2. Nose Tackle: Phil Taylor vs. Joey Mbu vs. A.J. Francis
Phil Taylor was once a very strong nose tackle. A first round pick by the Cleveland Browns, Taylor had a couple of successful seasons before he regressed due to nagging injuries. After spending time trying to catch on with various NFL teams, Taylor is set to see the field with the Redskins and try to revitalize his career.
As of right now, Taylor is leading the Redskins nose tackle battle. There are not too many inspiring options on the overall roster, as nose tackle is the weakest position on the team. Still, Taylor is the early leader, but Tomsula may try to test some of their other options as well.
Joey Mbu and A.J. Francis are the two major competitors in this battle. Neither is very experienced, but Tomsula believes that he can work with them. Mbu may have more upside because he is just 24, but Francis has the bigger frame at 6-foot-5, 337 pounds. Either could end up beating out Taylor, as this battle is entirely unpredictable.
It will be particularly interesting to see how this rotation goes for the Redskins. If one of these players shines, it seems likely that he will be able to move up the depth chart. Taylor is still the favorite right now, but things could change in a heartbeat.