While there are several positions heading into the Washington Redskins 2013-14 Training camp that will have competition, there is a handful that will stand out the most. For a team that is returning 21 of 22 starters from a year ago, the Redskins have a few backups who would be quality starters on other teams.
So here are the top 5 position battles heading into Redskins camp.
- Free Safety: The most obvious place for a position battle would be the position for which you don’t have the one returning starter as Madieu Williams wasn’t resigned this off-season. Not resigning Williams opens the door for rookies Bacarri Rambo and Phillip Thomas who could both turn out to be late-round steals if they can turn into starters. Brandon Meriweather could play into things, but more than likely will be the starting strong safety. Tanard Jackson will be eligible to be reinstated on August 30th, which is at the end of the preseason, but Jackson will be fighting an uphill battle after missing all of camp and preseason.
- Right Tackle: As it has been pointed out several times, Robert Griffin III received the majority of the pressure he endured last season from the right side of the line. Washington gained 4.41 Adjusted Line Yards per play when running around left end, 4.32 when going up the middle, and 4.81 around right end — all numbers in the NFL’s top 10. Behind left tackle, the number was 3.96 — 19th in football — and behind right tackle, it was 3.36, or 28th. Tyler Polumbus played most of last season at right tackle — 936 snaps, or 91% — but he’s the one who’ll be facing the most competition to keep his job. The team brought in right tackle veterans Jeremy Trueblood and Tony Pashos to compete, and second-year man Tom Compton could be in the mix as well. Trueblood lost his job after one start in 2012, but at 30 and with a talent for run blocking, the Redskins’ offense might suit him. (Trueblood’s stats). Pashos is trying to return to starter status after missing the entire 2012 season following heel surgery.
- Number 2 Wide Receiver: Pierre Garcon has solidified his spot as the number one for now after the team went 9-1 when he was in the starting lineup a year ago. The real battle at this position heading into Redskins camp will be at the number two spot. Several receivers including Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson and Devery Henderson could challenge for the position. Morgan was the starter a year ago and is coming off a series of offseason operations to his wrists and ankle (he says he feels 100% better). Moss had a decent season from the slot last year hauling in 8 touchdown catches. Hankerson is truly heading into a make or break year as a Washington Redskins player, even though he was a mid-round draft pick expectations have been high on him for a while, and he is still the tallest receiver on the team but often times seems scared going over the middle.
- Defensive End: Stephen Bowen has secured a starting spot at one end, but the other starting end that was once thought to belong fully to a recovering Adam Carriker could be more open then once thought heading into Redskins camp. Carriker suffered a setback during rehab and will start camp out on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Jarvis Jenkins is waiting in the wings after filling in rather well a year ago and would love nothing more than to start the year off as the starter.
- Cornerback: Returning starters DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson both reworked deals to stick around in DC with Hall actually being cut and resigned. On the surface, you may think this unit is set in stone, but the addition of E.J. Biggers via free agency and the drafting of David Amerson will add competition to this spot. Amerson is categorized as a “boom or bust” type of player who had some issues his last year of college with footwork and getting beat by the double move. Biggers was an up and coming player for the Buccaneers the last few years but doesn’t really possess all-world speed, he’s more of a coverage guy.
