The Washington Redskins are getting ready for NFL roster cuts. Here’s a look at one final 53-man roster projection for the team.
A lot can change with roster projections over the course of the season. And just about 28 hours ahead of official NFL roster cuts, the Redskins roster is looking as different as ever.
This year, the Redskins have a lot of questions about how they can construct their roster. Obviously, they have a bunch of players that are roster locks. But some of the key position battles (notably the wide receiver position) are mostly unsettled. There are a lot of players that could make the roster and it just depends on which player’s skill set the coaching staff prefers.
There are countless iterations of the final roster that could make sense. And in all likelihood, this projection won’t be perfect. There are always some surprise picks for the final roster and it is nearly impossible to get into the heads of coaches at this time of the year. Plus, the team could always foul things up a bit by claiming some other roster cuts off waivers.
Still, we’re going to give it our best shot. Here’s a look at a final 53-man roster projection for the Redskins starting, as always, with the quarterback position.
Quarterbacks (3)
Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, Dwayne Haskins
I strongly contemplated only keeping two quarterbacks here, but I think that McCoy is going to make the initial roster. They could stash him on IR-DFR depending on how long he’ll be out with the leg injury, but even if they do that, he will have to be on the initial 53-man roster to earn that designation.
Keenum and Haskins are obvious locks. Keenum was able to grab the starting job with a solid preseason. He was steady and proved able to run the offense in camp and the preseason. He’s the type of veteran presence that Jay Gruden wanted at quarterback, especially with McCoy banged up.
As for Haskins, he was the team’s first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, so obviously, he isn’t going anywhere. Still, the team has indicated that they want to give him a chance to develop. So, if McCoy can get healthy to start the season, Haskins may start the year as the No. 3 quarterback while he further learns how to succeed at the NFL level.
That said, if McCoy isn’t able to get healthy in time, Haskins will be the No. 2 option to start the year. It seems that the Redskins, ideally, would like to avoid playing starting him, but he could still see some mop-up work if the team either crushes an opponent or is in an unwinnable game.
For now, these three seem to be roster locks. The only way they aren’t keeping three off the bat is if McCoy goes on the IR-DFR. And that wouldn’t happen until after cut day anyway.
Running Backs (3)
Derrius Guice, Adrian Peterson, Chris Thompson
Samaje Perine’s last chance to prove himself came in the preseason finale against the Ravens. He was coming off a solid outing against the Atlanta Falcons and there was at least a chance with a better performance that he could win a roster spot.
Well, it appears that he missed that chance. Perine didn’t do much against the Ravens and despite the rave reviews he got from Jay Gruden this offseason, it looks possible — if not, probable — that he won’t be on the team moving forward.
If Perine doesn’t make the team, I don’t think keeping a fourth running back makes much sense. Byron Marshall had some nice runs against the Ravens, but I haven’t been overly impressed with him during his Redskins tenure. Plus, the ‘Skins have some other special teams options that look better than Marshall (more on that later).
Craig Reynolds performed well this preseason, but he will almost certainly be available to sign to the practice squad. The team can stash him there and roll with Guice, Peterson, and Thompson as their top guys. That should work well and if there are any injury issues, Reynolds can be called up. And furthermore, there will be other veteran running back options on the free-agent market that the team can call upon if they need to.
Wide Receiver (6)
Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, Robert Davis, Steven Sims Jr.
This is the most difficult position to project for the Redskins. Do they keep Josh Doctson? Do they trade him? Will they keep six players here? Seven? There are so many answers and so few questions.
Regarding Doctson, I don’t think that he ends up making the team. He’s in a bit of a lame-duck year and may not end up being a starter for the squad. He does have experience and the potential of a possession-based No. 2 option, but if the team wants to get Terry McLaurin early action, it would make sense to offload Doctson.
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The team also had several players stand out during training camp at the preseason. Robert Davis notably performed well as a deep threat and on special teams, and it seems that he should have a roster spot based on his performance. Kelvin Harmon also made some nice plays in the preseason, so the 2019 sixth-round pick should hang around.
The question will be about the two Sims on the roster. Cam Sims performed very well in training camp, but wasn’t always as strong on the field in the preseason. Steven Sims Jr. quietly played well all preseason and put his skills on display against the Ravens in preseason Week 4. He made an excellent touchdown catch and looked fantastic as a kick returner, averaging 40 yards per return. That should be enough to earn him a roster spot.
Keeping Cam Sims is less of a certain thing, but with the team having so much youth at receiver, it may be worth it to keep seven early and test some of their options as they look to see who can actually produce at the NFL level moving forward.
That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sims cut and stashed on the practice squad (if he makes it there). Additionally, Doctson well could make this roster solely because of his experience. It’s very difficult to know what the ‘Skins will do here, and this position should do a lot to shape their roster construction.
Tight End (4)
Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Sprinkle, JP Holtz
There’s always a surprise among the final 53-man roster. And this year, I think that it could happen at the tight end position.
The Redskins have a solid top-three in the tight end group. Jordan Reed is a great receiving option when healthy. Vernon Davis is an experienced veteran who still has enough speed to make some plays. And Jeremy Sprinkle is a developing tight end who is a good blocker but has the frame and athletic ability to make an impact as a receiver too. Those three are locked onto the roster. But could the team keep a fourth?
The obvious reason for keeping a fourth would be because of Reed’s inability to stay healthy. He was able to stay on the field during camp and most of the preseason until a cheap shot by Keanu Neal gave him a concussion. Though Jay Gruden has been optimistic that Reed won’t miss time, the concussion is the seventh of his career so it is a concern.
If there is any inkling that Reed may miss Week 1 or is questionable, the Redskins could keep Holtz around. The versatile H-back has performed well this preseason and had a solid performance last year too. He was on the practice squad in 2018, so he is familiar with the squad and could make an impact with his combination of blocking and receiving skills.
Holtz is far from a roster lock, but he could have a shot at making the team even if it is only for a week or so while they ensure that Reed will be healthy enough to play.
Offensive Line (9)
Donald Penn, Ereck Flowers, Chase Roullier, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Geron Christian, Wes Martin, Ross Pierschbacher, Timon Parris
It seems that the top seven listed here are pretty much set in stone. Penn and Flowers have won the starting jobs on the left side of the line respectively. So, that locks them into roster spots. Meanwhile, Christian and Martin were third and fourth-round picks respectively and should be the top backups on the line.
After that, things get a bit more interesting.
Washington Commanders
Pierschbacher was a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and many have viewed him as a strong candidate to take on the backup center role. However, for whatever reason, the coaching staff has seemed attached to Tony Bergstrom for that position. Bergstrom has been with the ‘Skins for about two years, but the 33-year-old has little upside and hasn’t performed well this preseason. So, one would assume his days might be numbered.
That said, the Redskins still could opt to go with experience and keep Bergstrom while trying to stash Pierschbacher on the practice squad. But more likely would be the option that they keep both and kick promising second-year tackle Timon Parris off the roster. He would then land on the practice squad.
The other possibility is that the Redskins could go light on the offensive line to start the season. After all, they’re only likely to have seven players active on the unit in Week 1 and their backups didn’t play very well this preseason. Still, Parris makes it in here as my 53rd man and should make the roster unless the Redskins decide to go heavier at the receiver position.
Defensive Line (5)
Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Tim Settle, Caleb Brantley
No surprises here for the time being. The top-three unit of Allen, Payne, and Ioannidis is one of the best tandems in the league and it’s a far cry from the thin unit the team had at this position just a few seasons ago.
As for their backups, Settle is a monstrous run stuffer who has some solid pass-rush ability of his own. He should be a great top backup and could see more action against the run as the season goes along.
Brantley is the wild card on this list. Not because of his talent — he surely has enough pass rushing ability to make the roster as a developmental player — but because of an injury. He has been dealing with a Lisfranc issue in camp and if the team doesn’t think he’ll be ready to start the season, they could opt to keep a sixth defensive lineman.
If they did that, undrafted rookie, Ryan Bee of Marshall, would be my top choice as the 6-foot-7 player has done well so far this year. He also is well rounded and produced at Marshall, so that could help his cause. JoJo Wicker would have a shot to make it after a solid preseason as well.
But if Brantley is healthy, the team may not need Bee or Wicker enough to keep them on the original 53-man unit. So for now, they’ll try to stash him on the practice squad.
Edge Rusher (5)
Ryan Kerrigan, Montez Sweat, Ryan Anderson, Cassanova McKinzy, Marquis Flowers
Kerrigan, Sweat, and Anderson all were seemingly roster locks coming into the season and the trio should complement each other well.
Kerrigan is one of the hardest-working edge rushers in the league and can win at the point of attack with strength and speed. He can do a bit of everything and should continue to perform well after back-to-back 13 sack campaigns.
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As for Sweat, the first-round pick has unbelievable athletic ability and length, and he should be the perfect candidate to replace the departed Preston Smith. He should be a good pass rusher and did well enough setting the edge in college to potentially earn a starting role. He will be nice to use in tandem with Anderson who is one of the better run-stopping edge players in the league.
Meanwhile, McKinzy has been excellent this preseason and has shown burst and athleticism off the edge. His bend is great too, so that, plus his two-sack performance against the Falcons last week, likely earned him a spot. He could see some action as a pass-rushing specialist and on special teams. The only thing clouding his availability for Week 1 is the concussion that he suffered in the preseason finale against the Ravens.
Because of McKinzy’s concussion, I could see the Redskins keeping an extra hybrid linebacker just in case he can’t play to start the season. That’s why Marquis Flowers makes it in this projection. Flowers is a seasoned veteran who played with the New England Patriots and can play on the edge or at middle linebacker. He had a solid preseason so keeping him around to start the year while letting McKinzy get healthy could be an option.
The notable omission here is Jordan Brailford, the team’s rookie seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma State. Brailford has a nice skill set, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy so far this offseason as he has dealt with a nagging groin injury. I think that the team should stash him on IR and give him a chance to prove himself next year. If not, he could be kept on the practice squad.
Inside Linebacker (4)
Shaun Dion Hamilton, Jon Bostic, Josh Harvey-Clemons, Cole Holcomb
These four players are locked into the inside linebacker roles for the Redskins. The only question is about who will be starting.
Bostic has looked good enough this preseason to be considered one of the starters. He has played well in tandem with Harvey-Clemons, but Hamilton was the top inside linebacker before going down with a preseason injury. Will he have rebounded enough to take back that role? Or will the Redskins give Harvey-Clemons, the former safety and seventh-round pick out of Louisville, a chance to prove himself as a starter?
Meanwhile, Holcomb is still developing but displayed strong instincts, good athletic ability, and a great work ethic this preseason. He’ll start the season in a backup role but he has the potential needed to start at some point. For now, he’ll be great on special teams and could earn some playing time on defense as well.
The Redskins could consider keeping an extra linebacker especially if they go a bit lighter on the offensive side of the ball (at RB or TE specifically). Undrafted rookie BJ Blunt could make the team in that role, but with Marquis Flowers on the roster playing on the edge and inside, they seem to be okay at these positions for the moment. Blunt could still be stashed on the practice squad in case Flowers is not long for the roster.
Cornerback (6)
Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, Jimmy Moreland, Greg Stroman, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
I’ve long been projecting these players as the top six options at the cornerback position. And as of right now, I don’t see any reason to change that.
In my last roster projection, here’s what I said about this group of cornerbacks and why it makes sense for the Redskins to keep them.
Washington Commanders
"Simply put, the six corners listed above have clearly been the best options for the Redskins this preseason. Norman, Dunbar, and Moreau are set as the starters. Moreland has been a turnover machine, though he has had some issues in coverage. Stroman has looked good once again and provides return ability on special teams. And Rodgers-Cromartie adds a veteran presence and more versatility to the squad. If all the players here can live up to their potential, this corner group could end up being a very strong one. Moreau is a player that the team would like to see strides from in particular. But, for right now, it seems that the team is in good hands with these six guys."
Of course, Moreau is now nicked up and may miss the first week or two of the season. But currently, there’s no reason to assume he needs to go on any injury list.
The only player that might have a chance to either knock one guy off or sneak in as a seventh corner is Adonis Alexander. The former supplemental draft pick hasn’t done much during his NFL career to date, but he still is oozing with potential thanks to his 6-foot-3 frame and coverage abilities. It may be a risk trying to sneak him to the practice squad, but I’d prefer the Redskins cut ties with him at the moment, as keeping him would imbalance the roster a bit.
Safety (5)
Landon Collins, Montae Nicholson, Deshazor Everett, Troy Apke, Jeremy Reaves
This position was once viewed as a potential weakness for the Redskins. But this preseason, a couple of the team’s depth players have stepped up to at least give their backups some more promise.
Collins and Nicholson look like a formidable starting unit while Everett has been a special teams ace for the squad over the course of the years. The questions came at the fourth safety position where former fourth-round pick Troy Apke was expected to face minimal competition for a roster spot.
In the preseason, Jeremy Reaves has stepped up and proved that he can be a quality depth player at the NFL level. He played in two games for the Redskins last year and the 23-year-old has been a good all-around player for the ‘Skins during the preseason. He was a standout against the Ravens and that should do enough to get him a roster spot.
Carrying five safeties means going thinner at some other spots on the roster, but it’s hard to justify cutting a talented young player like Reaves. And given the strides that Apke has made and his special teams potential, parting with him wouldn’t make sense either.
Specialists (3)
Dustin Hopkins, Tress Way, Nick Sundberg
The special teams unit hasn’t been great this preseason, but I still don’t foresee the Redskins making any changes. And Way is absolutely safe as he is still one of the league’s best punters.
A case could be made to replace either Hopkins or Sundberg. The field goal unit has had some issues this preseason including Hopkins missing a couple of kicks and Sundberg uncorking a couple of not-so-great snaps.
Still, the lack of kicking talent in the NFL should confirm that Hopkins will stick around while Sundberg has already beaten Andrew East for the long snapper job. It doesn’t appear that the ‘Skins want to make any changes. And given their solid longevity at their respective positions, that is sensible.
Barring a surprise, don’t expect anything crazy to happen on special teams.
Practice Squad (10)
DL Ryan Bee, DL JoJo Wicker, S JoJo McIntosh, CB Adonis Alexander, LB BJ Blunt, TE Donald Parham, WR Darvin Kidsy, WR Cam Sims, RB Craig Reynolds, OL Hugh Thornton
The Redskins should have a solid practice squad, even if they have to make some difficult roster decisions moving forward. Getting both Bee and Wicker on this unit would be excellent news for the team, as both have the upside to be role players on the defensive line. Allowing Jim Tomsula to keep working with them would be ideal.
In the secondary, JoJo McIntosh was viewed by some as the Redskins’ best undrafted free agent. He has had a quiet preseason, but he could find himself on the practice squad as a developmental candidate. The same can be said of Adonis Alexander, a former supplemental draft pick who has shown very little in 14 months with the team. He has the size needed to be a strong corner, but he needs more seasoning and could stand to develop on the practice squad.
Blunt will round out the defensive selections for this unit. He has shown solid tackling ability and a nose for the football. He’s a bit raw and undersized, but he could develop into a solid special teams player and backup at the NFL level.
On the offensive side of things, the team keeps two receiving weapons in this prediction. Kidsy started the preseason strong before fizzling out a bit and being overtaken by some other options while Donald Parham (6-foot-8) has intriguing size for a tight end. Both are still developing and could be future role players.
As for Sims, he just missed the cut as my 54th man. But if the Redskins are willing to go with seven receivers, he could make the roster. He’ll be competing with bubble players JP Holtz and Marquis Flowers for spots.
Hugh Thornton sticks around as a veteran offensive guard option who has some upside and showed a bit this preseason, even after only playing in the AAF after some time off from football.
Finally, Craig Reynolds has done enough this preseason to be the team’s fourth running back. With them only keeping three, he can be stashed on the practice squad and called up if any injuries occur.