53 Man Roster and Training Camp Battles

[Schneed10]

If I had to choose the roster right now, here's how it would look. Identifying the 53 man roster helps determine where the biggest training camp battles will be for roster spots.

QB - 3 - Ramsey, Brunell, Campbell
WR - 6 - Moss, Jacobs, Patten, Thrash, Brown, McCants/Dyson
TB - 2 - Portis, Betts
HB/TE - 5 - Cooley, Royal, White, Broughton, Sellers/Cartwright
O Line - 9 - Jansen, Thomas, Rabach, Dockery, Samuels, Ray Brown, Molinaro, Wilson, Raymer/Friedman
Total Offensive Roster Spots - 25

DE - 4 - Wynn, Daniels, Evans, Warner
DT - 4 - Griffin, Salavea'a, Noble, Boschetti
LB - 7 - Arrington, Washington, Marshall, Chris Clemons, Holdman, McCune, Brian Allen/Jared Newberry/Clifton Smith/Khary Campbell
S - 5 - Taylor, Bowen, Clark, Prioleau, Lott/Dixon
CB - 5 - Springs, Harris, Rogers, Wilds, Jimoh/Rufus Brown
Total Defensive Roster Spots - 25

Special Teams - 3 - Tupa, Albright, Hall/Chandler

Any other battles you guys see? Maybe you can't keep 9 offensive lineman? If you trim the O-Line to 8, you definitely have to have a backup center, so you'd have to cut either Ray Brown, Mark Wilson, or Jim Molinaro. Maybe Holdman, McCune, and Chris Clemons aren't assured roster spots? Maybe White, Broughton, Sellers and Cartwright are all competing for spots? I personally think Bowen will stick around, but maybe he's in a battle?

What do you guys think?

[MTK]

I can see Bowen getting cut simply because there are guys that can do his job for alot less $$.

Sellers and Cartwright could be bubble guys due to the fact we brought in White and Nemo.

Either Raymer or Friedman are likely to be cut, I'm thinking Raymer since Friedman can also play guard.

[Big C]

ade jimoh does not have to battle anyone, he is practically guaraunteed a spot on the team

[Drift Reality]

I hope McCants makes the roster over Dyson. He is substantially younger and actually has an upside.

I have a feeling Sellers is gone. He just made too many boneheaded plays last year. Not as many as Gardiner, but close. Cartwright seems to be a sharper player even thought he height is an issue.

I agree with Matty on the Raymer/Friedman issue.

I'm not sure if Holdman, McCune, or Clemons are locks. I think after Arrington, Washington, and Marshall (he may not even be a lock), everything is going to be based on how these guys perform in camp and on special teams. Same goes for the safeties although I can see how Bowen's salary and health may make him a liability (those ACLs usually take longer than a year to completely recover from).

As for the battle at CB, I don't even think it is a question. Jimoh is the future of our franchise: there is no way he is going anywhere.

[Ade Jimoh Fan Club]

Originally Posted by Drift Reality

As for the battle at CB, I don't even think it is a question. Jimoh is the future of our franchise: there is no way he is going anywhere.

Well said, my friend. I think The Ade is finally getting the respect he deserves.

[Redskins8588]

Just a thought, but what if they move Cartwright to be a RB behind Betts?

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Redskins8588

Just a thought, but what if they move Cartwright to be a RB behind Betts?

Where you put him on the depth chart isn't as big of a concern as the number of guys on the depth chart. If you put him behind Portis and Betts, then that's one less spot at HB/TE you can carry.

I would think that keeping Cartwright would mean Sellers is a goner. I could be wrong though.

Fine by me if that's the case. Sellers was KILLING ME with those bonehead penalties last year. Sellers' one redeeming quality is that he's a hard-nosed blocker, and I think with the addition of Nemo and White, he might be totally obsolete.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

I agree. I know he played aggressively, but you can be aggressive without being stupid.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

If I had to choose the roster right now, here's how it would look. Identifying the 53 man roster helps determine where the biggest training camp battles will be for roster spots.

QB - 3 - Ramsey, Brunell, Campbell
WR - 6 - Moss, Jacobs, Patten, Thrash, Brown, McCants/Dyson
TB - 2 - Portis, Betts
HB/TE - 5 - Cooley, Royal, White, Broughton, Sellers/Cartwright
O Line - 9 - Jansen, Thomas, Rabach, Dockery, Samuels, Ray Brown, Molinaro, Wilson, Raymer/Friedman
Total Offensive Roster Spots - 25

DE - 4 - Wynn, Daniels, Evans, Warner
DT - 4 - Griffin, Salavea'a, Noble, Boschetti
LB - 7 - Arrington, Washington, Marshall, Chris Clemons, Holdman, McCune, Brian Allen/Jared Newberry/Clifton Smith/Khary Campbell
S - 5 - Taylor, Bowen, Clark, Prioleau, Lott/Dixon
CB - 5 - Springs, Harris, Rogers, Wilds, Jimoh/Rufus Brown
Total Defensive Roster Spots - 25

Special Teams - 3 - Tupa, Albright, Hall/Chandler

I'd agree with most of that analysis with the exception that I think we will carry 8 or 9 LB's and one or two less DB's. I just remember an analyst saying that New England carries a lot of LB's b/c of their versatility and special teams adaptability.

Additionally, I get the feeling that Williams' defense is very LB dependent and really revolves around have 2 or three good corners, solid D linemen and a lot of LB's to form a deep flexible response to the whatever unique attributes the opposing offense presents in a particular week.

I think your offense and ST's analysis is probably correct, but I see the defense breaking down like this:

DE - 4 - Wynn, Daniels, Evans, Warner
DT - 4 - Griffin, Salavea'a, Noble, Boschetti
LB - 9 - Arrington, Washington, Marshall, Chris Clemons, Holdman, McCune, Clifton Smith, Khary Campbell Brian Allen/Jared Newberry/
S - 4 - Taylor, Bowen, Prioleau,Clark/Lott/Dixon
CB - 4 - Springs, Harris, Rogers Jimoh/Rufus Brown/Wilds
Total Defensive Roster Spots - 25

In the DB battles I see emphasis being given to ST ability which would favor Ade and Lott. Also, if one of the bubble Safeties can serve as a 4th or 5th corner that would work to their favor also. I think when you get down to the 4th and/or 5th stringers (offense or defense) it will Danny Smith's call so some of these battles may be across positions (i.e. Sellers v. Campbell or Cartwright v. Wilds, etc).

My guess is that R. Brown, Lott, Wilds and Dixon will be gone. Of these the only one I would miss is Wilds in that I think he may just need some time to develop - The staff seemed pretty high on him last year. But the numbers may just crunch him out.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

You think they'd get rid of that many???

[SmootSmack]

What about Artrell Hawkins?

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Was he the one they was on the team for like two days? Or was that someone else?

[Redskins8588]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

Was he the one they was on the team for like two days? Or was that someone else?

That was Cory Hall I think, but about moving Cartwright, I think that Sellers maybe safe only because of how the coaching staff likes him on special teams. I agree that he made bone headed plays at times, but if Portis gets hurt who do we use to give Betts a break during games? I think that we will have 3 RB's or at least a RB on the practice squad...

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

What about Artrell Hawkins?

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

You think they'd get rid of that many????

They may be able to stash Wilds and/or Brown on the practice roster, but yes - I don't see them keeping more then 8 DB's on the main roster. If they keep only 8, then a lot of guys will be cut [or mysteriously injured so that they can try again next year - Odds on Ade getting a "high ankle sprain" in the last week of camp?].

We just have a glut of [presumably] capable players at the DB positions. While the same could be said about H-back and LB, it seems to me that, because of the versatility inherent in both those positions, the DB's will be the position that gets shorted. If you keep 10 DB's, where you gonna find two more spots? Rather keep 3 each of solid S's and CB's and have a couple of DB's that can do double duty as CB/S (and if they can play special teams, all the better).

Again, those back end LB's are either A) developmental players like Chris Clemons, McCune, Jared Newberry, Clifton Smith or B) special teamers like Khary Campbell. Of the LB's originally listed, I think the only sure cut is Brian Allen and possibly Newberry. (Campbell is one of those probably competing out of position against folks like Ade or Sellers)

As for Hawkins, doesn't he play safety also? or is he a pure CB. If the former, he will probably make the team creating a real log jam for the eighth (assuming Taylor, Bowen, Prioleau, Springs, Harris, Rogers are locks) or possibly ninth spot (assuming one less H-Back, O-Line or LB spot).

[Schneed10]

I dunno, I can't see Gregg Williams letting Garnell Wilds go. He's the 4th coverage guy on the team behind Rogers. Remember, he did quite well against Moss last year, and given that Rogers has a foot problem I can't see Williams letting him go.

We had Springs, Smoot and Harris last year, and we still needed to play a 4th cover corner against the Vikings. Guys get hurt, so I think Williams will be prepared for that.

I think Gregg Williams' need for strong corners on D trumps any concerns about special teams. When listing priorities, not to downplay the importance of special teams because it is important, but in our scheme having that 4th cover guy is more important.

The only way Wilds gets let go in my opinion, is if GW is comfortable with having one of the safeties be the 4th corner. He really likes roster flexibility, so if he finds a safety he feels comfortable using as a cover guy, then maybe Wilds becomes expendable. But do we have anybody like that? I gotta wonder if the Lotts, Clarks, Bowens, or Prioleaus can fill that role.