ASHBURN, Va. — Time for a roll call and status update on the new and somewhat improved Washington Redskins.
Looking at the squad’s comings, goings and remainings, there was an active offseason, with strong safety Reed Doughty as the only remaining unsigned starter.
Present and accounted for are these notable newcomers through free agency or re-signings:
–Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (via Philadelphia Eagles).
–Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher (Dallas).
–Safety Ryan Clark (Pittsburgh).
–Guard Shawn Lauvao (Cleveland).
–Wide receiver Andre Roberts (Arizona).
–Cornerback DeAngelo Hall (re-signed, $17 million/4 years)
–Safety Brandon Meriweather (re-signed, $1M/year)
–Wide receiver Santana Moss (re-signed, 1-year/terms unknown)
–Linebacker Brian Orakpo (franchise tender, $11.455M/1 year)
–Linebacker Perry Riley (potential UFA, $13M/3 years.
Notable players missing:
–Center Will Montgomery (released/failed physical).
–Wide receiver Josh Morgan (UFA, Chicago).
–Linebacker Darryl Tapp (UFA, Detroit).
–Center J. D. Walton (UFA, New York Giants).
Coming off a franchise-worst seven-game plunge from 10-6 NFC East champions in 2012 to 3-13 division cellar-dwellers in 2013, the Redskins’ additions most worthy of attention are:
–Jackson, a Pro Bowl receiver who burned them often while with Philadelphia.
–Hatcher, the only man besides DeMarcus Ware to lead the archrival Cowboys in sacks during the past nine seasons.
–Clark, a strong safety the Redskins had in 2005, but replaced with Adam Archuleta, returns through free agency via Pittsburgh.
–A pair of three-year starters in guard Shawn Lauvao (UFA, Cleveland) and wide receiver Andre Roberts (UFA, Arizona)
That impressive list doesn’t even count cornerback Tracy Porter, a starter in New Orleans and Oakland, nor the slew of other free agent signings — inside linebackers Adam Hayward (Tampa Bay), Akeem Jordan (Kansas City) and Darryl Sharpton (Houston) who were signed to compete for the vacancy opened by the retirement of captain London Fletcher.
Of the players who left the Redskins, only Montgomery was in Washington more than three years. New coach Jay Gruden thought so little of the veteran center that he was cut last month.
In contrast, the players who re-signed include outside linebacker Orakpo, who led the team in sacks for the fourth time in his four full seasons while being chosen for his third Pro Bowl; inside linebacker Riley, who supplanted Fletcher as their top tackler last season; top cornerback Hall, a three-time Pro Bowl selection; two-time Pro Bowl free safety Meriweather; and Moss, one of the leading receivers in franchise history.
Swift reserve corner E.J. Biggers and Rob Jackson, who filled in so well for the injured Orakpo in 2012, also decided to return to Washington.
All told, these moves don’t rocket the Redskins from laughingstock to Super Bowl contender.
DeSean Jackson, like Hall and Meriweather, can be an emotional headache. Hatcher had 16 sacks in seven seasons before exploding for 11 in a contract year. Clark, like Moss, will be 35 this season. Lauvao, Porter, Hayward and Sharpton all played for bad teams in 2013. Jordan has started as many as eight games in just two of his seven seasons. Roberts’ numbers slipped as Arizona improved last year.
The only year that Washington won more than six games during Orakpo’s five seasons is the one in which he missed 14 games. Riley won’t be the leader that Fletcher was. Biggers’ teams averaged only five victories the past three years while 2012 was the only one of Rob Jackson’s first six seasons in which he played very much.
Other than two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, Washington’s offensive line is suspect, particularly right tackle Tyler Polumbus.
Defensive right end Stephen Bowen is trying to rebound from microfracture knee surgery while left end Jarvis Jenkins has been a disappointment on a long-struggling defense. The secondary woes aren’t close to being solved by adding the aging Clark and likely backup Porter.
Don’t expect new special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, who only had one year in command with the New York Jets, to fix the NFL’s worst coverage units by replacing Doughty and Josh Hull, who signed with New England, with Hayward and Sharpton.
Although Washington doesn’t play a first-place schedule as it did last year, it still faces NFC powerhouses San Francisco and Seattle as well as AFC South champion Indianapolis. And while the Redskins went from worst to first in the NFC East in 2012 and Philadelphia followed suit last year, it’s difficult to see that happening three straight seasons in the same division.
Gruden, whose only previous head coaching gigs were in the XFL and the Arena League, brings enthusiasm that was absent under old-school predecessor Mike Shanahan.
The former Cincinnati offensive coordinator also inherits franchise record-setters in receiver Pierre Garcon, running back Alfred Morris, tight end Jordan Reed and, of course, quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Griffin, the NFL record-breaking rookie from 2012, is fully healthy more than a year since his right knee surgery and motivated to prove the critics who bashed him during the face of the franchise’s underwhelming second season.
“There are no excuses for last season,” Griffin said last week. “Forces were working against us. (Our struggles) drew us closer together and will only benefit us in the future.”
Gruden, who wasn’t part of the plunge of 2013, also believes that his quarterback can grow from it.
“Last year was a tough year, a humbling year for a lot of people, especially him,” Gruden said. “He’s obviously a physically tough kid. … I feel like he’s a mentally tough kid. He’s going to let last year be a learning experience for him. He’s going to do everything in his power — you can already sense it — to not let it happen again. He’s eager to get back into shape. He’s excited to get the new playbook. He’s a good, solid leader and he’s excited to get to work. Obviously, he has a ton of talent that we have to try to continue to mold and get him comfortable in the offense.”