL age. The presumed starter is coming back from a major injury, which does not say a lot about the main backup who is actually 18 months younger. These guys are only here to hold the line, no one will be surprised if that side of the line leaks, we just need to keep it from becoming a gusher. This position could be a train wreck in 2009.
Draft need: Yo quiero draft pick! Brian Orakpo aka Oh Crappo is not the guy for this spot and there is not another top shelf run stopper on the board, there is nothing the Redskins can get in the first round that will help this cause. They need to look hard at third or fifth round and see if they can scrape out a player that could get some youth into the snaps and develop for the future.
Weak side linebacker
Players: Rocky McIntosh is the incumbent, Rocky is 26 and in his fourth season with Washington. After that it gets murky, 2008 preseason spark plug Alfred Fincher and recent free agent signee Robert Thomas should compete or play roles on the weak side.
State of the position: Rocky, 26 and in his fourth season with the Redskins, started off 2008 at a Pro Bowl level, then his rapid rehab from his gruesome 2007 knee injuries caught up with him and he kind of disappeared in the second half of the season, Rocky is in a contract year and has yet to live up to his second round pedigree. That said Rocky is determined to become a team leader and if his body can hold up and he can focus for an entire season then Washington will be in good shape. Alfred and Robert may both challenge for this position, from what we saw last preseason Alfred may be able to play this position a little bit.
Draft need: Yo quiero draft pick! While the strong side linebacker position is in greater need than the weak side, there is no reason to think the Redskins cannot address both. That number thirteen pick would not be served with a linebacker and if the team's next pick was an LB, I would pick for the strong side if I could, if not I might take the best linebacker on the board.
Middle linebacker
Players: London Fletcher will be 34 and in his third season with the Redskins in 2009. He is a ridiculously consistent player, leads the team in tackles every year, can play the run and the pass. HB Blades, a rising third year sixth rounder, showed development last year, especially at the strong side in place of oft injured Marcus Washington.
State of the position: the Redskins are good to go at middle linebacker. London is ageless and the future looks at least not miserable with HB as a potential starter, though if HB were to launch into a starting spot on the strong side it could create depth issues at this position.
Draft need: NO WAY JOSE! If the team takes a linebacker and he cam play some middle spot, awsum, otherwise use your picks for something else.
Strong side linebacker
Players: with Marcus Washington departed but possibly returning for a veteran minimum deal, this is the linebacker position in the greatest state of flux. HB Blades, also London Fletcher's main backup at middle linebacker, seems to be the odds on best fit for the position, HB had a lot of game time at the strong side last season in place of Marcus and made some plays though he is a bit undersize. Alfred Fincher, a phyiscally larger player the coaches obviously like and will give every chance to find a spot, will be in the mix as well.
State of the position: there is a need here and it is based in depth more than quality for the linebacker spot most in charge of defending the run. Marcus Washington was and I believe still can be a monster at the position, his body just will not let him go with hip, ankle and hamstring problems compounding over the years. I have observed the position is well above average with him in the game and over the past two seasons with HB Blades and the departed (in a football sense that is) Randall Godfrey it is merely average which is not necessarily a bad thing if you are getting good middle linebacker, defensive line and strong safety play. HB is slightly small for the position and Alfred has the size but maybe not the burst. These two may have a terrific battle for the spot with one of them emerging as a top player, or maybe they will simply be rotating placeholders until a better player can be found. The 2009 season will be one of discovery at this position.
Draft need: Yo quiero draft pick! At the minimum a depth player is needed, if HB claims the starting strong side spot then that leaves London's backup spot empty which may not be a huge problem since London plays every down. Three starters leaves two quality reserves right now as Khary Campbell will not see much or any non special teams playing time and Robert Thomas is filler until he proves otherwise. The Redskins other needs are too great to spend the number thirteen pick on this spot and have no second round pick, barring a trade to move into that round I would start looking at best player at this spot in round three.
Cornerback
Players: Carlos Rogers, a 2005 first round pick and four year starter, will be 28 when the season starts and in a contract year. DeAngelo Hall, who turned 25 in November, signed a long term deal after slumming with Washington for the second half of the 2008 season and pulling in three interceptions. Fred Smoot, who just turned 30 and is in his seventh total season with the Redskins, remains the top back up. There is also a rumor of a rising second year fourth round pick named Justin Tryon in the mix somewhere.
State of the position: while the Redskins have some concerns for the future, the team is in great shape for 2009. Carlos and DeAngelo would be expected to win the starting jobs with Fred playing often, maybe 20 or 30 snaps in a game. Carlos is in a contract year and is therefore playing for his 2010 dinner, whether in Washington or elsewhere. DeAngelo is an elite corner and unlike Carlos for so long, seems able to make a play on the ball from time to time, he needs not to be an asshole or get complacent with the big contract. Fred has lost a step to be sure but still can play at this level, his tendency to play off his man is now his biggest weakness, he makes all his receivers possession receivers. And Justin Tryon, yeah like whatever he is in there somewhere.
Draft need: NO WAY JOSE! Washington is set for 2009, no need to start looking for a cornerback until 2010, even if Carlos leaves in free agency after 2009, the team has options with Fred Smoot and free agency before the 2010 draft.
Strong safety
Players: Chris Horton, teh greatets 7ht round pik evar is the incumbent, having blown into the scene last season from the bottom of the draft. Reed Doughty, a rising fourth year sixth round pick, re signed with the team last month and will be in the mix. A veteran such as Mike Green may be in there for depth.
State of the position: while LaRon Landry may be a natural strong safety with his burst and hitting ability, he has moved into the Sean Taylor center fielder free safety role and will not be challenging at strong safety, at least not this year. Chris still has a learning curve and Reed has weaknesses that are easily exploited, this is a position of some concern. The team needs to lean on Chris and push him to make the jump from spark plug rookie to field leader.
Draft need: A tough case to make. The main need at this position is for experience and you ain't gonna get that in the draft. The Redskins need to stand pat and hope Chris Horton and Reed Doughty are the guys.
Free safety
Players: LaRon Landry will be 24 when his third season in Washington starts, LaRon has been able to make the transition from strong safety his first year when playing alongside Seasn Taylor to free safety in his absence. Although he may be suited to play strong safety, there is no one else at the position with LaRon's combination of speed and hittability. Rising second year Kareem Moore looks to get more involved at the position in 2009.
State of the position: like strong safety, the main concern at free safety is experience, not depth and you cannot draft experience. LaRon continues to develop into an elite coverage safety can lay a hit with the best players at his position. Kareem was on the field more in the second half of the season and will be looking for chances to improve. All in all this position is solid.
Draft need: NO WAY JOSE! With so many other needs, the team would not be wise to spend a high or middle round pick at this position. As with last season, if needs are addressed early, there is no reason the team could not take safety and see which position is best for him.
Kicker
Player: Shaun Suisham. After no competion in 2008 camp, started strong and ended weak, literally, not really reliable past 40 yards. The team has signed fourth year journey man kicker Dave Rayner to challenge Shaun in camp, I expect there will be other kickers coming through Ashburn this season.
State of the position: the Redskins have struggled to find a real kicker, Shaun seemed like the closest thing for a while and now is just not consistent enough, he needs to fight for his job.
Draft need: Are you daft? You do not draft kickers, expecially when you are down picks from previous trades.
Punter
Player: Derrick Frost lost a rigged 2008 training camp battle to sixth round pick Durant Brooks who then got himself canned six games into the season. Durant's replacement, Ryan Plackemeier, was as bad or worse than Durant and was not resigned, the position is now vacant. There are a couple of guys on the roster now, they are just placeholders.
State of the position: really bad. It is possible the Redskins punter of the future is not yet even born.
Draft need: Are you daft? After what happened last year with Durant Brooks that is a joke right?
Kickoff returns
Player: Rock Cartwright, 29 and in his eight season with the team, has found himself a nice little redoubt from which to maintain his career, averaging better than 25 yards per return the past two seasons.
State of the position: unless Rock is the victim of a numbers game, likely at the position where he is third on the depth chart, tailback, he will have this position under control in 2009.
Draft need: only in the context of a player drafted for another purpose.
Punt returns
Player: Antwaan Randle El, who will be 30 when the 2009 season starts, is in his fourth season with Washington. No other player is consistently on the field returning punts.
State of the position: weak at best, Antwaan has not been able to get over seven yards per return in two seasons, this despite returning more than 30 punts each of those two years. Whether it is the coverage or Antwaan's tendency simply to fall down, I do not know, what I do know is the team needs to impove this position.
Draft need: only in the context of a player drafted for another purpose.
Long snapper
Player: Ethan Albright. Enought said.
State of the postion: solid, Ethan is the Highlander.
Draft need: as if.
Redskins 2009 Draft Prep continues tomorrow with part three, The Contract Years.
Draft beer selection from here.
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