The Washington Redskins are coming into the 2018 season with a new look on offense and a healthier team overall. Here’s a look at their projected starters for 2018.
The 2018 offseason was one that saw the Washington Redskins endure a lot of roster turnover. The team added eight players in the 2018 NFL Draft, one player in the Supplemental Draft, numerous free agents, and also lost many on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
Because of this, the Redskins are going to be looking to find some new starters for their team. They don’t need that many new faces, but they are likely to have a new starting quarterback, nose tackle, running back, No. 1 receiver, and No. 2 corner at the very least. This comes as a result of the influx of talent the team received at these positions while also letting some of their other guys pursue larger deals elsewhere.
After a disappointing 7-9 record last year, the Redskins are hoping that their starters will stay healthy in 2018. Because if they do, they will have a really good chance of making the postseason as at least a Wild Card. Here’s a pre-training camp look at who the starters should be and who might have the most competition for a spot.
Offense
Ushering out Kirk Cousins is going to be a huge transition for the Redskins. It’s quite possible that it will pan out very well, but don’t underestimate how long it might take for Alex Smith to get comfortable in the Redskins lineup. Jay Gruden will certainly do everything he can to help Smith adjust to the new system, but there could be growing pains in the preseason and the first couple games of the regular season as both sides feel each other out.
Elsewhere, there are a couple of skill position changes for the Redskins, but they will be bringing back their starting offensive line from last year with one small change. Spencer Long has been replaced by Chase Roullier, but the sixth-rounder from Wyoming showed well as a rookie last year. It would make sense for him to improve in his second year and become a solid starter.
Here’s a look at the projected starting offense for the Redskins in 2018.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
QB: Alex Smith
RB: Derrius Guice (Rookie)
RB: Chris Thompson
WR: Paul Richardson
WR: Josh Doctson
WR: Jamison Crowder
TE: Jordan Reed
LT: Trent Williams
LG: Shawn Lauvao
C: Chase Roullier
RG: Brandon Scherff
RT: Morgan Moses
For Redskins fans, seeing Shawn Lauvao’s name on this list is uninspiring. Lauvao is entering his fifth year with Washington, and he has been nothing but pedestrian and injury prone. Bill Callahan loves Lauvao’s upside, but it’s a risky bet to have a mediocre 31-year-old with injury problems start at any position, particularly on the offensive line. He needs to avoid getting banged up though, as the Redskins don’t have much offensive line depth behind him.
Elsewhere, I listed Chris Thompson as a starter because he will see a lot of action and the team may not keep a fullback on the roster. Using Thompson in two-back sets with rookie Derrius Guice could help to confuse opposing defenses, so expect to see a bit of that during the season.
Speaking of Guice, he has a very nice skill set, but it’s possible that a guy like Thompson or Samaje Perine may start the year ahead of him on the depth chart. Gruden may want to ease Guice into a full workload, so just expect a lighter usage of Guice in the first two or three weeks of the season.
Finally, Josh Doctson is one player who is entering a make-or-break season. In his second year, but first full year in 2017, the former TCU product had an up-and-down year demonstrating solid possession skills at points, but also struggling to reel in passes. If drops and speed continue to be an issue, then Doctson could find himself losing playing time to guys like Brian Quick, Robert Davis, or Trey Quinn. So, his grip on a starting spot is tenuous at best.
Defense
For the first time in a long while, the Redskins appear to have the makings of a very solid defense. In the first month of the 2017 season, they looked like a potential top 10 unit before injuries took their toll. This offseason, they were able to improve their run defense, retain their top inside linebackers, and continue to add young talent and depth to the squad.
This mix of young talent and smart, hard-working veterans will do a lot to help the Redskins field a competitive defense in 2018. Greg Manusky will be able to use an aggressive, attacking style to get after opposing quarterbacks, thanks to the abundance of pass rushing options he has. The only big question mark comes in the secondary where Torrian Gray will have to whip some young defensive backs into shape to ensure the back end holds up well.
Here are the projected starters for the Redskins defense in 2018.
FanSided
DE: Jonathan Allen
NT: Daron Payne (rookie)
DE: Matt Ioannidis
OLB: Ryan Kerrigan
LB: Zach Brown
LB: Mason Foster
OLB: Preston Smith
CB1: Josh Norman
CB2: Quinton Dunbar
Slot: Orlando Scandrick
S: Montae Nicholson
S: D.J. Swearinger
The biggest point of debate here will come at cornerback. Quinton Dunbar seems to have the inside edge to win the No. 2 corner position, but he could face a strong challenge from second-year man Fabian Moreau. The former third-round pick had first-round talent in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he slipped due to a torn pectoral. He has great athleticism and could win a starting job in the future. But for now, Dunbar’s experience beats him out there.
The same can be said of Orlando Scandrick in the slot. Scandrick was signed to provide veteran depth for the team and serve as a function nickel back after the departure of Kendall Fuller. While Moreau or another young Redskin could take that role from him eventually, he is penciled in as the starter there for the beginning of the 2018 season at the very least. That seems unlikely to change.
Elsewhere, the biggest name to watch will be rookie nose tackle, Daron Payne. The Alabama product should make a big impact as a run stuffer, but he will need to show pass rushing chops to be a potential three-down lineman. Also, Matt Ioannidis is projected as a starter here because I expect he will see the most snaps of anyone at defensive end. Stacy McGee may be the technical starter since his main role will be as a run stuffer, but the point is that Ioannidis is better and will see more action.
Special Teams
The special teams group seems likely to retain their same role players for yet another season. Right now, the team has just one kicker, punter, and long snapper on their roster, so there appears to be little competition for the positions as it stands.
Here are the projected special teams starters for the upcoming season.
K: Dustin Hopkins
P: Tress Way
LS: Nick Sundberg
Return: Greg Stroman (rookie)
Any excitement that might have come from special teams was washed away when the Redskins released backup punter Sam Irwin-Hill following the supplemental draft. It seems that Hopkins, Way, and Sundberg will continue to work together, as they have virtually no competition at their positions.
The return man role is up for grabs a bit. Chris Thompson and Jamison Crowder may try to win the job, but Thompson is better used as a third-down back while Crowder struggled as a punt returner last year. Thus, rookie Greg Stroman could get the nod, especially considering the success he had at the position during his career at Virginia Tech.
Next: Which Redskins DBs are on the bubble after Alexander pick?
In looking at these projected starters, the Redskins appear to be in good shape. There will certainly be numerous changes to the active and 53-man rosters throughout the offseason and regular season, but for now, the starting lineup at least looks strong. They just need to focus on staying healthy this season in order to be a contender.