Roster cuts, Round 1 (80 to 75)

Tuesday, the Redskins will have to cut five players to get under the NFL mandated limit of 75.

UPDATE: The team made the cuts early. None of the players listed are really surprising, save perhaps Alfred Fincher.

Since there is still one preseason game to be played, and backups will probably get most of the work, the team will need depth at positions. The team is also going to have to cut another 20 players before the end of the week.

Instead of trying to figure out who the Redskins are going to cut - or who I would cut - here five bubble players who I feel need to make the team, somehow. These are guys whose status with the team is still up in the air.

• 1. Anthony Alridge, running back. My feeling is that the Redskins need some youth (and speed, more importantly) in their running back corps. No, he's not Marcus Mason. The Redskins don't need another strong runner. They need speed and dynamic ability. Mason is a strong runner, and Alridge is not a full-time runner. But Alridge brings another element to the table that Mason just doesn't have. It will be unpopular, but it's the right thing to do. Will Jim Zorn keep four running backs? Or will Ladell Betts and/or Rock Cartwright go? I just don't see Betts or Cartwright leaving, so the it will come down to whether or not Zorn wants to keep another running back around. I say he has to.
• 2. Antonio Dixon, Defensive tackle. I like what I've seen from his big guy out of Miami. He's made quite a few solid stops. The problem, again, is that the Redskins seem to be fairly deep at this position, and a rookie free agent has a hard time of stick around.
• 3. Marko Mitchell, wide receiver. No surprise, and I don't think Mitchell is even on the bubble anymore, but maybe he is. Mitchell has stood out more than anyone else in camp. He'll probably take the 5th wide receiver spot. It doesn't sound like Zorn will keep six receivers on the team.
• 4. Dave Rayner, kicker. Truth be told, I haven't seen this guy kick. All I know is that Shaun Suisham was the worst kicker in football last year and yet he's still fighting for a spot on the team. He missed a 52-yarder against the Patriots, and while a 52-yarder is no easy kick, it's yet more ammo against Suisham. I'm of the opinion that anyone - anyone - has to be better, right?
• 5. Chase Daniel, quarterback. Mayhap my opinion of Daniel will change Thursday against the Jaguars, if Daniel throws two interceptions and looks like he doesn't know what he's doing. The Redskins have the same problem with the quarterback position as they have with the running backs: old, established talent vs. young bucks. Todd Collins is solid. Then there are Colt Brennan and Daniel. Brennan and Daniel should make the team, but both won't, unfortunately. Daniel should get more extended playing time Thursday, and if he has another huge game, he could push Brennan out. My feeling, though, is that the Redskins will attempt to keep Daniel on the practice squad.

There are a few things I want to point out, real quick. There are no players from the offensive line on this list, nor are there players from the defensive backfield or linebackers. Quite frankly, no bubble players have stood out to me. Who has stood out for you?

What we learned, Vol 1, Chapter 3

The final score was Patriots 27, Redskins 24 - but it was a preseason game, and the final score really doesn't matter.

What we learned from Friday night's game:

1. Jason Campbell is just fine, thank you much.
Campbell looked solid in his first extended playing time of the year, completing a mix of passes against the Patriots, who will probably have one of the best defenses in the NFL. He wasn't perfect, overthrowing Santana Moss on a deep throw that would have been a touchdown because Moss was open by 4-5 yards. But it was a solid showing, which Campbell needed.

2. Still don't know about the receivers.
Moss will be the No. 1 receiver, that is for sure. But after that ... The Redskins seem to really want to get Malcolm Kelly into that No. 2 roll, but he dropped end-zone fade routes. To be fair, the throws weren't great, but Kelly was drafted to make those sort of catches. After him, Devin Thomas was solid, if not spectacular, as was Antwaan Randle El. The man all of these receivers might have to look out for is rookie Marko Mitchell. He stood out on a 33-yard touchdown from Colt Brennan, and has been surprising throughout the preseason. If he keeps playing like he has, he'll move up the depth chart quickly.

3. The Patriots have a great offense.
The Redskins seem to have a pretty good defense, but New England made the Skins' defense look like swiss cheese. Using quick, accurate, mid-range passing, Tom Brady and the Patriots consistently drove the field on the Redskins, who couldn't really seem to get much pressure. But Brady was getting rid of the ball pretty quickly. Not even really sure Brady was hit until Albert Haynesworth knocked him out of the game in the second quarter.

4. The Redskins have running back issues.
The team will probably only keep three running backs on its roster ... and that's a big issue. Clinton Portis is the starter. Ladell Betts seems entrenched as a third-down back/No. 2 rusher. Rock Cartwright is the special teams demon/kick returner. After that, there's Marcus Mason, Dominique Dorsey and Anthony Alridge.
Alridge I expected to be cut any day now, because he's been injured most of camp and hadn't seen the field until the Patriots game. Well, he played and led the Redskins in rushing with almost 50 yards on nine carries, showing off his speed and elusiveness.
Dorsey has been an upgrade over Randle El on punt returns, and has looked decent as a runner. He's another guy who has shown off his speed.
And then there is Marcus Mason, who isn't quite as fast as Dorsey or Alridge - or quite as elusive - but has a little more build to him that allows Mason to run through tackles a big better. He was perhaps the most impressive runner from Friday night, scoring a 1-yard TD on the Patriots first-team defense.

Quite a problem. And no easy solution. Cartwright plays on all of the special teams and is a leader there, but Mason, Alridge and Dorsey have all shown the ability to run the ball and provide a bigger spark than Cartwright.

What to expect tonight against Patriots

It's preseason, week 3, which usually signifies a longer stay on the field for Jason Campbell, and he needs it. The starting quarterback has played, probably, 15ish snaps. I could go add it up, but I won't.

Look for Campbell to play a half. And perhaps the Redskins starting offense can score a touchdown. For a change.

Five other things to look for against New England:

1. How much time will Todd Collins get?
After his performance last week, rookie Chase Daniel has been getting a lot of good press. Coach Jim Zorn probably won't play a lot of Collins, if at all. The team knows what Collins can do. He's not going to surprise anyone. He's solid, but aged. The Redskins want to see what Daniel can do, and they want to see what Colt Brennan can do. Brennan has had two bad games in a row, making ginormous mistakes at bad times.

2. Who's the No. 2 receiver?
OK, Santana Moss is No. 1. No doubt about that for now. But the team seems desperate to get Antwaan Randle El out of that second receiver spot and into the slot receiver/third receiving spot that he performed so well in when he was with Pittsburgh. It looks like Malcolm Kelly might be getting a shot at No. 2, if he can stay injury free. Devin Thomas has been slipping, and looks like he's at No. 4.

3. How well will the first-team defense stand up against Tom Brady and the Patriots?
All through camp, this defense, with its pass-rushing additions, has been talked about as being fantastic. I, myself, have said the defense has looked pretty dang good in preseason games. Tonight, the defense will get a strong challenge from Brady and the Patriots, who did a pretty good job of dismantling the Redskins the last time the two teams met. In that 52-7 bombing, the Patriots did a good job of attacking the Redskins' flats. We'll see if Pats coach Bill Belichick goes for the same thing (though, it being just a preseason game, Belichick probably won't bother game-planning).

4. Will anyone on the defense below the first team stand out?
Maybe I haven't been paying too close attention, but has there been a standout on defense, who isn't a starter? Chris Wilson might be the closest thing, delivering a bone-jarring sack in the Pittsburgh game. Kareem Moore has showed something, it's just a little hard to figure out what, right now. Haven't seen much in the secondary.

5. What becometh of Dominique Dorsey and Anthony Alridge?
The two running back speedsters haven't shown much so far, though they haven't been given too many chances. Dorsey has looked explosive on punt returns, but he hasn't been given too much shots. Alridge has been hurt all camp, and has shown absolutely nothing. The Redskins don't have too much in pure speed, so Dorsey and Alridge were brought in to help in that department. Alridge will get his first playing time of the season tonight.

The game is on nationally on CBS. Enjoy the show.

What we learned, Vol 1, Chapter 2.

Redskins 17, Steelers 14.

What we learned:

Chase Daniel can play. The rookie threw two touchdown passes in his first action of his professional career. He looked poised and smart. He might put some pressure on Todd Collins and Colt Brennan, if he can keep up his play. Speaking of Brennan ...

Colt Brennan has lost his mojo. Whatever he did last preseason, when he was nearly unstoppable, his luck has run out. Brennan has thrown zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He's been the most disappointing QB on the Redskins' roster, and that's saying something. If he doesn't pick his play up, Daniel might steal his roster spot.

The Redskins starting unit still can't pass the ball. Jason Campbell completes just 1 pass in 7 attempts. For just 10 yards. Clinton Portis can still run. The offensive line looks like it can still do its thing, running and pass blocking. Campbell's performance was troubling, though. He hasn't looked in sync with his offense this year, but he hasn't exactly been given extended playing time.

Look for Campbell to play a half this week against the Patriots.

Brian Orakpo is still awesome. The rookie didn't get much for stats, but stood out on the field. Should be interesting to see him on the field for an entire game.

Dominique Dorsey should make the team, but probably won't. He has looked like an exciting return man on punt and kick returns, and looked decent as a running back. Coach Jim Zorn won't keep four running backs on the roster. Clinton Portis will make the team, as will Ladell Betts. Rock Cartwright is the third running back, and plays on all special teams.

Rock is a solid return man, and is excellent on coverage teams. Dorsey could provide more spark in the return game, but will need to stand out the last two preseason games to make the squad.

Backups at the forefront against Steelers

Yeah, Clinton Portis is going to play, and yes, Albert Haynesworth will be suiting up. But this weekend's game is still all about backups.

It's the preseason, and that means it's Colt Brennan's time.

With that in mind, here are five backups to watch come Saturday.

1. Colt Brennan.
The exciting rookie has turned into a so-so sophomore. His performance last week against Baltimore (4-of-12) was putrid, and reports out of camp say that he hasn't looked his best recently. He's battling for the backup job behind Jason Campbell, but Todd Collins has looked solid if not spectacular, and could make the job his with another poor showing out of Colt.

2. Chase Daniel.
The rookie out of Missouri set records in college, but he didn't get on the field last week. He's probably fighting for a spot on the Redskins' practice squad (or a spot elsewhere in the league), but Daniel reportedly has looked good in practice. The knock on Daniel coming out of college was his height, but guys like Jeff Garcia and Doug Flutie can play in the NFL.

3. Marko Mitchell.
The rookie wide receiver was invisible last week. He's had a good week in practice, and the Skins need someone at the position to step up and grab the 5-6 positions.

4. Brian Orakpo.
OK, he's not a backup, but the rookie defensive end/linebacker is exciting. Look for him to play sparingly but provide some defensive highlights. I have a feeling this pass rusher will be a great one.

5. Justin Tryon.
The second-year cornerback had a strong training camp, but he hit a huge speedbump against the Ravens, giving up play after play, especially inside slants. After the game, he sounded like he had learned much from his shaming. We'll see come Saturday.

What to look forward to in Game 2

The Redskins will try for a second time to score some points when the team takes on Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday.

Here are five things I'm looking to see out of the team on game day.

Tomorrow, look for a breakdown on individual players.

1. Score some points.
The Baltimore Ravens, yes, are a good defensive team, but it was still very disappointing to come away without at least a field goal in four quarters. The Redskins gained just 196 total yards. The first team offense did the best against the Ravens, which is a small comfort. Jason Campbell and Co. will get a longer look Saturday, and some points would be nice. The offense needs to get some drives and stay on the field longer. The Ravens had almost 30 more plays on offense than the Redskins did (80-51).

2. Portis and Haynesworth in and out.
Having Clinton Portis play in the preseason is good. Getting used to the pounding is good. Getting injured is NOT good. 4-5 touches would be fine by me. Similarly with Albert Haynesworth, it'll be good to see him in some live situations, but having him get injured could be disastrous.

3. Throw the ball downfield ...
Last Thursday against the Ravens, the Redskins barely tested the Ravens' deep coverage. Maybe that was by design, maybe not. But the Steelers have also have a tough defense that will challenge the Redskins' ability to get down the field.

4. ... and also show the ability to run the ball.
Washington ran 19 times for 56 yards, a net average of 2.9 yards per carry. That isn't going to cut it. A good passing game usually will open up a rushing game, but the same could be said of a good rushing game opening up the passing game. The team did neither against the Ravens, and that's why they were shut out.

5. Backup defense needs to be better.
In the second half, the defense needs to show the ability to stop Pittsburgh QB Dennis Dixon. The Skins couldn't stop Troy Smith from throwing for 200 yards in limited work, and Baltimore ran up most of their 500 yards against the Redskins' backup defense. These backups are playing for jobs, and the second half is where the jobs could be won - or lost.

Redskins links

• A listing of Redskins on Twitter, if that's your sort of thing. Also, find me on Twitter. The Redskin I want to see start tweeting? Fred Smoot.
• Backup receiver Marques Hagans trying to bounce back from a disappointing game against Ravens. Also, he can still chuck that football.
• Backup defensive linemen J.D. Skolnitsky and Antonio Dixon are trying to win roster spots.

My favorite Greg Blache quote of the week

I might have to start quoting the Redskins defensive coordinator every week ...

"Rookies are coming to a new world, and so they play like aliens. We have to get them into the system."

Get real

Sunday, the Redskins joined a growing list of team who really have no idea how to use the internet.

The team banned the use of "electronic updates" from practice. This means no twitter, facebooking, etc., unless you're an "approved" source. The approved sources? The twitter feeds of Redskins team blogger Matt Terl, Redskins.com and the official radio station of the Redskins.

What's the point? So you, the Redskins, can control the flow of information? Get real. Wake up and join the 21st century.

Teams shouldn't be banning social media, they should be opening up and embracing it.

My twitter feed, by the way, is @seandkennedy.

UPDATE: Oh, by the way, the Southeastern Conference looks like it's trying to do the same thing. It's ludicrous.

I really do want Ladell Bettis on the team

Halfway through the NFL's first week of preseason games, the Redskins are the only team which has yet to score a single point.

Even Denver, which got some downright craptastic play from starting QB Kyle Orton, managed to get 16 points out of Chris Simms.

But, on the plus side, at least the Redskins don't have anyone named "Kyle Orton" on their roster.

I don't expect the Redskins to go another game without scoring a point (heaven help Jim Zorn if they do, even in preseason), but Zorn - as an offensive coach - probably is pretty frustrated right now.





So Ladell Betts was wearing a "Bettis" jersey for part of Thursday night. Too bad Betts didn't turn into Jerome Bettis -- on the field. That would have made Thursday night's game much more entertaining. As such, it was mostly a snoozer, sadly.

Here's what Betts had to say after the game:

"Actually, I do like Jerome Bettis, but I don't prefer to have his name on my back," he said. "I wasn't upset or anything. I think the equipment people felt bad, but I wasn't mad at them."

Nice to take the high road.

• I really don't want to see Brian Orakpo out in coverage. I think he's a tremendous pass rusher, but he looks stiff to me. And that's OK. He played a strict defensive end in college, and here he's being asked to do something different, and he's learning. I think, and sincerely hope, the team is looking at how Baltimore has used "linebacker" Terrell Suggs, which is to say, the basically call him a linebacker but use him as a pass rusher 90 percent of the time.

• I didn't mention Malcolm Kelly in Thursday's update, but it was really great to see the second-year receiver on the field and contributing. I'm still not sure if Malcolm is sure about his knee, but he didn't seem too unsure about it. He made one spectacular catch over the middle from Todd Collins that showed off why the team drafted him.

• I really hope kickers Shaun Suisham and Dave Rayner get more work next week. Like, really hope. I, yes, I, need to find out of Rayner can play. Not sure why the team is even considering keeping Suisham, as he finished dead last in field goal percentage last season. But I digress.
  

Some Redskins links

• Mark "Om" Steven breaks down Jason Campbell's six pass plays. Great writeup. Highly recommend.
  
• Six former team employees file suit over unpaid overtime wages.
• Team historian (I think it's fair to call him that?) Rich Tandler: There's no cause for alarm. If he says it, it must be true.
  
• Redskins blogger Matt Terl gets all excited about Thursday's game ... then remembers it's preseason.

Well, that was disappointing

The Redskins opened the 2009 preseason with a dud of a game, falling 23-0 to Baltimore.

Not too many good points. The Skins were outgained 500-196. Defensive coordinator Greg Blache said he wanted to figure out who could cover? I'm pretty sure he found out that the team's backups well ... can't.

I'll make this short and sweet.

IMPRESSED:
Hunter Smith: The new punter might have set a record for punts in a game. Well, if this was the regular season. Seriously, what? 10 punts? Hunter the Punter was busy, and that's never good.

Brian Orakpo: Reports from training camp were than Orakpo, the Skins' top draft pick, was outstanding, and he didn't disappoint. Disruptive and came close several times for sacks. Didn't see him much at linebacker. Not too sad about that.

Jeremy Jarmon: The rookie defensive end performed well, getting close to sacks and he had a batted ball. Young pass rushers are good.

Antonio Dixon: Unheralded, but the defensive tackle from Miami had a great game. Made several physical stops.

Yeah, that's it.

Starting QB Jason Campbell looked decent in the short amount of time he played. Finished 3-for-6 for 36 yards.

LOOKED LIKE CRAP
Justin Tryon: The second-year defensive back gave up completion after completion. Not good. The team gave up almost 400 passing yards.

Colt Brennan: The "most popular" Redskin's magic finally ran out. He just couldn't get it together. While he was almost flawless last preseason, this year hasn't started out well for the former Hawaii record-setter. He finished 4-of-12 for 43 yards and his first interception. Ick.

Backup offensive line: Didn't give Brennan much time to throw the ball, which didn't help the Redskins put up points. The first team, such as it was, wasn't much better when the team tried to run the ball, but there you go.

QUESTIONABLE

Jim Zorn: What the heck, man? I thought you were suppose to be an offensive coach? Goose eggs don't help. Preseason only lasts so long. And what's with not even giving Chase Daniel some playing time? Need to see what the young man can do in a live situation. Waiting for the Church of Chase to rise.

Fred Davis: Two fumbles, one lost, for the second-year tight end. I like his athleticism, and so I'll give him a pass for the fumbles. But he can't make those types of mistakes again.

Overall, a pretty horrendous start.

Redskins take on the Steelers next Saturday.