Washington Redskins Inside Slant
by Sports Xchange
The Redskins haven't had to adjust too many changes in personnel because they only lost such little-used backups as Reche Caldwell, David Macklin and Mark Brunell to free agency along with third/fourth safety Pierson Prioleau. At the same time, Washington's only veteran pickups, defensive end Erasmus James and safety Stuart Schweigert, didn't arrive until after minicamp and the first three of 11 OTA days had passed.
When OTAs ended on June 12, Zorn said that the defense and running game (which he kept intact) were fully installed and the passing game was 70 percent complete.
Rookie to watch: Wide receiver Malcolm Kelly -- He was picked after fellow receiver Devin Thomas in the second round, but Kelly could have the biggest impact of any of Washington's 10 draft choices - besides fifth-rounder Durant Brooks, who's favored to wrest the punting job from incumbent Derrick Frost -- because of his size.
Second-round tight end Fred Davis is stuck behind Pro Bowl pick Chris Cooley, while third-round guard Chad Rinehart and fourth-round corner J.T. Tryon also have proven veterans in front of them. And while the 6-2 Thomas joined Kelly in making some nice catches during minicamp and OTA days, the latter's 6-4 frame is a quality that the Redskins have been lacking in the red zone with 5-10 starting wideouts Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El and their nearly as equally vertically challenged backups.
Sudden impact: Tackle Jon Jansen - Weak-side linebacker Rocky McIntosh, cornerback Carlos Rogers and guard Randy Thomas are all also recovering from injuries that ended their 2007 seasons prematurely. But right tackle Jansen is the only expected starter who finished 2007 on injured reserve who was allowed to fully participate during OTA days.
The return of the 32-year-old Jansen, who broke his right leg and dislocated his right ankle early in the second quarter of the 2007 opener against Miami, should be a boon to an offensive line that wound up starting rookie free agent Stephon Heyer in his place down the stretch after veteran backup Todd Wade wore down physically.
Heyer had his moments during his six starts, particularly against now-retired New York Giants star Michael Strahan, but Jansen, the longest-tenured Redskin as he heads into his 10th year in Washington, means a lot to the team physically and emotionally.
Line coach Joe Bugel raved about Jansen's offseason, but the veteran knows he has yet to feel 100 percent. Jansen, who's hedging his bets at tackle by taking some snaps in relief of center Casey Rabach and by expressing a willingness to try guard, expects that he won't be favoring his leg when the hitting starts for real in training camp.
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