The best Redskins defense is a good offense…
As draft day nears, it becomes more and more confusing to which way the draft will go. Teams begin interviewing prospects, discussing potential trades, trying to raise the value of their current picks to draw interest from teams wanting to trade up to draft a specific prospect. The draft from the Redskins perspective should be pretty simple with their early picks this year; Draft offense!! The Redskins have always had problems with becoming a consistent offensive threat to the league. Even though last year wasn’t the worst of offensive production years, it’s inconsistency caused the defense to work extra long minutes on the field and also having to do so often with the opposition consistently in good field position.
www.NFL.com ranks the 2010 Washington Redskins: 18th (total yds), 8th (pass yds), 30th (rush yds), 25th (pts. for)
Being 8th overall in passing yards and 30th in rushing yards shows the inability for Washington to close out games. If the Redskins can run the ball to hold on to a lead, and to give the defense some much needed rest then the outcome of some of these close games can turn into our favor. Ryan Torain showed great promise to be able to lead the Washington rush attack next year, but do you trust him to do so? If so, then with #10 the Redskins draft the best offensive lineman on the board. Smith (USC) or Pouncey (Florida) are solid choices if still available at 10. With Trent Williams returning that would give the Redskins two highly touted offensive lineman to build a future with and help develop a young mobile zone blocking scheme for Shanahan’s offense.
If you have yet to build franchise running back confidence in Torain, then with #10 you draft Mark Ingram (Alabama). Ingram has a career 5.7 ypc. (www.ESPN.com) and has proven to be a solid premier back while at Alabama by winning the Heisman and leading his team to a National Championship. Ingram would give Washington a second rushing option that can move defenders and keep the sticks moving also. In the case where Ingram is unavailable or for some reason Newton (Auburn) is still on the board, you need…HAVE to draft Newton. He can give you that Franchise QB for the future that we need and he also can serve as a #2 rushing option with his ability to make plays out of the pocket. I believe that Newton is so good that Washington actually may want to consider moving up to get him. After all, there is talk about McNabb/Haynesworth not returning, why not package them up and and use them as trade bait instead of possibly getting nothing in return? Back to the draft, if the Newton/Ingram options are not available at 10 then Washington has to seriously consider trading out of that pick. With options like Rodgers (Ok. St.), D. Lewis (Pitt), Murray (Okla.), Cooper (Mia.), There is talent to be considered in the later rounds. Also that gives Washington a chance to recieve players in key positions via trade that have already proven their ability to perform in the NFL .
Washington has to be smart with this draft and approach it with a smarter mentality. We have not been the best drafting franchise and in order to ever be considered amongst the great teams in history, that must change soon. My advice to the Redskins is stick with offense in the draft and solidify the defense through trade and free agency. We need explosiveness and consistent firepower so that we can get some points on the board! Let’s go Skins!