UA-59049186-1 2017 NFL Team Preview: Washington Redskins - Good if it Goes

2017 NFL Team Preview: Washington Redskins

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Last Year:

Record: 8-7-1

Offense: 24.8 (12th)

Defense: 23.9 (19th)

Offseason: 

Key Acquisitions: WR. Terrelle Pryor, DE. Terrell McClain, DT. Stacy McGee, LB. Zach Brown, S. DJ Swearinger

Key Losses: WR. Desean Jackson, WR. Pierre Garcon, DE. Chris Baker,

2017 Draft Picks

 

2017 Outlook 

Coaching Staff

RD(PK) PLAYER POS SCHOOL
1(17) Jonathan Allen DT Alabama
2(17) Ryan Anderson OLB Alabama
3(17) Fabian Moreau CB UCLA
4(7) Samaje Perine RB Oklahoma
4(17) Montae Nicholson S Michigan State
5(10) Jeremy Sprinkle TE Arkansas
6(15) Chase Roullier C Wyoming
6(25) Robert Davis WR Georgia State
7(12) Josh Harvey-Clemons S Louisville
7(17) Josh Holsey CB Auburn

Offense

QB. Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy

RB. Rob Kelly, Chris Thompson

WR. Terrelle Pryor, Brian Quick

WR. Josh Doctson, Kendal Thompson

WR. Jamison Crowder

TE. Jordan Reed, Niles Paul

TE. Vernon Davis, Jeremy Sprinkle

LT. Trent Williams, Ty Nsekhe

LG. Shawn Lauvao, Isaiah Williams

C. Spencer Long, Ronald Patrick

RG. Brandon Schreff, Arie Kouandjio

RT. Morgan Moses, Vinston Painter

Defense

DE. Terrell McClain, Matt Ioannidis

NT. Stacy McGee, Phil Taylor

DE. Jonathan Allen, Ziggy Hood

OLB. Trent Murphy, Preston Smith

MLB. Zach Brown, Will Compton

MLB. Mason Foster, Chris Carter

OLB. Ryan Kerrigan, Ryan Anderson

CB. Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar

SS. Su’a Cravens, Montae Nicholson

FS. DJ Swearinger, Deangelo Hall

CB. Bashaud Breeland, Fabian Moreau

NB. Kendall Fuller

Specialists

K. Dustin Hopkins

P. Tress Way

 Breakdown

Offense:

The Redskins offensive line was one of the best in the NFL last season and all five starters return which means they should be as good if not better in 2017. They may have the best tackle duo in the NFL in Trent Williams and Morgan Moses. Williams was the best tackle in the NFL in 2016 playing at a very high level both run and pass blocking. Moses is a top five RT who also played well and blocked well for the run and pass. The interior of the Redskins line is not quite that good but they were good enough. Brandon Scherff is the best in that group at RG. The former college tackle has been playing guard since he entered the league and thrived there last season. At the other LG spot is Shawn Lauvao who was the weak link of the line last year. He struggled the most of anyone in the group and could be pushed by third year player Arie Kouandjilo for his job. Spencer Long moved from LG to C last season and did a good job and solidified the position. The Redskins took some hits at receiver losing Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. However they prepared last season by drafting Josh Doctson in the first round. He was hurt last year and only played in two games but he has big time potential and was one of the best 50/50 ball guys in his draft and has all the tools to develop into a number one receiver. The Redskins also went out and signed Terrelle Pryor who had a breakout season with the Browns in 2016 and now in Washington with better QB play he could be even better in 2017. Jamison Crowder returns as the slot guy. He was steal in the fourth round of the 2014 draft and has been very productive in both of his first two seasons. The Redskins are loaded at tight end. Jordan Reed is a star and with Jackson and Garcon out I think he will become the definitive number one option. Vernon Davis will start in the two TE packages. He had a bounce back season after looking like his career might be on the decline. Offensively the Skins are weakest at RB. Robert Kelly and Chris Thompson are the top two guys and Kelly will start. Kelly is an above average back that had some good moments last year rushing for over 700 yards and 4.2 yards per carry in the nine games he started. For the second straight season Kirk Cousins will be playing QB under the franchise tag. That means he will once again be highly motivated to go out and play his absolute best with the hopes of cashing in next offseason. He was fantastic last year throwing for just under 5,000 yards and completing 67% of his passes. Overall the Redskins could end up being just as good if not better offensively than 2016. They lost Jackson but Pryor is younger, bigger, and more all-around talented so that could be an upgrade and Doctson could be an upgrade over Garcon if he stays healthy. Everything else is exactly the same for this group.

Defense:

Defense was a big problem for the Skins in 2016 but they made a big effort both in free agency and the draft to improve that side of the ball. Four of the Redskins first five picks were defensive players and they signed four free agents all of whom figure to either start or get significant playing time. The defensive line has been completely overhauled with three new starters. Two free agent pick ups in Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain and first round pick Jonathan Allen. McGee comes over from the Raiders after his best season and will play nose in the 3-4 packages and probably move to tackle in nickel packages. McClain Will be a defensive end in the 3-4 sets and be a rotational guy in nickel packages. Allen was one of the top interior prospects in his class and was a steal in the middle of the first round. The Redskins best position on defense last year was probably their edge linebackers. Not only are all their best players at that position returning but they strengthened a strength in the second round by drafting Ryan Anderson in the second round. They are now four deep at OLB led by Ryan Kerrigan and Trent Murphy. The two combined for 20 sacks last season and Preston Smith chipped in with five more. The Redskins picked up Mason Foster last offseason and he played well in his first year with the team. He was pretty good playing the run and was one of the best coverage linebackers in the league last season. However, Will Compton was a disaster starting next to him and has since been demoted as the team went back to free agency this season to pick up Zach Brown who had a breakout season with the Bills last year. Brown is one of the more athletic linebackers in the league and like Foster covers very well. The Redskins secondary was a disappointment last year. Josh Norman was the only corner that played well and even his played dipped from what it was in 2016. He figures to be the top corner again this season. Bashaud Breeland was a disaster most of last season after having a very good 2015 season. Can he bounce back in 2017 will be the question? Kendall Fuller, their third round pick a year ago, got the nod in the slot and he too struggled. With a year of experience under his belt he should be better this season. If Fuller and Breeland do not play better the team’s third round pick in this year’s draft Fabian Moreau will be looking to push for playing time. The safety play was also a disaster which has prompted to Redskins to make big changes bringing in DJ Swearinger and moving Su’a Cravens from LB to safety full time. If nothing else the safety play against the run should be much improved but if Cravens covers well at safety the Redskins could have a pretty good duo. Overall the Redskins defense should be a lot better in 2017. They appear to have upgraded at all three levels of the defense and I believe that will translate into good results on the field.

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