Washington Redskins: Previewing Preseason Week 4 Against Buccaneers

The Washington Redskins will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Preseason Week 4. The game is a toss up, but some key players will see time for the Redskins.

The NFL preseason is officially entering its final week. On Thursday, September 1, every team in the NFL will engage in their final preseason contest of the 2016 season. The fourth and final preseason game is one of the least exciting from a talent perspective, as many roster locks sit out most of the fourth game to avoid injury prior to the season. That said, there should still be some excitement for the Washington Redskins in their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With final cuts looming for both teams, fans will get a chance to see players on the roster bubble fight for the right to be on the regular season squad. This may mean that we are not going to see Jameis Winston or Kirk Cousins during the game, but there will still be plenty of fun to be had. In the case of the Redskins, one of the most interesting players to watch will be their running back Mack Brown.

Brown is a player who is in the running for a chance to be the fourth running back on Washington’s roster. Robert Kelley has earned his spot on the roster while Keith Marshall has looked mediocre. Also, Marshall suffered an elbow injury of which the severity is unknown. According to Perry Mattern of Redskins.com, Marshall suffered a sprain. Still, it could cause him problems especially if the MRI does not come back clean. As a result, the Redskins may elect to carry a fourth runner, and Brown will have a chance to make a case for himself.

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Browns has looked good during the preseason so far. Against the Bills, he carried the ball 11 times for 43 yards. He looked elusive and quick when he was on the field. If Brown can continue to rack up yards against the starting unit that the Bucs play, then he will likely get serious roster consideration. If not, then he will have to spend another season on the team’s practice squad or play somewhere else.

Elsewhere on offense, the Redskins will likely let Colt McCoy see extended time at the quarterback position. McCoy has looked like a great backup this preseason, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep that trend going. It would not be surprising to see Nate Sudfeld get a lot of action in the game as well. The rookie could end up playing the whole second half to get some reps under his belt. He has the tools to develop further, so this game could be fun to watch for his sake.

Jun 14, 2016; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden (R) claps as Redskins wide receiver Josh Doctson (18) stands on the field during day one of minicamp at Redskins Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Another storyline to monitor will be the receivers that they throw to. The Redskins already have five receiver spots virtually locked up, and they will have six if Josh Doctson ends up being healthy. However, if Doctson goes on the PUP list to start the season, that could open the door for a player to sneak on to the roster. The top candidate as of now would probably be Maurice Harris. If he plays well against Tampa Bay, then that may be enough to make the team consider taking it slow with Doctson.

Defensively, the Redskins are going to be resting their stars in all likelihood. That means we will not see Josh Norman, Ryan Kerrigan, and many others. Still, this game will have a major purpose. Most of all, the team could will this game as an opportunity to look at their young draft picks. High up on that list will be Kendall Fuller and Su’a Cravens.

Fuller has been battling with Dashaun Phillips for the slot corner job, and he has looked impressive in his first preseason. Fuller may get a chance to start this preseason game and it will give the fans a look at one of the defense’s future stars. He has all the talent in the world, and a strong performance in the final game could give him the upper hand in the battle.

Cravens will also get a chance to play at the linebacker position more than he has in the other games. He could end up starting alongside Perry Riley, who appears to be battling for a roster spot as well. Cravens should be able to show off good coverage skills and prove that he can be a quality three down linebacker.

Finally, the Skins will also get a chance to take a look at undrafted free agent defensive end Anthony Lanier. Lanier has been terrific in the preseason, and if he performs well in an extended look he could earn a roster spot. It will be interesting to see how he fares if he is put on the starting unit.

must read: Redskins vs. Bills Total Breakdown

Overall, this game is an absolute toss-up. Nobody knows what will happen in the final preseason game. Regardless, I will try and follow up last week’s correct score prediction with another. With the more experienced backup quarterback, the Redskins should have the advantage and will be able to win the game.

Score Prediction: Redskins 27, Buccaneers 20

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