[GTripp0012]

My thought on the TE situation is that if the Redskins were going to give up on Niles Paul, he wouldn't have made it through last year, when he was just taking up space on a playoff roster. He'll stay one more year. Although changing ST coaches from Smith to Burns probably hurts him.

Keeping 4 TEs kind of hamstrings the roster composition of this team, as so much as you can hurt the roster composition keeping a versatile player (not much). I think they are going to give Haslett his full 25 spots, so the extra spot has to come out of somewhere, either WR or OL. The top four receivers from last year will stay, and I think Robinson makes it over Henderson because they run similar routes, but Robinson can get behind the defense allowing Griffin to out throw him.

I have a feeling that they'll make a spot for Stallworth as the sixth receiver, but if I had to make the prediction today, he'd be on the outside looking in. As soon as a guy (at any position) goes down, they'll swing it so Stallworth makes the team.

That leaves nine spots for the OL, which is really more than the Redskins need (and more spots than they'll finish the season with), but I think they'll cut down to just nine for Week 1 so that they can keep Compton without having to start him. That, and I think that Gettis and LeRibeus are on scholarship for one more season. Polumbus should beat out Hurt as the swingman, which means it's Hurt vs. Pashos for the roster spot at RT.

This post is already a disaster to follow (I'm rusty) so I'll just continue with the defense. If you've gotten this far, bless your soul.

No idea what is going to happen with the defensive line. Starters are obvious. There's typically no reason to roster 3 NT's, but they have to because they don't have enough depth at DE to play in the sub packages. So I think they'll keep Neild and Baker, as both can get after the passer better than some of our ends. I don't think Golston is a lock, but if Carriker gets waived or IR'ed, he's on for sure. I think they'd be willing to keep just six defensive lineman, but again, not if Carriker is one of them, just too much uncertainty there. Brace or Merling will have to stand out, because I could see that spot going to a UDFA or training camp signing. I'm betting on Merling right now, but do see him getting jumped by someone before the final cutdowns.

Rostering 6 DL means 9 or 10 LBs, which is a better use of your roster space. Fletcher, Riley, Orakpo, Kerrigan, Jackson, Robinson are locks. Jenkins will make it. I think there are plans to get 3 OLBs in the field in sub packages, which means that they'll need 4 to 5 active OLBs every week (good for Darryl Tapp). They can skimp on the inside if they want to open the season with just 3 ILBs, but they'll be going through a majority of the season with four, which is probably good for Vic So'oto or Bryan Kehl (I think So'oto is better).

I'd really like Rodrick Muckelroy and for all the talk about Minnifield's health -- or lack thereof -- Muckelroy is a higher upside talent who just doesn't seem to have the ability to stay on the field for more than a month at a time.

They kept 10 DBs last year, but will probably cut down to 9 this year. Wilson, Crawford, Hall, Amerson, Biggers at corner, and Meriweather, Doughty, Thomas, Rambo at safety. Recent comments by Haslett would lead one to think that they probably aren't satisfied with two rookies and two vets at safety, so while I think they'll just play a corner like Biggers or Wilson there early in the season to save a roster spot, it wouldn't be the craziest thing if Gomes or Pugh made the Week 1 roster to prevent having to have two rookies in the lineup early in the season.

Forbath, Rocca, and Sundberg are basically without competition at this point. Rocca's net average dropped a lot last season, so if he shanks any in the preseason, I could see them being in competition. But Forbath and Sundberg are locks, at least for Week 1.