Redskins have the ingredients to be a winner!

[WorshiptheMonk81]

It's getting to that point of the offseason where we filled some holes (Garcon, Morgan etc) and drafted some young studs (RG3, Ribs etc). For me, it’s kind of easy to forget that all other 31 teams in the league have done the same thing too. They have all built up there roster through free agency and the draft. So even though we have filled some much needed holes with some promising young talent, I’m not sure how far that will take us this year. I fall into this trap of “thinking the Redskins are healed “while forgetting about what I just mentioned. Though I do feel good about next year and overall were this team is headed (age and talent wise), just trying to control expectations. I want to believe this is the beginning of some great years of watching the Redskins run the NFC!!!! We do have the talent and a bunch of guys I’m excited for ( KERRIGAN, RAK, BIG BARRY, JARVIS, HANKY, Mr. G3, FREDDY D, HELU, TRENT etc) Lets go and prove it now. HTTR

[Koolblue13]

I think the fans are used to having a great deal more perceived talent in the secondary than they will this season. I wouldn't say it's simply bitching.

How do we have less talent in our backfield then the last couple of years?

---------- Post added May-29th-2012 at 10:28 AM ----------

Here's my take on the secondary.

FS: Jackson showed well in Tampa prior to injuries and he's healthy now. If he doesn't pan out, we have Gomes - more athletic than Doughty and he has had more time in the system to get comfortable. If Gomes sticks to SS, we have Griffin and Barnes - both with some upside, especially compared with Doughty. Finally, and this is a worst-case scenario, we have Doughty. So four guys with the potential to start ahead of Doughty, so a pretty decent chance we're better off than the last two years.

SS: Again, Merriweather showed some potential in NE, but we have some decent options behind him if he doesn't work out. Williams is pretty good depth at the least and Gomes should be improved here.

Essentially most of the guys have concerns, but we don't need all of them to pan out, just one or two. Even if none of them do we're back where we were last year due to Landry and Atogwe's health issues.

At corner, we're set at one spot with Wilson. Hall might be improved with better safety play, and if that doesn't happen, we have have good possibilities in Griffin and Minnifield. These guys should/could also improve the nickel spot by bumping Barnes down the depth chart.

Once again, worst case we're where we were last year, but at least we have a good bit of potential at all the secondary positions. Pretty good chance we improve here, and not a bad chance at improving dramatically.

Lots of question marks, but also a lot more potential answers than we've had in a long time.

Crappy post from my phone, but this is why I'm not as concerned as some with the defensive backfield. Also, I didn't mention the rooks. They'll have a tough time making the roster, but if they do it's because they earned it.

Don't get me wrong, we might not be much improved here, but we certainly have better competition than we have had in a long time. Outside of our new QB, the competition (and youth too) on this team has me the most excited.

I just wanted to quote this post, because it's what I've been trying to say before. Our secondary, at the worst, is the same as last year and a lot of fail has to happen to make that be the case.

[Coach Janky Spanky]

Good read and I like the optimism. While rookie QBs aren't expected to immediately produce, I think that's no longer the case and we can reasonably expect Griffin to have a pretty strong season. The only thing I disagree with is Banks -- I don't see him making the roster. He wasn't a game changer last year, and we really don't have room for a guy like that when there are other guys (Niles Paul) who can do much more....especially now that we'll have 3 QBs on the roster.

[Destino]

How do we have less talent in our backfield then the last couple of years?

I just wanted to quote this post, because it's what I've been trying to say before. Our secondary, at the worst, is the same as last year and a lot of fail has to happen to make that be the case.

I think you rate the current player much more highly than I do. Meriweather looked horrible last season and I think I remember him being arrested recently. Jackson already has a year long suspension for failed drug tests on his resume and is coming off shoulder surgery. Jury is still out on Gomes but he didn't light the world on fire last season in his chances to start. Doughty is horrible in pass coverage. D Hall is terrible and I'm done pretending otherwise. Wilson is average. C Griffin made the ten worst corner lists for yards per pass and success rate (D Hall is on this one as well).

I think there is a great deal of POTENTIAL at safety if the coaches can keep the players on the straight and narrow and fit them into the defense well. I'm less optimistic about corner at this point.

[Chachie]

I think there is a great deal of POTENTIAL at safety if the coaches can keep the players on the straight and narrow and fit them into the defense well. I'm less optimistic about corner at this point.

Yep. We are going to get lit up deep this season. As far as I'm concerned our entire secondary is a liability. Let's hope we can get to opposing QBs.

[pjfootballer]

Yep. We are going to get lit up deep this season. As far as I'm concerned our entire secondary is a liability. Let's hope we can get to opposing QBs.

I'm banking on our front 7 doing the job that the Steelers front 7 has been doing for years. Other than Polamalu, they don't exactly have all-pros or all-stars in the secondary. They get by with average to above average guys at CB and S.

[skinny21]

I think you rate the current player much more highly than I do. Meriweather looked horrible last season and I think I remember him being arrested recently. Jackson already has a year long suspension for failed drug tests on his resume and is coming off shoulder surgery. Jury is still out on Gomes but he didn't light the world on fire last season in his chances to start. Doughty is horrible in pass coverage. D Hall is terrible and I'm done pretending otherwise. Wilson is average. C Griffin made the ten worst corner lists for yards per pass and success rate (D Hall is on this one as well).

I think there is a great deal of POTENTIAL at safety if the coaches can keep the players on the straight and narrow and fit them into the defense well. I'm less optimistic about corner at this point.

Yes, Merriweather was horrible last year, though the Bears did play him out of position. Griffin struggled last year, though he was just off an ACL. Jackson had shoulder surgery yes, but he played well when healthy. Hall was bad last year, though the safety play behind him was terrible. Gomes wasn't great, though he had a short offseason and was a rook.

The only one I take exception to is Wilson. He actually had a really nice outing last year. Again, what it boils down to is this... the secondary shouldn't be worse than last year and they have a lot more potential than last year (Thompson, Gomes, Merriweather, Jackson, Griffin and Minnifield, not to mention the two other rookies).

I understand the concern, but there's a pretty good chance that at least some of these guys are an upgrade over last years product.

Of course I'm leaving out Morris' impact, a potentially improved front seven, an improved offense to take some pressure off, and another year in the system for some of these guys... all potential factors for improvement as well. Improving from terrible to average is not a bad expectation given all I've mentioned.

[martytheman]

The only one I take exception to is Wilson. He actually had a really nice outing last year. Again, what it boils down to is this... the secondary shouldn't be worse than last year and they have a lot more potential than last year (Thompson, Gomes, Merriweather, Jackson, Griffin and Minnifield, not to mention the two other rookies).

.

Wilson had a fantastic year, he only had 3 interceptions, but he was near the top of the league in opposing qb completion %, he did a damn good job defending the pass, and I thought teams tended to stay away from him.

[diehardskinpsoup]

This thread is the bomb.jpg

[MustangSteve]

Yep. We are going to get lit up deep this season. As far as I'm concerned our entire secondary is a liability. Let's hope we can get to opposing QBs.

I actually feel we will be improved in our secondary because of our front 7 reeking havoc and forcing QB's to make the crucial mistakes by getting rid of the ball quicker. Having all 7 returning and off season workouts, we should expect them to be even better this season, and we know our secondary is going to need that kind of help.