[sportscurmudgeon]

Thoughts on the D-Line:

This unit is hardly a dominant force in the league - - but it is not nearly the biggest problem area for the Skins to address going into the 2009 season.


Lorenzo Alexander: Very versatile. That's another way of saying that he has not yet shown himself to be good enough at any one thing that the team will put him at that position and not look to move him around. May be a decent player some day.


Ryan Boschetti: Yawn.


Andre Carter: Solid DE who could start for other teams in the league. You cannot say that about lots of the rest of the defensive linemen on the roster.


Philip Daniels: Coming off injured reserve at age 36 is not an easy thing to do for a defensive lineman in the NFL. If healthy, he is a savvy player who can give good effort if he only has to be in there for 40-50% of the defensive snaps.


Demetric Evans: Hard worker. Gets all he can out of his physical skills. He is NOT worth signing to some kind of long term deal.


Kedric Golston: Still young and developing. Maybe a decent player someday. Keep him around...


Cornelius Griffin: I believe that Father Time is gaining on him rapidly. Maybe he has another year left - - maybe not.


Rob Jackson: Who knows? He hasn't played enough yet to know if he is worth the trouble to wash his uniform from game to game because he doesn't get any grass stains on it.


Anthony Montgomery: Becoming a decent run stopper but he does not get much pressure up the middle on passing plays. He's young and can still get better so you keep him around.


Jason Taylor: Assuming he is completely healed, he is the best DL on the team. Problem is that he is also going into his 13th season ...


Chris Wilson: Who knows? See Rob Jackson comment above...


Overall assessment is that this is a patchwork unit that can play well if the coaches put together game plans that will work to the strengths of these players AND if they can rotate bodies into and out of the games such that they DL does not wear down badly in 4th quarter situations. Last year they wore down badly in more than a couple of 4th quarter situations and that is NOT a good sign given how young most of the group is.