July

July 18, 2008   

Don’t count out Redskins’ James, but patience might be necessary

As it stands now, coming off a knee injury and entering a crowded DE situation, Erasmus James — the failed former first-round pick of the Vikings who was traded to Washington for a conditional seventh-round draft pick — is far from guaranteed a roster spot. The team hopes that James, coming off ACL surgery last season, can be in shape to contribute at some point this preseason. The cautiously optimistic hope is that he can be ready to play in the final two preseason games, which would give him a chance to show he can contribute and make the roster. But with starters Phillip Daniels and Andre Carter, plus backups Chris Wilson and Demetric Evans, two players whom last year’s coaching staff liked, James must be impressive and hope that the team will keep five defensive ends on the 53-man roster, which is not far-fetched. One thing that could help James rediscover his college effectiveness is a return to the weight he played at with Wisconsin (where current Redskins DL coach John Palermo worked with him). He was in the 255- to 260-pound range there but bulked up to 275 pounds or more with the Vikings, and new Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache is a proponent of having James drop the weight, as opposed to former coordinator Gregg Williams, who liked his ends to be bigger.

July 18, 2008   

Redskins agree to terms with top pick Thomas

According to various reports, WR Devin Thomas and the Redskins have agreed on a four-year contract that includes a signing bonus of $2.75 million and a maximum value of $4.8 million.

The last unsigned Redskins rookie is second-round TE Fred Davis, but the team is confident his deal will be done before the start of camp. Davis is working out at Redskins Park, in fact, and could sign as early as late Friday or early Saturday.

Thomas was seen as the top receiver in the draft by many teams — including the Redskins who considered taking him at No. 21 before trading down — but no wideout was drafted in the first round this year.

According to PFW draft expert Nolan Nawrocki in the 2008 Draft Preview, Thomas is “an intimidating physical specimen with major-league speed” who “has a lot of upside if he can stay focused.”

June

June 25, 2008   

Redskins counting on healthy Jansen to anchor offensive line

ORT Jon Jansen is expected to rejoin the starting lineup following a painful double injury that he incurred in the season opener last season against Miami. Jansen reportedly is in good shape following rehab of his broken right leg and dislocated right ankle, earning a big thumbs-up from OL coach Joe Bugel, but Jansen still has a ways to go before he’s completely healthy. Having him back would allow the team to move slowly with promising OT Stephon Heyer, who had his moments as an undrafted rookie who was pressed into starting duty for five games. Heyer has a future, and the new staff appears to like him, but it would be ideal if Jansen could hold down the position for another season or two before they entrust the position to Heyer. As a safeguard, Jansen took snaps at center this summer and also said he was open to playing guard if it meant he could extend his career or improve the line.

June 6, 2008   

Zorn not happy with Springs’ absence from OTAs

If you’re a half-full kind of person and a Redskins fan, you’re no doubt glad that SS LaRon Landry has returned to “voluntary” organized team activities. But head coach Jim Zorn is not thrilled that CB Shawn Springs isn’t attending and hasn’t contacted the team to let it know of his expected arrival time. It could be training camp before the team sees its best cover corner ready to play football in earnest. Zorn and Springs have not spoken. But DE Phillip Daniels spoke up when he expressed his displeasure with Springs’ absence, and our sources say Zorn is not happy either, though he told the media that he “(doesn’t) get frustrated” at this type of thing. It’s the first sign of bad news during Zorn’s tenure, but Springs typically comes to camp in shape and ready to play. Of course, it doesn’t look good for team solidarity when WR Santana Moss shows up to Monday’s session hung over from his 29th birthday celebration and was sent home with what the team at the time called the “flu.” Moss later fessed up to partying too much the night before.

May

May 30, 2008   

James a speculative pickup for Redskins

There are many who questioned the wisdom of trading a seventh-round pick to the Vikings for banged-up DE Erasmus James, but there is some sense to the deal. The choice is dependent on James making the team, and if he does that, there’s a good chance his value will be greater than that of a seventh-round pick. When healthy, James could rediscover his pass-rushing skill, which he has not shown to date in the NFL as he did in college. He’s reunited with Redskins DL coach John Palermo, who coached James at Wisconsin, and Palermo is a noted teacher who is well-respected. James joins a DE rotation that includes Phillip Daniels, Andre Carter, Demetric Evans, Chris Wilson and Alex Buzbee — Rob Jackson, Tommy Davis and Kevin Huntley are considered long shots to make the team — one that likely will land five players on the 53-man roster. Daniels and Carter are sure bets, and Evans is considered a valuable reserve; James likely would have to beat out either Wilson or Buzbee, two speed rushers who opened eyes last season, to earn a roster spot.

May 21, 2008   

Thomas, Kelly feel like they can step in immediately

WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly became friends throughout the draft process, even rooming together when the two visited the Cowboys, well before they were taken in the same round (second) by the Redskins. So it’s only natural that they one day envision themselves starting opposite one another — and in their minds, soon. “I feel like I picked up on it pretty quick,” Thomas told PFW. “I noticed it’s a big playbook, so I am going to have to keep learning, but overall it’s not that hard.” Thomas has been learning the “Z” (flanker) position so far, while Kelly has been working at the “X” (split end). “It’s the West Coast offense, so there are going to be a lot of three- and four-wide sets, so there will be a chance for me to get playing time,” Kelly told PFW. “And it’s not all just quick-hitters; there’s some down-the-field stuff, too. The coaches told me they are looking for a big target, especially in the red zone, so if I go in and earn the chance, I could be a factor right away.”

May 16, 2008   

Zorn’s coaching has some Redskins feeling more free

Make no mistake, there was a very loyal faction of Joe Gibbs supporters in the locker room when he tendered his resignation this offseason. Many players grew fond of Gibbs, especially in the wake of the Sean Taylor tragedy, when some feel Gibbs supplied some of his best leadership, coaching and mentoring. But there also remained a group of players that disliked what they perceived as Gibbs' lack of trust, in the form of the coach's highly managed style and overly regimented system. The problem for others was consistency — the disconnect between Gibbs and some of his assistants became tangible and obvious, and it created locker-room tension. So far, the players appear to like the laid-back approach of new head coach Jim Zorn, who has allowed the players the freedom to learn the offensive system and self-govern throughout the early stages of the process. It has created, for some, a lighter atmosphere around the team. "We don't have people watching us constantly and telling us what to do like we're little kids," FB Mike Sellers said. "He puts it on ourselves. We're being treated like men."

May 2, 2008   

Zorn’s timing a little off, but he feels good about implementing offense

New head coach Jim Zorn admits that he would like to have more of the offense in place at this point, but that learning how to be a head coach and preparing for last week’s draft got in the way of him achieving that. He and many assistants and front-office people attended some last-minute draft workouts, including that of Clemson’s Phillip Merling, and perhaps the team didn’t like what it saw, prompting it to trade down from No. 21, where it might have taken Merling, into the second round, where the team added three pass catchers. As a result, Zorn said he’ll offer up a “minicamp book” of offensive plays that the team will incorporate into this weekend’s five practices. Zorn said that base of plays should be a good foundation for players such as WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis, once they rejoin the team during organized training activities later in the offseason.

April

April 23, 2008   

Redskins stock up on WR help after Johnson trade is rejected

Updated as of 8:00 a.m. EDT Monday, April 28

The Redskins were among the teams interested in Bengals WR Chad Johnson, and the team even made a blockbuster offer to land the disgruntled wideout. It had all the makings of a classic Redskins stroke, but Cincinnati shot down the deal. It’s hard to say if the Redskins will be better off in the long run, but they did rebound with an interesting series of moves on Draft Day, trading out of Round One and still being able to land one of the draft’s top-rated receivers, Devin Thomas of Michigan State. What’s more, just down a few slots in Round Two, the team added more pass-catching weaponry in TE Fred Davis and WR Malcolm Kelly. The moves clearly fill Jim Zorn’s desire to land a big receiver — in essence, he got three — but it clearly remains to be seen if he got a player anywhere near the caliber of Johnson.

April 18, 2008   

Could Redskins go O-line in Round One?

Convention has the Redskins going in any number of directions of need with their first pick, No. 21 overall — defensive line, receiver and cornerback are most often mentioned. But don’t overlook the offensive line, where age and injury have become two hot-button issues. In order to run his West Coast system and an effective short passing game, head coach Jim Zorn knows he must find blockers who can knock down defenders’ arms, get a powerful initial punch and have good quickness off the ball. They also might want to find some versatility in their linemen, which is why the team is bringing in USC OT Sam Baker for a pre-draft visit this weekend, Baker told PFW. Some talent evaluators project Baker to tackle, but others think he could be just as good at guard. That’s a plus for the Redskins, who have age or injury concerns at four of the five spots along the line. A player like Baker might fill in at multiple spots but eventually be groomed as a left tackle.

April 4, 2008   

Zorn says Campbell will need years to develop, like Hasselbeck did

It was not an indictment of his quarterback’s skills, but new head coach Jim Zorn did tell media at the owners’ meetings this week that QB Jason Campbell will have to “develop over several years” in order to grasp the complexities of the West Coast system he preaches and is installing, much like Matt Hasselbeck — the coach’s former protégé — had to do in Seattle. Zorn was quick to praise Campbell’s footwork, which is something the two of them have spent the most time working on since Zorn was named head coach. Although the entire offense has yet to be installed, Zorn said he has a working playbook that will be ready to be implemented in minicamp and that Campbell already has a decent feel for the plays he'll be expected to run.

March

March 26, 2008   

Defensive scheme changes might not be implemented wholesale under Blache

Many observers actually credit former defensive honcho Gregg Williams for the way he was able to adapt his defensive game plans based on the strengths of his personnel. All things being equal, Williams would have loved to blitz more often and play more single-high safety coverage the past two seasons, but he ended up having to play a lot more cover-2 and Tampa-2 defenses than he wanted to — save for the late run last season that put the team in the playoffs. New coordinator Greg Blache, the DL coach under Williams, spoke of being more aggressive upon his promotion this offseason, but it was interesting to hear MLB London Fletcher say that Blache made as much as 60 percent of the defensive calls last season. And considering the coach’s cover-2 background as a coordinator in Chicago, that could turn out to be the base defense once more.

March 19, 2008   

Draft becomes most likely route to fill WR need

The coaching staff might say that TE Chris Cooley is primed for his best season yet, or that Santana Moss has played like a No. 1 wideout before. They might even pump up the potential of Billy McMullen, who was added in January, or a trio of young wideouts (Anthony Mix, Burl Toler and Maurice Mann), one of whom might step up to earn a roster spot. But the fact remains — as head coach Jim Zorn iterated at the Combine — that the Redskins need an upgrade at receiver. Although the free-agent market appears dried up with Bryant Johnson and D.J. Hackett having picked other teams, and the trade market might be more hype than substance, the draft class is fairly strong at the WR position. The team will consider using a first-round pick on a receiver, but there could be better value down the line a bit. Either way, as it stands now, receiver is a top-three position need for the draft.

March 12, 2008   

Redskins might try to scoop up Hackett on the cheap

The Redskins have stayed true to their word of remaining mostly inactive in free agency. The pleasant surprises for them have been that they were able to retain both QB Todd Collins and KR Rock Cartwright, two players who had hoped perhaps to land starting jobs elsewhere. And the good news might continue: WR D.J. Hackett, whom many expected to be one player the Redskins might court early in free agency but has received surprisingly little attention on the market from any team, will be visiting with the team and could come at a very manageable price. Head coach Jim Zorn has talked of adding size at wideout this offseason, and he coached the 6-2 Hackett in the West Coast offense the past few seasons in Seattle, so the transition would be easier if he were to sign with Washington.

March 7, 2008   

Might the Redskins stay quiet until the draft?

Typically, the Redskins come out hot in free agency and stay cool through the draft, usually relegated to having fewer picks than most teams. In the past five years, the Redskins have had the fewest draft picks of any NFL team. But this year, the opposite could come true. The team has done nothing in free agency, only re-signing QB Todd Collins, as it is handicapped by its own past financial missteps. But with the team owning all of its original draft picks except for their fourth-rounder (which will go to the Broncos for the T.J. Duckett trade from 2006), and more picks possibly coming their way, it’s possible that the team could stay mostly quiet — expect a free-agent receiver to be added at some point — until the draft rolls around. Though we won’t know until the end of the month, the Redskins could gain at least one compensatory pick for losing free agents last offseason, when Derrick Dockery, Duckett and David Patten, plus others, signed with other teams.

February

Feb. 29, 2008   

Redskins in coupon-cutting mode as free agency opens, but trades could happen

Take a look at the wish lists of people like Daniel Snyder, Vinny Cerrato and Jim Zorn, and dreams of Randy Moss, Lance Briggs and Asante Samuel might dance on the page. But with a unwieldy salary-cap situation and a newfound commitment to prudent, smart shopping, the Redskins have said almost in lockstep this offseason they will be taking a measured approach to signing free agents. Of course, what they say and what they do oftentimes are not in accord. Instead, don’t be surprised if the team gets involved more in the trade market — perhaps a burgeoning trend leaguewide. The team needs DL help and could contact the Jets about Dewayne Robertson. The Redskins were among the teams that contacted the Falcons about available CB DeAngelo Hall. And you’ll continue to hear Bengals WR Chad Johnson’s name attached to the Redskins until there is a comment from Johnson himself that he is not going anywhere.

Feb. 20, 2008   

Smith hired as offensive coordinator; Zorn will call plays

One longtime NFL executive wonders if Jim Zorn may be biting off more than he can chew in his first go-round as the Redskins’ head coach. “Calling plays in this league is tough,” the executive said. “Being a head coach is a nightmare. Doing both … few guys can (do it). I love Jimmy Zorn as much as a lot of people, and I saw him as a guy who could do one or the other, but both, I don’t know. He’s got a lot on his plate.” The executive, though, says he won’t be surprised if Zorn at some point hands off the play-calling duties to new coordinator Sherman Smith, much as Vikings head coach Brad Childress did last season with first-time coordinator Darrell Bevell. “Or Jim Fassel (handing off) to Sean Payton,” the exec said. “Of course, Jim (Fassel) took the play-calling away from him later on, which (eventually) drove him out of New York.”

Feb. 13, 2008   

Zorn's staff coming together, but more coaches are on the way

New head coach Jim Zorn’s new staff is taking shape, but more rumors are being floated about who else might fill out his still-vacant coaching positions. Zorn said he would “definitely” hire an offensive coordinator, and many signs point to Titans assistant head coach/running backs Sherman Smith, who was a teammate of Zorn’s during their playing days in Seattle. Smith never has called plays before, but he has been Jeff Fisher’s assistant head coach the past two seasons and is a product of the respected Miami (Ohio) coaching lineage. The two men are said to be close friends. Another potential hire is Seahawks RB coach Stump Mitchell, who is also close with Zorn. In fact, there is a possible “trade” scenario of coaches: Mitchell could land in Washington, and current Redskins RB coach Earnest Byner, who recently re-signed with the team for a year, could take Mitchell’s same job in Seattle.

Feb. 1, 2008   

Fassel, Spagnuolo ahead of Mariucci in head-coaching derby

Updated as of 11:30 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 5

There are connections between former 49ers and Lions head coach Steve Mariucci — who has served the past two years as an analyst for the NFL Network — to both of the Redskins’ coordinator hires, Jim Zorn (offense) and Greg Blache (defense). And Redskins executive vice president of football operations Vinny ­Cerrato worked in San Francisco when Mariucci was hired as Niners head coach. That said, team sources tell us that former Giants head coach Jim Fassel and current Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo remain higher on the team’s list to fill their head-coaching vacancy. Fassel nearly was offered the job after the conference championship game weekend, we hear, but owner Daniel Snyder wanted to wait once he and his staff identified Spagnuolo as a candidate.