Redskins 53-man Roster Projection: Pre-training camp 2018

Jacob Camenker

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 23: Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins scores a touchdown that is called back during the second quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Training camp is almost here. And our next installment of roster projections comes with it.

The time is almost here. Football is getting nearer and nearer. With a few teams already reporting to training camp, we soon will get to that first Sunday of the preseason. The glorious moment in which there is no football-less Sunday until the Super Bowl. It’s almost here, but it starts with training camp.

The Washington Redskins are getting ready to starting training camp in what will be a crucial season for them. Jay Gruden will look to prove his doubters wrong, bringing in a revamped offensive attack to the nation’s capital. Alex Smith will want to prove his worth. Greg Manusky wants to show that his defense can fight to be one of the best in the league. The team seems hungry, and that’s a good thing.

Unfortunately, even hungry teams aren’t allowed to carry more than 53 players on their active roster during the 2018 season. The Redskins currently have 90, as do almost all of the other teams in the NFL, so they will eventually have to cut 37 men from their roster.

It’s way too early to tell who they are going to part ways with. But, here’s a look at our pre-training camp roster projections for the Redskins.

Quarterbacks (2)

Keeping: Alex Smith, Colt McCoy

Notable Cut: Kevin Hogan

I really wanted to let the Redskins keep three quarterbacks, but the numbers just didn’t work out because of the other spaces needed on the roster. The Redskins really have a lot of talent that they need to keep this offseason, so keeping three quarterbacks might be a luxury.

Running Backs (4)

Keeping: Chris Thompson, Derrius Guice, Samaje Perine, Byron Marshall

Notable Cuts: Rob Kelley, Kapri Bibbs, Keith Marshall

The running back corps is stacked for Washington this year. Thompson broke out last season as one of the league’s best receiving backs. Guice was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and the offensive staff will try to quickly make him the featured back. Meanwhile, Perine profiles as a perfect short-yardage/goal-line back who can grind out some tough yards while relieving Thompson and Guice at times.

Beyond that trio, the Redskins still have talent at the position. If Perine wasn’t already on board for the Redskins, Kelley would probably be holding down that short-yardage role. Bibbs and Byron Marshall both have scatback and special teams ability. Meanwhile, Keith Marshall was a lightning-quick college running back whose Redskins career has been decimated by injuries. But if he’s healthy, he could be an interesting option.

Of that group, it seems likely that Byron Marshall will emerge. The offensive staff like his return ability, route running, and willingness to produce on special teams. He will serve as the logical backup to Thompson, should the dynamo get hurt again in 2018.

Bibbs is the name to watch of this group. He flashed explosive ability in his short time in Washington, and he could eventually overtake Marshall for that fourth spot. Also, keep an eye on Kelley as a potential trade candidate to a running back needy team (cough, cough, Buffalo Bills).

Wide Receiver (6)

Keeping: Paul Richardson, Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, Trey Quinn, Robert Davis, Cam Sims

Notable Cuts: Brian Quick, Maurice Harris, Simmie Cobbs Jr.

The receiver position is going to be an interesting one to watch in training camp. Beyond the top three, Richardson, Doctson, and Crowder, it’s unclear exactly how the depth chart will shake out or who might make the team. The Redskins have a slew of veterans mixed in with a handful of rookies, and that should make for an intriguing competition.

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Quinn seems the most likely of the group to make the squad. Mr. Irrelevant could have been picked a lot higher than the final pick in the draft, and he is a fairly polish route runner. He seems like the natural replacement for Ryan Grant, so he deserves the nod.

Behind him, there will be five players competing for two spots. While the Redskins may elect to keep some veteran depth, I went with two younger players. Davis seems poised for a potential breakout year after spending most of his rookie year on the practice squad. Meanwhile, Sims impressed at offseason workouts and has excellent size. He could become a red zone threat for the team, and they really could use a guy like that to help out Doctson.

Quick, Harris, and Cobbs all miss out in this projection. Of that group, it seems that Quick is the most likely to make the final roster. That said, the team’s refusal to use him for most of last season (despite injuries to other top players) was strange, to say the least. So, I currently have him on the outside looking in.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 23: Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins celebrates his touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eagles won 34-24. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Tight End (3)

Keeping: Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Sprinkle

Notable Cut: Manasseh Garner

No real surprises here. The Redskins seem set to keep three players at the tight end position for another season. Reed, Davis, and Sprinkle will all fill various roles on the offense, and if Reed can stay healthy, this group should be solid.

Garner is the only notable cut of the group because he was with the team last season. Undrafted rookies Garrett Hudson and Matt Flanagan could be kept on the practice squad, but both seem to have little to no chance of making the final roster.

Overall, the tight end position seems to be set in stone. Even if there’s an injury, the Redskins are probably more likely to bring in outside help than they are to go beyond Sprinkle’s spot on the depth chart.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 26: Trent Williams #71 of the Washington Redskins walks off the field at the end of the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 26, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Offensive Line (9)

Keeping: Trent Williams, Shawn Lauvao, Chase Roullier, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Ty Nsekhe, Geron Christian, Tony Bergstrom, T.J. Clemmings

Notable Cuts: Tyler Catalina, Casey Dunn, Timon Parris

There seems to be six offensive linemen that are guaranteed to make the roster. And no, that doesn’t include all the starters. Williams, Scherff, Moses, Roullier, Nsekhe, and third-round pick Christian will almost certainly make the final roster. After that, it’s anyone’s guess.

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At left guard, the incumbent Lauvao still seems likely to make the roster and function as a starter. He may not be the most inspiring option, but he still has the most experience and might end up being the path of least resistance. So, he will probably be the seventh safe man.

With Christian and Nsekhe on the roster, the Redskins will need to settle on two interior backups. I grudgingly went with Tony Bergstrom, who the team brought back in the offseason, as the backup center over Casey Dunn. While Dunn has some upside, he still needs to add some strength and prove that he can make the leap to the NFL level before being trusted on the 53-man roster. That said, Dunn is a strong candidate for the practice squad as a potential backup center of the future.

For the final spot, I went with Clemmings, who I think should move to guard because of his poor performance at tackle and his athletic ability. That could be a good move and having him as a versatile backup would be a solid piece.

LANDOVER, MD – SEPTEMBER 10: Ziggy Hood #90 and Stacy McGee #92 of the Washington Redskin celebrate against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter at FedExField on September 10, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Defensive Line (7)

Keeping: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Stacy McGee, Tim Settle, Anthony Lanier, Ziggy Hood

Notable Cut: Phil Taylor

It’s nice to see how strong the defensive line is looking after years of being a weakness. With the two Alabama first-round picks as the starters, Ioannidis flanking them, and the backup unit of McGee, Settle, and Lanier, the unit seems to have very strong depth and could be a strength during the 2018 season.

Keeping Hood on this roster was very tough, and I considered him as the potential final cut instead of Kevin Hogan. However, Hood’s combination of versatility and leadership is too much to pass up on what is a very young defensive line. He may not see a ton of playing time, but having him on as a depth player will continue to make the team deeper.

As for Taylor, he is going to have a really hard time making the roster thanks to the presence of Payne and Settle. Taylor can only realistically play nose tackle and given his injury concerns, he may have to prove that he can play in Washington and then search out a job elsewhere to stick around in the NFL.

LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 29: Outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan #91 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after sacking quarterback Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at FedEx Field on October 29, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Rush Linebackers (4)

Keeping: Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith, Pernell McPhee, Ryan Anderson

Notable Cut: Alex McCalister

Last season, the Redskins kept five rush linebackers. This year, it might be hard to do that. Last year, the fifth outside linebacker spot went to Chris Carter, who served mostly as a special teams ace. This year, they don’t have anyone who would naturally fill that role.

Inside Linebacker (5)

Keeping: Zach Brown, Mason Foster, Josh Harvey-Clemons, Zach Vigil, Shaun Dion Hamilton

Notable Cut: Martrell Spaight

The theme of this roster projection is how deep the Redskins are. At this position, it seemed obvious who would make the squad last year. This year, there aren’t any obvious cuts to get down to the expected five they are likely to keep on the roster.

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I have a feeling that the final spot will come down to a battle between Vigil and Spaight. While Spaight was extremely successful against the run last year, he has been mostly abysmal in pass coverage when called upon. So, his upside is capped.

While Vigil may not be great in pass coverage either, he fared very well against the run last year as well and was a monster in the final few weeks of the season. If he continues to work hard and show great instincts, he may become the early-downs backup for Brown and Foster.

Spaight will still have a chance to make the team, but his grasp on a spot is tenuous at best. This may be one of the best individual battles to watch in training camp.

Cornerback (6)

Keeping: Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Orlando Scandrick, Fabian Moreau, Greg Stroman, Adonis Alexander

Notable Cut: Joshua Holsey, Danny Johnson, Ranthony Texada

The final cuts at cornerback are going to be brutal. The Redskins already had too much young depth at the position before Alexander was selected in the supplemental draft. Now with him in the fold, they are going to have to cut a player that some may not like to see go.

Of the young group of players, the guys fighting for the final two spots are Stroman, Alexander, and Holsey. All have some talent and can play roles on the defense, but given Stroman’s return ability and Alexander’s positional versatility, Holsey just seems like the odd man out.

Holsey could still be stashed on the practice squad if cut. Johnson and Texada are also candidates to land on that unit, as they are both talented in their own right. In a normal cornerback group, either of those undrafted free agents would have had a shot to make the final roster. But, this group is not normal because of the young depth it possesses.

The surprise cut here could be Scandrick, if he regresses in the preseason or if the other young players leapfrog him. Still, the Redskins saw something they liked in the veteran, so for now, he is inside of the roster bubble.

LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 of the Washington Redskins intercepts a pass thrown by quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 (not pictured) in the second quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Safety (4)

Keeping: D.J. Swearinger, Montae Nicholson, Troy Apke, Deshazor Everett

Notable Cuts: Fish Smithson, Quin Blanding

This is another position where cuts are going to be brutal. The presence of Apke makes it very difficult to take a chance on a younger player, solely because the Penn State product may not be ready to take on a big role in 2018.

For that reason, the Redskins may opt to stick with experience and keep Everett on the roster. Everett wasn’t great last year when forced into starting action, but he was a fine primary backup in previous seasons. He, Smithson, and Blanding are neck and neck right now in the race for the No. 4 safety spot, but his experience is enough to edge them off… for now.

In a normal offseason, the Redskins would probably consider carrying an extra safety to allow Apke some time to develop. But again, this isn’t a normal offseason because of the depth they are carrying. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Redskins opt to keep Smithson over a guy like Ziggy Hood or another bubble player. It’s just too early to tell where the Redskins will need to use their extra roster space.

LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 17: Kicker Dustin Hopkins #3 of the Washington Redskins kicks a field goal in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field on December 17, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Specialists (3)

Keeping: Dustin Hopkins, Tress Way, Nick Sundberg

Notable Cuts: None

The Redskins don’t have any competition for any of their specialists. Sam Irwin-Hill spent time with the organization as a backup punter, but he was released following the supplemental draft. For that reason, it seems highly likely that the Redskins will opt to keep their kicker, punter, and long snapper in place for the upcoming season.

The only question is, will Hopkins fare well enough to hold onto the job? There are always quality kickers available so if Hopkins performs poorly, the Redskins could move on from him. He just has trouble nailing 50-plus yard field goals, but if he cleans that up, he will be a solid kicker.

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So, that’s what the Redskins roster is looking like pre-training camp. It’s certain that some of these projections will change as the offseason goes along. Keep it right here at Riggo’s Rag for the latest news, updates, and rumors coming out of Redskins training camp!

Jacob Camenker