(My Sportsbook) - "Change" is a word that's been used an awful lot around the city of Washington these days. But while the White House and Congress' intent on bucking the status quo doesn't fall in line with the policies of previous recent regimes, such a concept is hardly new when it comes to the hometown Redskins.
In the 10 years under the supervision of impetuous team owner Daniel Snyder, the Redskins have had five head coaches and gone through 10 different starting quarterbacks, not to mention a plethora of veteran player additions designed to restore the storied franchise back to glory. And although this revolving- door point of view has annually made Washington one of the NFL's more interesting teams to follow, it's managed to produce only sporadic success on the playing field.
The Redskins will enter the 2009 season with the same coach and quarterback as in 2008, but those betting on Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell being still employed by the Snyder conglomerate at the end of the first term of the Obama administration will likely be getting some long odds.
Zorn's first year as Snyder's hand-picked successor to retiring legend Joe Gibbs started out as a smashing success, as Washington won six of its first eight games of the 2008 campaign and found itself right in the thick of the NFC playoff picture. However, a 2-6 record over the season's second half and an offense that came to a grinding halt down the stretch quickly ended the honeymoon for the ebullient 56-year-old, who had come to the Burgundy and Gold with the reputation of an innovative offensive mind.
While Zorn will get his chance to improve upon last year's 8-8 mark and No. 28 overall ranking in points scored, his seat could be awfully warm as the star- struck Snyder casts a wandering eye from his FedEx Field luxury box at a bonanza crop of Super Bowl-winning coaches currently on the open market, names such as Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and Zorn's old boss in Seattle, Mike Holmgren.
As for Campbell, the Redskins have made no secret that the former first-round draft pick - who has yet to achieve the superstar status many of the peers in his age group have reached - is on a short leash. After refusing to discuss an extension of the fifth-year pro's contract that expires at this season's end, the team had an open flirtation with University of Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez and reportedly made a feverish attempt to trade up in April's draft to land the ex-Trojans star. In the end, Washington lacked the ammunition to move into the top five overall picks and grab Sanchez, probably because the club had discarded its second-round selection the summer before to bring in aging defensive end Jason Taylor, just one of the ill-fated personnel decisions made by the braintrust of Snyder and director of football operations Vinny Cerrato over the years.
Snyder and Cerrato were able to reel in one of their coveted offseason targets, however, luring All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from Tennessee to the nation's capital with a landmark seven-year, $100 million contract that made the 28-year-old the league's highest paid defender. The dominant interior stuffer will be the centerpiece of a formidable stop unit that should be the Redskins' unquestioned strength.
There's far more uncertainty on the offensive side, with questions that need to be answered along both the front line and at the skill positions in addition to Campbell's need to put behind his second-half struggles of last year as well as any lingering confidence issues. They're all potential problems that must be solved in order for the Redskins to move forward in Zorn's second season.
Below we take a capsule look at the 2009 edition of the Washington Redskins, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:
2008 RECORD: 8-8 (4th, NFC East)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2007, lost to Seattle, 35-14, in NFC First-Round
COACH (RECORD): Jim Zorn (8-8 in one season with Redskins, 8-8 overall)
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Sherman Smith
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Greg Blache
OFFENSIVE STAR: Clinton Portis, RB (1487 rushing yards, 9 TD, 28 receptions)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Albert Haynesworth, DT (51 tackles, 8.5 sacks with Tennessee)
OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 8th rushing, 23rd passing, 28th scoring
DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 8th rushing, 7th passing, 6th scoring
KEY ADDITIONS: WR D.J. Hackett (from Panthers), G Jeremy Bridges (from Panthers), DT Albert Haynesworth (from Titans), DE Renaldo Wynn (from Giants), DE/OLB Brian Orakpo (1st Round, Texas), LB Robert Thomas (forom Raiders), CB Kevin Barnes (3rd Round, Maryland), P Hunter Smith (from Colts)
KEY DEPARTURES: WR James Thrash (released), G Pete Kendall (not tendered), G Jason Fabini (not tendered), T Jon Jansen (to Lions), DT Ryan Boschetti (to Raiders), DE Demetric Evans (to 49ers), DE Jason Taylor (to Dolphins), LB Marcus Washington (released), LB Khary Campbell (not tendered), CB Shawn Springs (to Patriots), S Mike Green (not tendered), P Dirk Johnson (to Buccaneers), P Ryan Plackemeier (released)
QB: Campbell (3245 passing yards, 13 TD, 6 INT in '08) will have plenty of motivation as he enters a contract year and will give his team a chance at success if the 27-year-old performs like he did in the first half of 2008, when he completed over 66 percent of his passes and did not throw an interception. The even-keeled quarterback did not play well in the Redskins' first two preseason games, however, leading to speculation that the offseason trade rumors may have taken their toll. Zorn doesn't seem to be a big fan of Todd Collins, a holdover from the Gibbs regime who sparked Washington's 2007 playoff run in place of an injured Campbell, but the veteran journeyman will probably keep the No. 2 job with sophomore Colt Brennan still viewed as a work in progress. The Redskins did bring in former Missouri star Chase Daniel as an undrafted free agent, and the 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist has a shot to stick on the practice squad.
RB: Washington's second-half regression also coincided with a dip in production from running back Clinton Portis (1487 rushing yards, 9 TD, 28 receptions), with the colorful workhorse averaging a meager 2.9 yards per carry over the season's final five games as he dealt with an assortment of nagging injuries. He still managed to finish fourth in the NFC in rushing and totaled his highest yardage output since 2003. Zorn still wants to keep his feature back more fresh for the winter months and plans to incorporate capable backup Ladell Betts (206 rushing yards, 1 TD, 22 receptions), an 1,100-yard rusher in 2006 and superior receiver to Portis, more into this year's game plan. The duo will run behind one of the premier lead blockers in 273-pound fullback Mike Sellers (12 receptions, 1 TD), a prime reason why the Redskins averaged over 130 yards per game on the ground last season. Third-string running back Rock Cartwright rarely sees the field on offense, but has plenty of value as a special-teams captain and primary kick returner.
WR/TE: Zorn's West Coast attack played to the strengths of top wide receiver Santana Moss (79 receptions, 1044 yards, 6 TD), who delivered his first 1,000- yard season since 2005, and sure-handed tight end Chris Cooley (83 receptions, 1 TD), who set career-best in catches and receiving yards (849) while earning a second straight Pro Bowl nod. However, the team had trouble coming up with reliable secondary options for Campbell, as Antwaan Randle El (53 receptions, 4 TD) was merely adequate as the starting flanker and highly-regarded rookie receivers Devin Thomas (15 receptions) and Malcolm Kelly (3 receptions) were slow to develop. Both have had encouraging camps, however, and the team is expecting one of the youngsters to take over as a starter and push Randle El into a more suited role out of the slot. Zorn would also like to get second- year tight end Fred Davis (3 receptions) more involved in the offense, and the second-round draft choice does have the skills to be an impact receiver. Veteran Todd Yoder (8 receptions, 1 TD) returns as the blocking tight end, while Seahawks and Panthers castoff D.J. Hackett (13 receptions) and 6-foot-4 rookie Marko Mitchell (7th round, Nevada) are battling to stick as a fifth wideout.
OL: The Redskins fielded one of the NFL's oldest front walls a year ago, with all five starters 31 years of age or older, and the advanced unit simply couldn't hold up over the strain of a 16-game schedule. The line's lynchpin, left tackle Chris Samuels, missed the final four weeks with a torn triceps and has battled knee problems in training camp, a great concern considering the team doesn't have a pass protector in the six-time Pro Bowler's class. Washington did make a conscious effort to get younger up front by jettisoning old-timers Pete Kendall and Jon Jansen in the offseason and made a good move with the free-agent signing of Derrick Dockery, who spent his first four seasons with the Redskins before spending the last two in Buffalo. The 29- year-old will slide into Kendall's old spot at left guard, with third-year man Stephon Heyer slated to take over for Jansen at right tackle. Right guard Randy Thomas and center Casey Rabach are solid performers at their respective positions but will be 33 and 32, respectively, during the course of the season, and the team lacks experienced depth up front save for Jeremy Bridges, a free-agent defector from Carolina with 39 career starts to his credit and the ability to play guard or tackle. That dearth of seasoning was one reason the Redskins brought in tackle Mike Williams, a former first-round bust with the Bills who's spent the last three years out of football. He's managed to drop a considerable amount of weight after reporting to spring mini-camp at over 400 pounds, but still is considered a long shot to make the active roster.
DL: Although the tackle position wasn't an obvious one of need, the Redskins couldn't resist adding the massive Haynesworth (51 tackles, 8.5 sacks) to a group that also includes a trio of quality interior players in ninth-year vet Cornelius Griffin (27 tackles, 1 sack), Anthony Montgomery (23 tackles, 2 sacks) and Kedric Golston (28 tackles, 2 sacks). His arrival should also boost a lackluster pass rush that produced a mere 24 sacks last year, tied for the fourth-fewest in the league. End Andre Carter (37 tackles) led the team with only four sacks in 2008, one season after he racked up 10 1/2 takedowns and forced four fumbles. On the opposite side, 36-year-old Phillip Daniels returns from an ACL tear that caused him to miss all of last year and figures to further bolster a run defense that yielded just 95.4 yards per game (8th overall). He and fellow graybeard Renaldo Wynn (25 tackles, 2 sacks with the NY Giants) will also be counted on to tutor Kentucky rookie Jeremy Jarmon, a raw 21-year-old plucked by Washington in the supplemental draft. Also on hand is the versatile Lorenzo Alexander (17 tackles, 2 sacks), who can fill in at all four line spots and has been used as an extra blocker on offense in the past as well.
LB: This three-man crew is headlined by one of the league's unsung stars in London Fletcher (133 tackles, 0.5 sacks), a tackling machine and invaluable team leader in the middle who hasn't missed a game in 11 NFL seasons. The 34- year-old will be flanked by returning starter Rocky McIntosh (87 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) on the weak side and prized newcomer Brian Orakpo on the strong. The Redskins' first-round selection in April's draft, Orakpo is a freakish athlete who played defensive end at the University of Texas and has shown so far he can handle the position switch. A feared pass-rusher with the Longhorns, he'll also be used as a down lineman in passing situations. With Fletcher advancing in age and McIntosh having battled knee problems in recent years, third-year pro H.B. Blades (60 tackles) holds down an important role as the fourth linebacker and key special teamer, where Alfred Fincher (6 tackles), ex-Raider Robert Thomas (2 tackles) and rookie fifth-round pick Cody Glenn will be asked to contribute as well.
DB: Considering the difficulty Washington had in pressuring the quarterback, the fact that the team finished seventh in the league in pass defense (193.4 avg.) is a testament to how well the secondary played last year. The unit features three former first-round draft choices in cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall (73 tackles, 5 INT, 21 PD) and Carlos Rogers (56 tackles, 2 INT, 24 PD) and gifted free safety LaRon Landry (65 tackles, 2 INT, 11 PD), while undervalued seventh-rounder Chris Horton (76 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack) came out of nowhere to be an impact player at the strong safety spot. Rogers made a strong return from a potentially debilitating knee injury to have his best season as a pro in 2008, while two-time Pro Bowler Hall proved to be an astute mid-year pickup after the brash cover man wore out his welcome with the Raiders. Landry's range and physical nature have earned the 24-year-old comparisons to the late Sean Taylor. The Redskins did part ways with oft-injured corner Shawn Springs in the offseason, but grabbed a potential successor through the draft in third-round pick Kevin Barnes. The University of Maryland product will compete with declining vet Fred Smoot (54 tackles, 1 INT) for snaps as the nickel back. Third safety Reed Doughty (19 tackles) was re-signed despite missing most of last season with a back injury, while the team was pleased with what 2008 rookie Kareem Moore (17 tackles) provided on coverage units and as a backup to Landry.
SPECIAL TEAMS: For the most part, this critical area was too often a sore spot in Zorn's first season. The Redskins ranked dead last in the NFL punting and Shaun Suisham's 72 percent (26-of-36) success rate on field goals was the worst among kickers last year. The free-agent signing of ex-Colt Hunter Smith should help rectify what was a revolving-door situation in the punting department, although the 11th-year veteran won't have the benefit of kicking half his games in a dome anymore. Suisham was brought back on a one-year deal, but will have to beat out the well-traveled Dave Rayner in preseason to keep his job. Former CFL standout Dominique Dorsey was also added in the offseason and the diminutive return man has a shot to stick as the main punt returner, a position where Randle El (6.5 avg.) has failed to provide a spark over the past couple of years. Cartwright (25.6 avg.) has made a mark taking back kicks, however, while long snapper Ethan Albright is regarded among the upper echelon of players at his often overlooked craft.
PROGNOSIS: As is the case in most years, the 2009 Redskins are a hard team to figure out. The defense has a chance to be championship-caliber with Haynesworth now on board and the pass rush seemingly improved, but Washington may have to win a lot of low-scoring games in order to break over the .500 mark. An offense that was abysmal over the second half of last year has looked even more out of sync during the early portion of the preseason, and with a patchwork line and a No. 1 running back who's beginning to show the after-effects of years of heavy use, the prospects of a sudden turnaround don't appear too rosy. The defense will give the Redskins an opportunity to rise into the upper half of the competitive NFC East, but the only way that happens is if Campbell can play at the level he displayed during the early portion of last season.
