Washington Redskins release first unofficial depth chart of the 2017 season

Jacob Camenker

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: Ziggy Hood (90) and Ryan Kerrigan (91) of the Washington Redskins celebrate in the final moments of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 11, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Redskins defeated the Eagles 27-22. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The Washington Redskins have released their first unofficial depth chart of the 2017 season ahead of their preseason clash with the Baltimore Ravens.

Over the course of the past couple of months, there has been a lot of speculation as to what the Washington Redskins depth chart will look like. The team had made a lot of changes during the offseason, and many were anxious to see how they would line up early on in the year. On Sunday, the Redskins released their first unofficial depth chart for the 2017 season. The depth chart gives a better idea of who is winning key position battles with the team.

The biggest note from the depth chart is the alignment for the team on the defensive front. Last season, the defensive line was a major issue for the Redskins, and they added many new players to improve the unit in the offseason. Right now, they are planning on marching out a starting line that features Stacy McGee and Ziggy Hood at the defensive end positions and Phil Taylor at nose tackle.

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McGee being favored for a starting job shouldn’t be a surprise. He is a run stuffing specialist who will be most effective on early downs. He also happens to be on a lucrative five year contract. Thus, the early designation as a starter makes sense. However, rookie Jonathan Allen is behind him on the depth chart, so the talented first round rookie could push him for playing time early on.

Meanwhile, Hood figures to be the holdover starter to keep a bit of continuity on the line. He will probably share time with free agent acquisition Terrell McClain, who is listed right behind him on the depth chart.

Taylor is one of the wild cards on the depth chart. The nose tackle position has been undecided for a majority of the offseason, but Taylor has the upper hand over A.J. Francis and and Joey Mbu right now. This is likely because of Taylor’s veteran status and the potential he flashed during his early years with the Cleveland Browns. This will be one of the primary battles to watch during the game on Thursday against the Ravens.

LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 20: Linebacker Preston Smith

Elsewhere on defense

The other major notes in the front seven come in the linebacker corps. One of the major battles that will be coming up is at the rush linebacker position across from Ryan Kerrigan. Preston Smith, Ryan Anderson, and Junior Galette were all expected to fight for that position, and an early favorite has been determined.

Smith is atop the depth chart at the moment, one spot ahead of the suspended Trent Murphy. This should not be considered a surprise, given Smith’s great athleticism and the fact that he has played relatively well for the Redskins during his two year career. However, he will be sidelined with an ankle injury, so that will open up more time for Anderson to have an impact.

Anderson, listed third behind Smith and Murphy, may have a chance to play major snaps and prove himself to the coaching staff. Galette, meanwhile, is the primary backup to Kerrigan, though that could change if he proves himself in the preseason.

On offense

The offensive side of the ball looks to be very similar to what fans may have expected early on in the offseason. Basically, the chart looks like the status quo early on.

As expected, the top three receivers are Terrelle Pryor, Josh Doctson, and Jamison Crowder. The offensive line is the same as the group that lined up for most of last year, with Shawn Lauvao holding off Arie Kouandjio in what many expect to be an interesting position battle. Perhaps the most interesting unit is the running back corps.

As expected, Robert Kelley is atop the depth chart. That should surprise nobody. However, Samaje Perine is currently third on the list, one spot behind Chris Thompson. While Thompson is likely to see snaps as a third down back, it is telling that Perine is listed behind him on the depth chart. The coaching staff may be reluctant to trust a rookie with a bigger role, so Perine will have to climb the ladder and play well in the preseason to have a shot at splitting carries with Kelley. If he doesn’t he may be stuck handling some short yardage situations to give Kelley a breather.

A final point of interest, at the tight end position, rookie Jeremy Sprinkle comes in at fourth on the depth chart. He is behind both Niles Paul and Derek Carrier. This means that the coaching staff may not think he is ready to have an impact. If Jordan Reed misses time early in the season with an injury, it seems likely that the Redskins will turn to their veterans instead of trusting a rookie.

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At the end of the day, this is the first unofficial depth chart, so it is hard to put too much stock into this. Players will continue to move up and down the list as they show the coaches what they have. For now, it gives us an early look at early leaders in some exciting positional battles and an insight into what the coaches are currently thinking.

Jacob Camenker