Redskins Offseason: Offense

NFL free agency begins on Tuesday and I have yet to focus exclusively on a Washington sports team, so the Redskins made lots of sense.  The franchise continues to find its way, navigating the tough NFC East without any sense of progress.  Most of us as fans hope the Shanahan dynasty can improve on last season’s performance, but this offseason might make or break their time in DC.  By most reports, the often spendthrift franchise has $40 million of room under the salary cap.  So, here we go, position by position, hoping to find some answers.

Quarterback

Why not start with the most important position for every team this season.  Doesn’t take a degree in analytic math to understand the tandem of Grossman and Beck resembled Beevis and Butthead after the first four games.  Grossman showed signs of promise at points but never strung together more than three serviceable games.

Let’s discuss options.  The first one on everyone’s mind is Peyton Manning.  As much as this excites any Redskins fan, do not get too carried away.  Mike Shanahan runs a rollout offense with a QB who can move a la John Elway.  Not only does Peyton not fit that bill, but the more I listen to the pundits the more it seems his brother in the NFC would bother him.  And finally, what weapons do the Skins have to offer him?  Very, very little as of now compared to teams like Arizona and even Miami.

Free agency doesn’t present many good options beyond Manning.  Matt Flynn remains out there, but might not necessarily be a “franchise” quarterback.  The Redskins don’t want more stopgaps at the position, they want The Guy.

Which leaves the draft.  Robert Griffin III from Baylor looks mighty tempting, though the Rams would probably require first round picks this year as well as top round picks next year.  I’m on record that I’m uncomfortable with the move, but Griffin fits the Shanahan mold for QBs.  If the Skins are unable to get Griffin, they might pick Ryan Tannehill from Texas A&M and let him start, but I think they would prefer Grossman to that option, as awful as that sounds.

Most likely: Trade for Griffin.  The Skins want him and likely won’t sign Manning, and we all know Dan Snyder may have already put the Shanahans on a stopwatch to get results.

Running Back

Mike Shanahan often makes running backs look studly behind a zone blocking scheme.  Last year, the Skins brought in Tim Hightower from Arizona, only to see him lost for the season early on.  But, rookies Roy Helu and Evan Royster made huge strides and carried the offense in Grossman’s all-too-often absence.

Royster will be re-signed undoubtedly.  He presents an aggressive one-two punch with Helu against defenses.  Hightower, however, probably will not return.  While he blocks well and  is an above-average receiver out of the backfield, I doubt the two sides would agree on contract money given the reduction inherent in Hightower’s poor performance last year.

To replace Hightower, expect Shanahan to draft a late round prospect for third downs and passing downs.

Wide Receiver

Besides quarterback, the Redskins lack the most depth at WR.  Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney, and Donte Stallworth gave limited options to Grossman, especially with Moss being out for half the season.  The team needs a big-play receiver and established vertical threat to succeed in any way through the air.  To start, don’t expect to see Stallworth back next year.

Regrettably, the options out there might not fit the bill entirely or be too expensive.  San Diego’s Vincent Jackson would give a big body in the red zone but might prove too costly.  Mario Manningham doesn’t strike many as a number one wideout prospect after losing his prominence with the Giants to Victor Cruz last year.  In truth, the best option was Bills WR Stevie Johnson, who the Bills resigned this week, so the Skins lost out on him.

One possible internal option remains: Leonard Hankerson.  Hankerson caught 10 passes for 106 yards in Week 10 but was lost for the season just when everyone became excited.  Hankerson showed a great ability to spread the field during his time, and may find himself the Number two receiver as a spread option, freeing up Moss or Gaffney over the middle.

Tight End

Not much to be said here.  The team slapped Fred Davis with the franchise tag, assuring him $5.75 million next season.  Davis became a viable option for the offense, more so than backup Chris Cooley who continues to disappoint through injuries and poor performance.  Cooley carries a $3.8 million cap hit and is due a bonus upwards of $2 million, boding ill for his future in DC.  While it pains me to say it, I bet Cooley leaves town involuntarily due to his high cap hit.

Offensive Line

Ah yes, the perennial festering wound in the Redskins offense.  The Shanahan household lost many nights of sleep to the line last year, but DC residents shouldn’t feel bad after the past 10 O-lines.

At center the team showed its comfort with Will Montgomery by locking him up for three years last week.  And who can blame them?  Montgomery played well in time after Kory Lichtensteiger’s injury.  Lichtensteiger is a restricted free agent this offseason, and the Skins would do well to let him walk.  His injuries over the last two years don’t justify spending any more money on him than necessary.

Tackle presents the biggest dilemma.  First off, Jamaal Brown continues to scuttle the right side of the line, despite being owed $4.5 million next year, so any performance upgrade for less money would make the most sense for the team.  On the other side, Trent Williams expects $11 million in base salary despite big injuries and discipline problems since going fourth in the draft two years ago.  He needs to perform well this year and play at least 12 games to avoid bust status.  So how does the team either add depth or replace these gents?

Willie Smith, the backup tackle who took Williams’ spot at points last season, will likely be resigned by the team to provide the depth to safeguard the team and give Williams a little motivation.  Unfortunately, the tackle crop in free agency will be thin, with the only viable option being Chiefs starter Barry Richardson, so look for the team to add some depth in the draft and hope either Brown or Williams can rebound.  Someone like Florida State’s Andrew Datko could provide good services as he grows.

At guard, the Redskins boast a good young talent in Chris Chester, the only starter from last year guaranteed to return this season.  On the other side, however, the Skins may need to make a big free agent splash.  With the Saints franchising Drew Brees, their Pro Bowl tackle Carl Nicks would be the dream fit (never mind Jamaal Brown also came from the Saints after a Pro Bowl), but may be prohibitively expensive for DC.  The most likely coup would be signing Ben Grubbs from Baltimore.  Grubbs played exceptionally well last season and, by all accounts, would fit very well in the zone-blocking scheme.  If he comes on board, the offensive line immediately becomes much better.

Defense will be posted on Sunday.