The Redskins offseason work comes to an end on Wednesday, but the most important chunk took place last week during mandatory minicamp. Nearly the full team showed up to the Ashburn facility, with one very notable absence in Trent Williams.
After three days of practices with the veterans lined up alongside the new free agent additions as well as the rookies, things look different. Nothing will impact the roster like three weeks of practices in Richmond during training camp, but a much clearer view of the Redskins future roster came into place after minicamp. Below is the latest projection:
Quarterback (3)
Dwayne Haskins
Case Keenum
Colt McCoy
Note: McCoy didn't practice with the team during minicamp. Instead he worked off to the side with injured tight end Jordan Reed. Still, neither Haskins or Keenum showed enough command of Jay Gruden's offense for the team to carry just two QBs. Don't count McCoy out of the QB competition quite yet, and definitely don't take him off the roster.
Running Back (4)
Adrian Peterson
Derrius Guice
Chris Thompson
Samaje Perine
Note: Peterson and Thompson looked good during minicamp, and Guice looks very, very ready to get back on the practice field even though he hasn't done so yet after a knee injury in 2018. Still, Perine has gotten the most work all spring and has looked very good. Gruden has talked up Perine every chance he's gotten, and while it might not make much sense for roster construction, it's hard to see him getting cut right now.
Fullback (0)
Note: Every offseason Gruden talks about wanting a fullback. Then, every September Gruden opens the roster without one. To keep Perine, no fullback makes the roster.
Tight End (3)
Jordan Reed
Vernon Davis
Jeremy Sprinkle
Note: Davis is making a lot of money to be a 34-year-old backup tight end, but he looked great during minicamp. He still has elite speed, and the 'Skins need it. Matt Flanagan will push Sprinkle big time in Richmond. Somebody in this group needs to prove they can block.
Wide receiver (6)
Josh Doctson
Paul Richardson
Trey Quinn
Cam Sims
Terry McLaurin
Kelvin Harmon
Note: Assuming no injuries this group looks fairly locked in. Doctson said all the right things when asked about the team not exercising his fifth-year contract option. Richardson looked plenty quick in limited work and should be ready to go for Richmond. Cam Sims had a fantastic spring, as did Trey Quinn. Both second-year players look like they could really help the 'Skins, assuming they can stay healthy. Quinn missed the final day of minicamp with an injury but Gruden said he should be just fine. The rookies did well for their first real action. Washington's wideouts might be better than expected, but don't get too excited just yet.
Offensive line (9)
Trent Williams
Brandon Scherff
Morgan Moses
Chase Roullier
Wes Martin
Ross Pierschbacher
Tyler Catalina
Tony Bergstrom
Timon Paris
Note: Some major differences here from our post-draft projection. Start with Trent Williams, who missed minicamp with a contract holdout. This situation is very serious for the Redskins, but at this point, we still expect Williams to line up at left tackle come Week 1 in Philadelphia, just maybe a bit richer. After that things really start to look different. Ereck Flowers was terrible on the field during OTAs and minicamp. He cannot play tackle for this team, and that means he has to prove he can play guard between now and Week 1 to make the Redskins roster. The guess is he won't do that, as he's making a major positional shift four years into his NFL career. Then there is Geron Christian, a second-year pro that blew out his MCL last November. Christian worked on the side fields during minicamp but didn't look all that close to returning to the regular practice fields. Without knowing his recovery timetable, Christian seems a candidate to open Richmond on the PUP list. That creates a roster spot for Timon Parris, who got some solid feedback from coaches and a lot of reps during the spring sessions. The Redskins clearly are not comfortable with their depth at tackle, as the team has signed more than a handful of players over the last month and had a waiver claim in on Desmond Harrison. Rookie Wes Martin looks like the starter at left guard, and beyond the established starting lineup of Williams, Roullier, Scherff and Moses, this position group is very, very much a work in progress.
Defensive line (6)
Jonathan Allen
Matt Ioannidis
Daron Payne
Tim Settle
Caleb Brantley
JoJo Wicker
Note: The best unit on the Redskins. The top five spots are locked in.
Outside linebackers (4)
Ryan Kerrigan
Montez Sweat
Ryan Anderson
Jordan Brailford
Note: Sweat is the key addition but the group still lacks real depth. Rookie Brailford gets the last spot here but it's hardly firm.
Inside linebackers (5)
Mason Foster
Shaun Dion Hamilton
Jon Bostic
Josh Harvey-Clemons
Cole Holcomb
Note: Reuben Foster is done for the year. It's a big blow to the potential of the Redskins defense, no doubt about it. Bostic was added after the Foster injury and looks like he will be a capable run stuffer in the 3-4 base. More opportunity awaits for the rookie Holcomb too.
Cornerbacks (6)
Josh Norman
Quinton Dunbar
Fabian Moreau
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Greg Stroman
Jimmy Moreland
Note: Norman, Dunbar and Moreau are absolute roster locks. After that, things are interesting. Moreland made a big impact during OTAs and minicamp. He logged five interceptions during the portions of practice the media got to watch and it seemed like players and coaches couldn't help but talk about Jimmy. DRC showed versatility and looked plenty capable, and Stroman also has punt return ability. The big omission here is Adonis Alexander, who missed time during minicamp and seemed somewhat invisible throughout the spring sessions. A sixth-round pick in 2018, the team will not want to lose Alexander. He has size and a lot of potential as a real physical CB, but at some point, he needs to show that. Maybe they can sneak Alexander through to the practice squad? Or maybe he shows up big in Richmond and forces the 'Skins to make a different difficult decision. Danny Johnson made the team last year as a rookie but seems outside the roster bubble right now.
Safety (4)
Landon Collins
Montae Nicholson
Troy Apke
Deshazor Everett
Note: So far, this seems pretty obvious.
Special teams (3)
Dustin Hopkins
Tress Way
Nick Sundberg
Note: Sundberg had back surgery late last year but is on track in his recovery.
MORE REDSKINS NEWS
- Bruce Allen on Trent Williams: 'I know what the truth is'
- The QB battle: A depth chart is starting to develop
- Who is up and who is down? Assessing minicamp