Buck Ortega

[NCskins06]

Living in North Carolina, I don't get to see all of the preseason games. I saw Buck scored another TD against the Jets. Does he have a shot at making the team or is he just feasting on 4th string scrubs?

[skinfan2k]

hmm i defintely think he can make it.. cooley, fauira, johnson and ortega..

[Lloyds' Mongolian Beef]

Ortega will be on the PS.

[More Complete]

He looks good out there but I don't think he'll be on the 53 man roster.

[LoudMouth12thMan]

Ortega will be on the PS.
Oh really. Thanks coach!;)
I think it would be a mistake to not give him some reps in the regular season. I like the looks of this kid. Great speed, good hands, what else do ya need at TE...oh yeah blocking. Well, they can teach him that.
HTTR!

[cphil006]

I think Buck will be on PS this season then maybe when Furia leaves after this season, he's on the roster...

[RDSKNfaithfull]

Ortega will be on the PS.

[SKINZ33]

I'd like to see him perform with the first team before I get sold on this kid. He shows some ability but your right that its against some scrubs.

[Loyal2Washington]

I think it would be a mistake to not give him some reps in the regular season.
Unless the coaches feel he can play they are not giving him some reps during a regular season game, with the exception of injuries or we are up 35-7 with 5 to go in the 4th. With the injury to Robert Johnson he may have a shot at a roster spot but I am seeing PS as well. I think he needs to fill out some, blocking 4th string LBers is a whole different monster then starting LBers.

[KirkNC]

What can he so a special teams? If he can excell on teams he could have a shot.

[spanishomelette]

He may get to play a little earlier if RJohnson is out next game. Lots going for him... He's got some seam splitting talent, and a cool name.

[Darc Requiem]

Yeah I agree Spanishomelette. He looks to have potentional and cool name. I think he will be on the PS as well but I wouldn't be surprised if he eeked out a roster spot. A roster with Rock Cartwright and Buck Ortega....how cool would that be :)

[bulldog]

Ortega seems to have good hands and at 6'4 and 227 has room to grow. But he definitely needs to bulk up to play TE in the NFL. Right now he is a guy whose upper body strength is just not there, he looks like a safety in terms of physical development.

I agree he is a candidate for the practice squad. He is probably a year or so away from being a legitimate candidate for the active roster so teams would have to be willing to carry him and make him inactive for 16 weeks if he is claimed.

I doubt that would happen until the end of the season.

I also think Espy will end up on the PS, as a rookie he had the chance to shine agains the Jets with most of the top receivers getting little time and he just didn't step up.

Gibbs doesn't like to play rookies to begin with, but to be a rookie and not make the most of an opportunity like that, the window closes fast.

Another candidate would be Kevin Simon. I think Simon has NFL talent but he has just not been able to get on the field and with the addition of Jeff Posey as a veteran backup for Marshall inside, I don't see a place for Kevin on the roster. His injury problems would also keep some teams away that might be tempted otherwise to claim him off waivers.

[terpfan]

With RJ's injury not looking serious I have to think Ortega is stashed on the practice squad for now.

[bulldog]

yeah, guys are getting dinged but luckily they are not going to miss the season :)

things could be a whole lot worse. remember Jansen going down in 2004?

[Skin Patrol]

I'm picking him to make the roster. His size is a serious issue, but he's not that much smaller than Christian Fauria (I think he can put on 20 pounds, maybe that's optimistic). And some guys can block bigger than their size, I just don't know how strong the kid is.

What I do know is that every opportunity he has been given to play, he's done something with the football. I also don't know about Johnson's injury, though hopefully it is minor.

The coaches will make the right decision one way or another. I like Buck and principally I'd like to see him make the roster. If all a guy does when given the opportunity is preform, and you still don't give him a spot, why on earth is he even in the evaluation process? Has he been that bad in practice?

Even though I've picked him to make the squad, given the size issue alone I think Johnson is probably going to make the squad instead.

[bulldog]

Fauria is proven, and proven in a system that won games. That means a lot to Gibbs in having a backup that can come in and play with no questions asked. Remember how the team kept Kozlowski on the roster last year as a backup at age 34? Same reason.

Ortega is not mentally or physically ready to play in the NFL. It would be irresponsible for Gibbs to put him on the active roster and cut another player that would be capable of contributing more in 2006.

If Cooley got hurt Gibbs would never hear the end of the criticism.

If the Redskins cut Fauria he would be picked up in a heartbeat by another team.

[canethang 305]

He definitely makes the practice squad, maybe even the 53 man roster if Johnson can't get back on the field. Ortega has ton's of potential at TE, a posistion he's only played for 4 years, he was a high school QB on ST's state title winning team in Florida, and he's had to play behind Winslow and Olsen so game rep's were limited but he did practice against a lot of NFL 1st rounders.

He was also a solid special teams guy which help's.