The Washington Redskins are going to have to cut their roster down to 53 soon. Here’s our best guess as to how that will shake out after final cuts on Saturday.
Quarterback (2)
Keeping: Alex Smith, Colt McCoy
Notable Cut: Kevin Hogan
Smith and McCoy have been locked onto the roster since they signed their respective contracts with the team. Hogan has not been. That said, while Hogan is still being cut in this roster prediction, there is a chance that the team could opt to keep him around on the practice squad.
Hogan had a solid performance in the third preseason game and provided a nice break from the generally woeful effort of the rest of the team. He tossed two nice TD passes and looked to have some potential.
However, in the preseason finale, Hogan played well in the first half before making numerous mistakes in the second half. It just doesn’t seem likely that he will make the practice squad, so obviously, we won’t entertain the idea of him somehow sneaking onto the 53-man roster, especially when Nate Sudfeld (a superior player to Hogan) couldn’t do that last season.
Running Back (4)
Keeping: Adrian Peterson, Samaje Perine, Chris Thompson, Rob Kelley
Notable Cuts: Kapri Bibbs, Byron Marshall (IR-DFR?)
The final preseason game was a huge one for Kelley. He came out willing to showcase that he was ready to work hard and earn a roster spot. He had numerous long gains and showed more burst than he had in any of the other preseason matchups. He also caught a couple of passes and seems to have pushed himself back onto the active roster.
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The question now is: will the Redskins cut Bibbs or keep him? It seems more likely that they will part ways with him in hopes of bringing him back on the practice squad. They may not need a backup to Thompson after all, as he might be healthier than initially anticipated to start the season. If the team is confident in Thompson’s ability, Bibbs doesn’t necessarily have a place on the roster.
The wild card here is Perine, as he seemed like a roster lock but had an interesting fourth preseason game. He did well on most of his early carries, but he had a bad fumble midway through the first half. Jay Gruden continued to give him work throughout the first three quarters which signals that Perine isn’t a 100 percent lock to make the roster, as if he was, Gruden would have just given him a few carries to get him up to speed for the opener. So, look out for Perine as a potential surprise cut.
At the end of the day, it still seems likely that Perine makes the roster and that the choice will come down to Kelley or Bibbs. As it stands, Kelley seems to have the edge solely because he’s a favorite of Gruden and he performed very well in the final preseason contest.
Wide Receiver (6)
Keeping: Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jamison Crowder, Maurice Harris, Trey Quinn, Brian Quick
Notable Cuts: Cam Sims, Simmie Cobbs
The toughest position battle to decide after the preseason finale is whether Brian Quick or Cam Sims makes the squad. Quick had a three-yard TD catch in the finale, but it was an easy play. Meanwhile, Sims saw two targets and didn’t catch either. Neither player had a particularly memorable night, so it’s hard to know exactly what the coaching staff is thinking.
What we do know is that Sims can be put on the practice squad, if he makes it there. Quick can’t see that happen. Additionally, Quick has been with the Redskins for an extra year and while he didn’t play much, he could serve as veteran depth and help in a pinch if needed. Sims has potential and demonstrated during the preseason, but he could use some extra time to refine his skill set before being thrust into the role.
Perhaps another alternative that isn’t being talked about enough is that the team could cut both. They have rolled with five receivers in the past and could opt to do that to keep depth elsewhere on the roster. But for the moment, it still seems more likely that the team will choose one.
For now, I like Quick solely because he is a veteran and can fill out the back end of the roster nicely. I could be wrong about the team’s plans and I would prefer that they keep Sims. That said, they brought back Quick for a reason and if he’s healthy, he could have a hold on that job.
Tight End (4)
Keeping: Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Sprinkle, J.P. Holtz
Notable Cuts: None
For most of the offseason, I had the Redskins keeping just three tight ends. Then, I started watching Holtz play. There’s no question that he should be on the roster as he provides the Redskins something that they don’t have.
Holtz is a great lead blocker and demonstrated that by creating many holes with blocks throughout the final three preseason games. In the contest against the Ravens, Holtz also showed that he could catch the ball, notching two receptions and scoring a touchdown.
Given that Adrian Peterson and Samaje Perine have done well running behind a fullback this preseason, it may behoove the team to keep Holtz as a blocker and special teams ace. He has the skills needed to provide the team with something different, and that can’t be underestimated.
If Holtz doesn’t make the roster, then he’s a shoo-in for the practice squad. As it stands, the top three tight ends seem like roster locks, but it will be interesting to see if Holtz ends up making the final cut.
Offensive Line (9)
Keeping: Trent Williams, Shawn Lauvao, Chase Roullier, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Ty Nsekhe, Geron Christian, Tony Bergstrom, Casey Dunn
Notable Cuts: T.J. Clemmings
The first seven players listed are locks. Bergstrom also seems to be a strong candidate to make the roster, but only by default.
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The backup offensive line has played poorly for most of the preseason, and the interior unit has been particularly bad. It seems likely that the Redskins are going to shop for some top backups during roster cuts to help patch the weakness that the team has at that position.
If I had to pick two other players to help the squad get to the nine linemen they are likely to carry, they are Bergstrom and Dunn. Bergstrom isn’t anything special, but he’s versatile enough to play guard and center. Meanwhile, I like Dunn as a technician and no other player has stepped up. So, he might be the guy to watch here.
No matter who they keep, it seems like the Redskins will try to steal a quality player off waivers to help improve their depth. Any team that has extra offensive line depth could be a candidate to either trade a player to the Redskins or see the squad claim one of their players off waivers. On cut day this Saturday, that will certainly be something to watch.
Defensive Line (6)
Keeping: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Ziggy Hood, Tim Settle, Anthony Lanier
Notable Cut: Phil Taylor
This is the exact same group I had in my post-preseason Week 2 roster prediction. Here’s what I said about these players at that time.
"Payne was on the field in the second week of the preseason and showed why he was a first-round pick. He and Allen wreaked havoc on the Jets early, and they should be a great tandem on the defensive front. Add in Ioannidis when he’s healthy and…look out. Behind the projected top three, Tim Settle has settled into a role as the backup nose tackle and run stuffer. Lanier is the pass rushing specialist. And Hood is a versatile, do-it-all leader who can play a handful of snaps in conjunction with the better linemen. This unit is truly a strength, and it’s remarkable how much the group has transformed since the start of 2017. Taylor gets the short end of the stick here, as he just doesn’t have a place as a third-string NT and DL7. He could catch on somewhere else, but the younger defensive linemen are playing well enough to push him on the roster."
I think that argument sticks at this point. Also, with Stacy McGee on the PUP list, there’s a chance that he could come back and provide depth partway through the season. Either way, Taylor seems like the odd man out on a strong-looking unit.
Rush Linebacker (4)
Keeping: Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith, Ryan Anderson, Pernell McPhee
Notable Cuts: Pete Robertson, Vontae Diggs
There are no surprises here though I will note that Robertson is probably my 54th man. Robertson had a sack in the preseason finale and demonstrated good athleticism in camp. He has great special teams ability and could have a chance to make the roster. At the very least, he’ll be a practice squader.
At the top of the depth chart, Kerrigan and Smith are one of the most underrated edge rusher duo in the league and they could put up monster numbers this year. Anderson looked good in the last preseason game and though he’s still a work in progress, he wasn’t pushed for a roster spot this preseason.
McPhee’s spot on the roster also seems like a lock. He will be a solid run-stuffer and should be able to use strength-based moves to get into the backfield for some sacks. This four-man crew may not be deep, but they have the chance to be a solid rotation if all works out.
Inside Linebacker (5)
Keeping: Zach Brown, Mason Foster, Josh Harvey-Clemons, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Martrell Spaight
Notable Cut: Zach Vigil
This was a very difficult decision, but one factor helped to make the decision. Special teams. Spaight has Vigil beat in that aspect of the game and as the fifth linebacker, he just makes more sense for the squad.
So far this preseason, Hamilton has played well and become a primary backup while Harvey-Clemons looks like a coverage linebacker. Those two will back up Brown and Foster, so if a fifth linebacker is to be active on game day, he’ll need to be a special teams ace and a great tackler. That’s exactly the player that Spaight is, as he’s at his best while coming downhill.
Vigil may have Spaight beat in coverage, but the fact is that the team won’t be looking to use their fifth linebacker on defense frequently. So, the special teams ability outweighs that upside.
It’s possible that if the Redskins cut down at another position, like receiver, they could keep six linebackers on their final roster.
Cornerback (6)
Keeping: Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, Danny Johnson, Greg Stroman, Adonis Alexander
Notable Cuts: Prince Charles Iworah, Ranthony Texada
No changes here. Alexander proved that he has upside in the final two preseason games and had some nice plays in coverage. Meanwhile, Johnson and Stroman saw a lot of work in the preseason and their respective abilities as punt returners definitely will make them quality additions to this roster.
While carrying three rookies as the primary backups is risky, it’s really the only choice that the Redskins have. The rest of their depth isn’t experienced, so they’ll be relying on Norman, Dunbar, and Moreau to hold up early in the season while the young talent develops. Still, this is a solid and versatile corps, and they should have an impact.
As for Iworah and Texada, they are both very good practice squad candidates, and the team will probably try and stash one. Texada has slightly outplayed Iworah to this point, so he would get the nod in that capacity, especially after his impressive interception return against the Ravens.
It will also be interesting to see how the squad adapts if and when Joshua Holsey returns from the PUP list. The team really likes him, but it’s unclear whether or not they’d be willing to cut any of their young talent to bring him back.
Safety (4)
Keeping: D.J. Swearinger, Montae Nicholson, Deshazor Everett, Troy Apke
Notable Cuts: Kenny Ladler, Fish Smithson
This is another position where nothing has changed since my last roster update. I said the following of the two backup safeties in my last article.
"In addition to Everett’s inclusion, fourth-round pick Apke will make this squad barring an unforeseen development. Apke has flashed immense athletic upside during the preseason — he had a great pick in the second preseason game — and while he still is raw and needs to develop, Torrian Gray should have a good chance to turn him into a quality player. Gray has done a lot of good work with the other members of the Redskins secondary in recent seasons, so Apke could easily develop into a quality backup player. The Redskins don’t have a truly game-ready No. 3 safety on their roster. That could end up coming back to bite them. For now, they will stick with Everett as their top backup and he will provide a steady presence who will provide some special teams value. If their safeties are an issue this season, expect them to invest in the position next offseason, provided that Apke and Nicholson don’t make improvements to their game."
This is one of the weaker positions on the Redskins roster, and it’s a shame that none of the younger players were able to step up and win a spot. The team may have to find a veteran safety midway through the season if any issues occur in the secondary.
Special Teams (3)
Keeping: Dustin Hopkins, Tress Way, Nick Sundberg
Notable Cuts: None
The chalk will still rock with special teams. Hopkins has fared well during this preseason, as he made a 56-yard field goal and single-handedly was able to outscore the Jets. He seems to be getting better which is certainly good news for the squad.
Way has similarly done well this preseason and has continued to hold down the punter job. He beat out competition Sam Irwin-Hill well before training camp even started, so he will be the starter at the position once again.
Meanwhile, Sundberg continues on as one of the longest tenured Redskins, and he is one of the league’s more reliable long snappers when healthy. As the old adage says, it’s always better not to know the long snapper’s name, as it means he’s doing a good job.
The Redskins may make some choices that are different than this, but at this time, this seems to be the optimal 53-man roster. It will be interesting to see if Gruden and company agree with that assessment.