As if the NFL’s NFC East needs more drama, a mere effort to predict an order of finish for 2014 resulted in a knot befitting the always curious nature of this division’s teams.
In a survey of The Sports Xchange football staff, the Philadelphia Eagles, powered by second-year coach Chip Kelly’s up tempo offense, were a unanimous pick to repeat as NFC East champions.
After that there is a tie for, well, second through fourth. So, depending on how one reads that result, there is either little separation perceived or dramatically diverse opinions regarding the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Washington Redskins.
For those who might want to sort that out for themselves, here is an in-depth, unit-by-unit look the NFC East as analyzed by reporters from The Sports Xchange who cover each team (using roster information as of Sept. 2):
1st — PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Nick Foles. Backups — Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley.
Foles flourished in Chip Kelly’s quarterback-friendly offense last season, leading the league in almost every pertinent passing category. He is an accurate passer who makes good decisions, as evidenced by the fact that he only threw two interceptions in 337 pass attempts last season. Sanchez, who was signed in March after the Jets released him, is the ideal backup. He has 68 career starts on his resume and his picked up Kelly’s offense quickly. He completed all but six of 31 attempts in the preseason.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter — LeSean McCoy. Backups — Darren Sproles, Chris Polk.
McCoy is one of the league’s two or three best running backs. He ran away with the league rushing title last year and has openly talked of rushing for 2,000 yards this season. He is a Barry Sandersesque runner with unmatched cutting ability. The Eagles used him a lot last season in an offense that ran the ball 47 percent of the time. He led the league in carries and touches. They would like to lighten his load a bit this season. The 31-year-old Sproles is one of the top pass-catching backs in the league, but the Eagles feel he also is an ideal fit for their zone running scheme. Polk, who had three touchdown runs in just 11 carries last season, missed the entire preseason with a hamstring injury, but is expected to be ready to go by Week 1.
TIGHT ENDS: Starters — Brent Celek, Zach Ertz. Backups — James Casey, Trey Burton.
The Eagles are one of the few teams in the league carrying four tight ends. But they figure to be a very tight end-centric offense this season. Celek is a hard-nosed player with an outstanding yards-after-the-catch average who has developed into one of the league’s better run-blocking tight ends. Ertz has Jimmy Graham-like pass-catching skills. Tight ends coach Ted Williams called him the best route-runner he’s ever seen. Kelly will move Ertz all over the formation this season trying to get him matched up against slower linebackers and smaller safeties and cornerbacks. Casey and Burton both are h-back types who can line up anywhere.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper. Backups — Jordan Matthews, Brad Smith, Josh Huff, Jeff Maehl.
On the surface, this doesn’t look like all that impressive of a group. No one who ever has caught 80 passes or racked up 1,000 receiving yards. No one with the vertical speed of DeSean Jackson, who was released in March after an 82-catch, 1,300-yard season. Maclin missed all of last season with a torn ACL but is a solid wideout who had 258 catches and 26 touchdowns in his first four NFL seasons. Cooper is a big, strong 6-4, 230-pound target who is adept at dealing with bump-and-run and battling for contested balls. He was the Eagles’ best red-zone receiver last year. Matthews, a 6-3, 215-pound rookie, is the team’s slot receiver. Kelly is intrigued by the prospect of using a bigger receiver like Matthews in the slot against normally smaller slot corners. Smith can play inside or outside. Maehl, who played for Kelly at Oregon, is mainly an outside receiver. Both are 6-foot-plus.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Jason Peters, LG Evan Mathis, C Jason Kelce, RG Todd Herremans, RT Lane Johnson. Backups — Allen Barbre, Matt Tobin, David Molk, Andrew Gardner, Dennis Kelly.
This is one of the best — and definitely the most athletic — offensive line in the league. They flourished in the Eagles’ zone-blocking scheme last season and helped McCoy win the league rushing title. Peters and Mathis both were first-team All-Pro selections last season, but Kelce is the heart and soul of this unit. He is adept at getting leverage on much bigger tackles and is a master at getting to the outside and leading sweeps and screens. Johnson, the team’s 2013 first-round pick, will miss the first four games of the season due to a PED suspension. Barbre will replace him. Barbre is more physical than athletic, but can hold his own against quicker edge-rushers.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LE Cedric Thornton, NT Bennie Logan, RE Fletcher Cox. Backups — Vinny Curry, Brandon Bair, Beau Allen, Taylor Hart.
Thornton, Cox and Logan all are returning starters. Thornton and Cox were new to the Eagles’ 3-4 scheme last season, and Logan was a rookie. But they did a good job in defensive coordinator Bill Davis’ two-gap scheme. Logan isn’t your prototypical nose tackle. Allen, his backup, is, but Logan is more athletic and relies as much on quickness as strength. Cox was drafted by the Eagles as a three-technique tackle and struggled early on to make the transition to a two-gap end last year. The scheme wastes a lot of what he does best, but he has adapted. He needs to become a bigger factor as a pass-rusher in the Eagles’ four-man line in nickel. Curry has carved a niche for himself as an interior rusher in nickel. Bair and Hart are classic two-gap ends who played for Eagles defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro at Oregon.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — OLB Connor Barwin, ILB DeMeco Ryans, ILB Mychal Kendricks, OLB Trent Cole. Backups — Najeh Goode, Brandon Graham, Marcus Smith, Bryan Braham, Casey Matthews.
Ryans is a solid technician who always is where he’s supposed to be. He played more snaps than any linebacker in the league last season, which is a concern for a 30-year-old guy at his position. He’s not particularly good in coverage. Kendricks has the biggest upside of any player on the defense. He has Pro Bowl-calibre talent. He’s fast and smart, with a great nose for always being around the ball. He is solid in coverage and is an outstanding blitzer. Their biggest concern inside is a lack of depth. They need a more consistent pass rush from their outside linebackers this season after notching just 37 sacks last year. That’s why they spent a first-round pick on Smith. But he was a deer in headlights in training camp and the preseason and probably isn’t going to play much, at least early on. Cole came on strong in the second half last season, recording all eight of his sacks in the final eight games. But he’s 32. Barwin is a solid player, but not a guy who’s going to collapse a pocket. Graham might be their best pass-rusher, but he can’t tackle in space or cover to save his life.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — CB Cary Williams, CB Bradley Fletcher, S Malcolm Jenkins, S Nate Allen. Backups — Earl Wolff, Chris Maragos, Brandon Boykin, Nolan Carroll, Jaylen Watkins.
The free-agent additions of Jenkins and Carroll have been huge. Jenkins has stabilized a position that was one of the team’s biggest weaknesses last season. As a former corner, he can cover slot receivers. He’s a smart player who makes the players around him better. Allen, who is a decent cover safety, but not particularly instinctive, has looked a lot better playing alongside Jenkins. Carroll has provided much needed depth to the cornerback position. Last year, they essentially had just three corners — Fletcher, Williams and nickel back Boykin. They couldn’t put a dime package on the field. Williams, Fletcher and Carroll are all long corners who are able to match up with the league’s bigger receivers. Boykin had a team-high six interceptions inside last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Cody Parkey, P Donnie Jones, LS Jon Dorenbos, PR Darren Sproles, KOR Brad Smith.
Parkey, who wasn’t signed until a week before the final preseason game, will replace Alex Henery, whose short kickoffs and inconsistency on field-goal attempts longer than 45 yards had frustrated the Eagles. Parkey booted 53- and 54-yard field goals in the final preseason game against the Jets. Jones set a franchise record for punts inside the 20 last year, had just 34 percent of his attempts returned and finished ninth in net average (40.5). Sproles, who will be the team’s backup running back to McCoy, is a dangerous return man with an 8.2 yard career return average. Smith is expected to handle kickoff returns.
2nd/4th tie — DALLAS COWBOYS
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Tony Romo. Backups — Brandon Weeden, Dustin Vaughan.
The goal for the Cowboys in the preseason was to get Romo healthy and ready to for the regular season. Mission accomplished. Romo got limited work in training camp and the preseason because of the December back surgery that ended his 2013 campaign in Week 15. But the Cowboys remain in Romo’s corner. They believe he has many more years left and can build off last season’s strong performance when he had 31 touchdown and just 10 interceptions thanks to influx of new ideas from new play caller Scott Linehan.
Weeden has replaced Kyle Orton as the primary backup. He comes to Dallas after two disappointing seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Weeden remains a work in progress after an uneven preseason. But the Cowboys believe he is worth developing for the future.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters — DeMarco Murray, FB Tyler Clutts. Backups — Lance Dunbar, RB Joseph Randle.
The Cowboys see Murray as the lead dog in a running game by committee. Still look for Murray to get 20 more touches a game as a runner and receiver. The Cowboys started getting the ball to Murray late last season and it paid off. He rushed for the third-most yards in the NFL in the final eight games of last season and finished the year with 1,121 yards and his first Pro Bowl berth. Look for him to build on his late 2013 success with new offensive play caller Scott Linehan in charge this season. Murray could get as many as 300 carries in 2014 as Linehan will scheme to get him the ball.
The Cowboys like Dunbar and will create ways to get him the ball as a change of pace option to Murray. He will be featured in the screen game the Cowboys have been working hard to develop. Randle had a strong camp and earned his spot as the third running back. He is finally developing into a complete back and has also made a huge impact on special teams. The Cowboys don’t use the full back a lot but enough to keep Clutts around. It also helps that he is on every special teams unit.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Jason Witten. Backups — Gavin Escobar, James Hanna.
What more can be said about Witten, 32, who remains one of the league’s most reliable pass catchers. He delivered again in 2013 with 73 receptions for 851 yards and eight touchdowns. Look for his numbers to drop in little in 2014 as the Cowboys focus more on the run as well try to get little-used 2013 second-round pick Gavin Escobar more involved this season, especially in the red zone. Escobar is bigger and stronger after hitting the weight room hard in the offseason to shore up his deficiencies as a blocker. But Witten remains Romo’s most trusted option.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams. Backups — Cole Beasley, Dwayne Harris, Devin Street.
The only question here is when will the Cowboys give Bryant a long term contract extension. There is no question that he is the best player on the team — one who is poised to get better after catching 93 passes for 1,233 yards and 13 touchdowns in earning his first Pro Bowl invitation last season.
Terrance Williams takes over full time at receiver opposite Bryant with Miles Austin released in the offseason. But will not represent much of a change as Williams took over the job last season with Austin out with injury. Williams, a 2013 third-round pick, caught 44 passes for 736 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t miss a beat at the full time starter in the off season or training camp and will take advantage of defensives looking to take away Bryant.
Beasley is the third receiver as the Cowboys like his knack for getting open and converting first downs out of the slot.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Tyrone Crawford, LG Ron Leary, C Travis Frederick, RG Zach Martin, RT Doug Free. Backups — G Mackenzy Bernadeau, T Jermey Parnell, T Donald Hawkins, T Darrion Weems.
The Cowboys want to win as they did in the 1990s when they were led by a dominant offensive line that was the strength of the team. They continued on that path in the draft with the selection of Zack Martin with the 16th overall pick. He is the third first-round pick of an offensive lineman in the last four years, joining tackle Tyron Smith in 2011 and center Travis Frederick in 2013.
Smith is the anchor of the unit and coming off his first Pro Bowl and he still only 23. Frederick was a starter last year and immediately became one of the best in the league.
Martin has also been a walk-in starter and fit right in as a dominant performer from Day 1 of training camp. Free had a bounce back season at tackle in 2013 after being forced to take pay cut to keep his job but he is in the last year of his contract. Leary is set on the other side after surviving a push from Bernadeau in camp.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LE George Selvie, NT Nick Hayden, UT Henry Melton, RE Jermey Mincey. Backups — T Terrell McClain, T Tyrone Crawford, E Anthony Spencer, DT Davon Coleman, T Ken Bishop, DE Lavar Edwards, DE DeMarcus Lawrence.
This position remains in the state of flux heading into the season as the starters never got on the field together during the preseason because of injuries to Selvie and Melton. Lawrence, the second-round pick who was supposed to replace DeMarcus Ware as the primary pass rusher is out for eight weeks with a fractured foot. McClain, who was supposed to push Hayden for a starting spot, missed the entire preseason with an ankle injury. He is back and ready for the opener. All will be fine if Melton can show some of the explosiveness that earned him Pro Bowl honors with the Bears. Melton, 15.5 sacks in four seasons in Chicago, is now the anchor at the under tackle position. He needs to be a disrupted force if the Cowboys hope to have any success up front.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — SLB Bruce Carter, MLB Rolando McClain, WLB Justin Durant. Backups — MLB Anthony Hitchens, OLB Cam Lawrence, OLB Kyle Wilber.
The Cowboys will have a linebacker corps by committee. The only consistent performer coming they trust coming into the season is Durant and he was a backup last year. But he will open the season at the all-important weakside linebacker position in this defense. He will be covered by the under tackle so he can run the ball and make plays. That was the position where the Cowboys hoped Carter would thrive. But Carter again has been a disappointment and moved to the strongside linebacker spot.
The Cowboys are gambling that McClain can be big hit in the middle in his return to football after sitting out last season in semi-retirement. McClain was an All-American at Alabama and first-round pick of the Raiders in 2011 before being cut after a fight with head coach Dennis Allen. He has the potential to be a difference maker. The question is does he have the drive and desire to do so?
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — CB Brandon Carr, CB Orlando Scandrick, S Barry Church, S J.J. Wilcox. Backups — CB Morris Claiborne, CB Sterling Moore, S Jeff Heath, CB Tyler Patmon, S Jakar Hamilton, C.J. Spillman.
The Cowboys secondary is unsettled going into the season with Scandrick and Hamilton suspended by the NFL for the first four games due to PEDs and substance abuse, respectively. Claiborne, a 2012 first-round pick who remains a disappointment, will start for Scandrick but he is entering the season with a chronic shoulder injury. The Cowboys are hoping Moore can handle the slot until Scandrick returns. Carr and Church are the only pieces to the secondary the Cowboys trust right now. They are banking Wilcox getting better in his second year.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Dan Bailey, LS L.P. Ladouceur, P Chris Jones, KR-PR Dwayne Harris.
Dan Bailey is the best at what he does on the team. In 2013, Bailey made 28 of 30 tries in 2013, including six of seven from 50 yards or more. He also has eight game-winning field goals in his career. And if Bailey is not the best at what he does, then that honor goes to Ladouceur, who may be the team’s most reliable player. He has never had a bad snap in his career, including 493 punts, 214 field goals, and 302 PATs. Jones was solid in his first full season as the Cowboys punter. He averaged 44.8 yards and a 39.3 net on 99 punts. Harris was the Cowboys best special teams player last year, considered he led them in special teams tackles in addition to ranking third in the NFL in punt return average (12.8) and second in kick return average (30.6).
2nd/4th tie — NEW YORK GIANTS
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Eli Manning. Backup — Ryan Nassib.
Manning didn’t have a very effective preseason showing, at times appearing to struggle in the new system installed by offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. Still, with some game-planning and continued reps, there is optimism that Manning will get back to his 2010 self, when he posted a career-best 62.9 completion percentage. Nassib finished his strong summer showing he can be a capable backup, and more important, looking comfortable in the team’s hybrid West Coast offense.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter — Rashad Jennings. Backups — Andre Williams, Peyton Hillis, FB Henry Hynoski.
Jennings emerged as the team’s most complete running back, showing strength not just in running between the tackles, but in also picking up the blitz and being a threat out of the backfield. Williams is a dynamic runner, but he still needs work as a receiver and in picking up the blitz. He’ll probably be limited to goal-line and short-yardage detail at first. Hynoski, the fullback, figures to be a key role player this year in that he can serve as an emergency running back and will get to run a few plays as the team’s H-back. The question, though, is can he stay healthy?
TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Larry Donnell. Backups — Daniel Fells, Adrien Robinson.
This unit was very underwhelming all summer long and could potentially be looking at some tweaking before opening day. Donnell is expected to be the starter; he is the most versatile of the group. Fells will likely handle most of the in-line blocking work while Robinson will look to show the coaches that he can contribute in this, his third year in the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle. Backups — Jerrel Jernigan, Odell Beckham Jr., Preston Parker, Corey Washington.
The miscommunications between Eli Manning and Randle continued in the preseason, creating some concern as to whether the passing offense, which supposedly has been simplified, will be successful given the talent. Jernigan, who had a pedestrian summer, will start as the third wideout, but he’s shown that he’s at his best when working from the slot, Cruz’s best position. Newcomer Washington didn’t see any reps against the opponent’s first- or second-string teams, so his contributions might be limited at first. It’s unknown when Beckham, who nursed a hamstring strain all summer, will be able to return to practice.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Will Beatty, LG Weston Richburg, C J.D. Walton, RG John Jerry, RT Justin Pugh. Backups — G/T Brandon Mosley, T Charles Brown, G/T James Brewer, G/C Dallas Reynolds, G/T Geoff Schwartz.
Richburg will get the start for Schwartz at left guard, who is currently recovering from a dislocated toe injury on his right foot. Meanwhile, the veteran Jerry, who signed as a free agent from the Dolphins, is believed to be the starting right guard, ahead of Mosley, who had some back issues late in the summer. All eyes though will be on Beatty, who is trying to bounce back from a poor 2013 season as well as a serious leg injury. Beatty has only played in 64 snaps all summer long, so will he be able to handle that many in a game this early in the season?
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LDE Mathias Kiwanuka, RDE Jason Pierre-Paul, LDT Cullen Jenkins, RDT Johnathan Hankins. Backups — DE Robert Ayers Jr., DT Mike Patterson, DT Markus Kuhn, DE Damontre Moore, DT Jay Bromley, DE Kerry Wynn.
One-half of the Giants’ starting defensive line will be new in 2014, specifically the return of Kiwanuka to the starting lineup (for Justin Tuck at LDE) and the projected promotion of Hankins (for Linval Joseph). However, all eyes will be on Pierre-Paul, who has repeatedly declared himself to be fully healthy and poised to have a big season similar to his 16.5-sack, 86-tackle Pro Bowl season in 2011.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — MLB Jon Beason, SLB Jameel McClain, WLB Jacquian Williams. Backups — Devon Kennard, Spencer Paysinger, Mark Herzlich.
Beason remains on schedule to be in the starting lineup on Sept. 8 after spending the entire summer on the PUP list while recovering from a broken foot. The eight-year veteran, who will wear special orthotics to protect his feet moving forward, told the NFL Network that he was able to do all the movements required in football without any issues. Williams quietly had a strong summer, finishing third on the team in total tackles with 15. Rookie Kennard has been a nice surprise in his development and figures to see a lot of playing time in the team’s sub packages.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — RCB Prince Amukamara, LCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, SS Antrel Rolle, FS Stevie Brown. Backups — CB Walter Thurmond III, CB Trumaine McBride, S Quintin Demps, S Nat Berhe, CB Zack Bowman.
Rodgers-Cromartie’s assignment is simple. Shut down the opponent’s top receiver. That should be easy enough for a man who last season allowed just 47.1 percent of the passes thrown against him to be completed and who gave up just four touchdowns en route to a 70.0 NFL rating, according to Pro Football Focus. Amukamara figures to be targeted more this year thanks to Rodgers-Cromartie’s presence. While he allowed just two touchdowns last season, he also allowed 64.9 percent of the passes thrown against him to be completed. Thurmond will take over the slot cornerback duties. Last season for the Seahawks, Thurmond kept opposing slot receivers off the scoreboard. Brown will return to the field after missing last year recovering from a torn ACL. His knee has held up so far, but the interceptions haven’t been coming as easily to him, at least in preseason, as they did in 2012.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK Josh Brown, P Steve Weatherford, LS Zak DeOssie, KOR Quintin Demps, PR Preston Parker.
Brown held onto the kicking job over rookie Brandon McManus, who was traded to Denver for a conditional seventh-round 2015 pick following the first round of roster cuts. Parker’s hold on the punt-return job appears to be temporary as head coach Tom Coughlin has indicated a desire to put rookie first-rounder Odell Beckham Jr. in that spot.
2nd/4th tie — WASHINGTON REDSKINS
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter — Robert Griffin III. Backups — Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy.
The big story in Washington this summer hasn’t been President Obama’s woes or the Nationals’ dominance, it has been the struggles of Griffin, who hasn’t been the same since his glorious rookie year ended with a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee in a wild-card playoff loss in January 2013. Former coach Mike Shanahan and ex-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan lost their jobs after last season in large part because they couldn’t co-exist with the supposed franchise quarterback. However, if Griffin fails to develop this year, the fingers will be pointed at him, not at new coach Jay Gruden, who did a great job molding young quarterback Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. Griffin is a gifted athlete, but he’s still unpolished in the pocket, shaky with his decision-making and reckless when he runs. He’s too smart and talented not to improve. Fellow third-year man Cousins has had his moments when Griffin has been sidelined and is a better pure passer at this point of their careers but doesn’t have the same high ceiling and throws too many interceptions. McCoy, signed as a free agent this offseason, was Cleveland’s starter for most of his first two seasons, 2010 and 2011, but is mere insurance in Washington.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters — Alfred Morris, FB Darrel Young. Backups — Roy Helu, Silas Redd.
Gruden coordinated a pass-happy offense with the Bengals, but he didn’t have a back like Morris, who powered for 2,888 yards the past two seasons. The new coach wisely retained Shanahan’s zone-blocking running scheme which should keep Morris chugging away in his third season. Young is a solid, if not massive, fullback. Helu, Washington’s leading rusher in 2011, is a reliable receiver who figures to remain in the third-down back role again this year. Undrafted rookie Redd beat out three-year veteran Evan Royster and the faster Chris Thompson and Lache Seastrunk thanks to a better all-around game.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter — Jordan Reed. Backups — Logan Paulsen, Niles Paul.
Despite missing seven games, including the final six after a concussion, the athletic Reed set franchise records for a rookie tight end with 45 catches and 499 yards. He figures to greatly improve those numbers as Griffin’s safety valve when wideouts Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson are double-teamed. Paulsen looks like a lumberjack, but he has pretty good hands for a blocking specialist. Former receiver Paul is a special teams standout who has never found a niche on offense.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters — Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson. Backups — Andre Roberts, Santana Moss, Aldrick Robinson, Ryan Grant.
Slant pass-catcher par excellence Garcon was so used to being “the guy” in 2013, leading the league in passes thrown his way, 184, and catches, 113, that it will be very interesting to see whether he and fellow diva-like wideout Jackson can co-exist without sulking. Playmaker Jackson had a career year in Philadelphia in 2013 and seems to be out to show the Eagles were wrong to cut him rather than being content to take the big contract the Redskins gave him and his former team wouldn’t. The quick Roberts was signed from Arizona to start opposite Garcon before Jackson became available. Moss enters his 10th season in Washington as the franchise’s most productive receiver ever other than Gary Clark who’s not enshrined in Canton and might well still have a role in the slot until Robinson shows he’s more than just a deep threat and rookie Grant, who had a fine summer, proves he can produce when it counts. Leonard Hankerson, the unit’s biggest receiver, starts the year on the physically unable to perform list, as he continues to recover from major knee surgery last November.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — LT Trent Williams, LG Shawn Lauvao, C Kory Lichtensteiger, RG Chris Chester, RT Tyler Polumbus. Backups — T Tom Compton, G Josh LeRibeus, T Morgan Moses, G Spencer Long.
The guys up front are under pressure to prevent Griffin from being the human pinball he was last year. Even Pro Bowl pick Williams faded down the stretch and wasn’t as good as he had been in 2012. Newcomer Lauvao wasn’t considered anything special in Cleveland. He takes over from Lichtensteiger, whom the Redskins believe will be an upgrade in the middle over released former starter Will Montgomery. Chester is probably on the way down at 31 and Polumbus is huge but not fluid. None of the backups has started an NFL game with Moses and Long being rookies. So Washington, which cut more experienced linemen Mike McGlynn and Maurice Hurt, is gambling big-time if one of the starters goes down for an extended period.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters — DLE Jason Hatcher, NT Barry Cofield, DRE Chris Baker. Backups — DE Jarvis Jenkins, DE Kedric Golston, NT/DE Clifton Geathers, DE Frank Kearse.
With former right end Stephen Bowen on PUP and still recovering from major knee surgery last December, Baker had a superb summer and cemented the starting spot he inherited when Bowen went down. Despite his bulk, the former nose tackle is always around the ball. Cofield, 30, remains the line’s leader and a sometimes-force inside. Washington hopes that Hatcher, 32, didn’t have a career year in Dallas in 2013 with 11 sacks because he was heading towards free agency. He missed much of the summer following a knee scope but recorded a sack in his only preseason game. Jenkins had his moments during camp while fellow former starter Golston rolls on as a valuable backup. Free-agent pickups Geathers and Kearse combined for three sacks in the preseason finale to clinch jobs. They were helped when reserve nose tackle Chris Neild tore an ACL for the second time in three years and was placed on injured reserve.
LINEBACKERS: Starters — LOLB Ryan Kerrigan, LILB Keenan Robinson, RILB Perry Riley, ROLB Brian Orakpo. Backups — OLB Trent Murphy, ILB Akeem Jordan, ILB Adam Hayward, OLB Gabe Miller, ILB Will Compton.
Although Orakpo (19) and Kerrigan (16) combined for 35 sacks during their first two years starting opposite each other (2011, 2013), Washington was just 8-24 during those seasons. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett hopes that the addition of Hatcher and Murphy, who led the nation in sacks at Stanford last year, will help free up his Pro Bowl outside backers to wreak even more havoc than in the past. If the offseason and preseason are an indication, Robinson is everything that the Redskins thought he was when they drafted him to be the heir apparent to now-retired tackle machine London Fletcher in 2012. So much so that Robinson could usurp 2013 top tackler Riley as the team’s premier run-stopper. Hayward was signed from Tampa Bay to restore some order to the special teams coverage units that were awful in 2013. Jordan, a former Eagles and Chiefs starter, won another reserve spot inside when ex-Texan Darryl Sharpton went on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain. Miller, who spent time with three teams the past two years but has yet to make his debut, beat out 2012 starter Rob Jackson, 2013 draft pick Brandon Jenkins and journeyman Everette Brown to join Murphy as the outside reserves. Compton, a rookie free agent in 2013 made the roster thanks to a superb work ethic.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters — LCB DeAngelo Hall, RCB David Amerson, SS Ryan Clark, FS Brandon Meriweather (suspended for the first two games). Backups — CB E.J. Biggers, CB Tracy Porter, FS Bacarri Rambo, S Duke Ihenacho, S Trenton Robinson, CB Bashaud Breeland.
If Washington is to be more like the 2012 NFC East champions than the 2013 division cellar-dwellers, this unit will have to take a big step forward. The Redskins allowed 60 touchdown passes the past two seasons even though three-time Pro Bowl pick Hall rebounded nicely in 2013 after a subpar 2012. Amerson, who led the nation in interceptions at North Carolina State in 2011 and was Washington’s top draft pick in 2013 (second round) takes over at the other corner from Josh Wilson, who was cut. Clark, who never should been allowed to leave after helping the Redskins end a five-year playoff drought in 2005, is back after eight years with the Steelers. The question is how much the heady, physical Clark has left as he turns 35 next month. Meriweather is suspended yet again for an illegal hit. Rambo, who opened his rookie year of 2013 as a starter before his poor tackling landed him in the doghouse, is supposed to fill in, but perhaps 2013 Denver starter Ihenacho can get up to speed in time after being claimed off waivers on Sunday. Former New Orleans and Oakland starter Porter missed much of the offseason and preseason while recovering from shoulder surgery, but has veteran savvy while Biggers has speed. The aggressive Breeland has to be careful that he doesn’t follow Meriweather’s example. Robinson beat out 2013 draft pick Thomas because of his strong special teams play.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Kai Forbath, P Tress Way, LS Nick Sundberg, KOR-PR Roberts.
Forbath beat out seventh-round draft pick Zach Hocker — Washington’s first kicker selected in 15 years — despite the rookie’s big leg. That was thanks to the incumbent’s improved kickoff range on top of his field-goal accuracy (35-for-40 field-goal attempts the past two seasons). Way was cut by Chicago in mid-August but did enough in four practices and the final two preseason games with the Redskins to get the nod over Robert Malone, who had been with the team throughout the offseason. Roberts wasn’t that impressive on returns with the Cardinals, but the Redskins will give him the first shot as the main man on both punts and kickoffs. Sundberg has been a fine snapper since coming to Washington in 2010, but he missed 19 of 32 games with serious injuries the past two seasons.