What are our greatest remaining needs?

[BleedBurgundy]

No doubt, Taylor should be the pick. But with everyone else talking about trading up to take both Winslow and Taylor, I'd rather see us trade up and take a D-lineman in the mid to early 1st round. Udeze doesn't seem to be making anyone say "wow" yet, so he may fall a bit from what he was initially forecasted. I think we need a real, big-time defensive end pretty bad. As some others have said previously, there are a lot of "if's" and "could be's" on D-line. Our free agent picks have been solid, but no one really stands out.

[Jamaican'Skin]

This is true, but none of these D line guys are real long term stars. They might solve the problem for a year or two, but Sean Taylor would solve our Safety problems for much longer. Rome was not built in a day, neither can this 'Skins team. I say take Taylor this year.

[MTK]

I'm concerned over the d-line.

Have we really upgraded in any way? I mean seriously, before we signed him did anyone really know of Daniels? He doesn't seem to be much better than what we already have.

As for Griffin, the guy has skills and a lot of potential, but for the most part he's been a disappointment thus far.

As for the holdovers, let's face the facts on Wynn, the guy is an average DE who is never going to rack up the sacks. Seems like every year we're waiting for him to break out, but I think it's time to realize it's not gonna happen. How about Upshaw? He's always been touted as a guy with good pass rushing skills, but he is yet to prove himself worthy of a #1 pick. He like Wynn is average at best.

I like Holsey, the guy has a good motor and is a bit of an overachiever, but still, he's nothing special. Noble is probably not going to be able to contribute much coming off a very serious injury. Even if he was 100%, I see him in the same mold of Holsey and Haley, average guys who are probably best suited as backups.

I don't see anyone right now that can pressure the QB consistently on the line, or anyone that is particularly stout against the run. Williams is going to have to be creative to bring pressure, and that could leave us vulnerable in coverage.

[Defensewins]

I am not sure which Brain Noble you guys are talking about, or if you have seen him play before he came to the Redskins?
I hope Brandon Noble becomes the next Dave Butz. But even in his prime (before his injury) he was a good (not great) blue collar run stopper - not flashy, just steady. He is not a strong, disrupter, pocket collapser like Darryl Gardner was two years ago. He has never been (in his career) nor will he become a big pass rush DT. What the Skins need is another strong disrupter DT like Griffen (hopefully Griffin stays healthy).
Given Noble's severe knee injury last year, it is wishful thinking to pencil him into the starting line up. We will be lucky if Noble makes the squad and not on the unable to perform list.
There is a reason the Cowboys choose not re-sign him. He is not a top DT.
I think he is another example of Cerrato/Snyder over paying for an average at best player. Bowens so far has shown to be another.

[sportscurmudgeon]

As configured now, the Redskins biggest weakness is DL. You can look at the world through rose colored glasses and imagine a situation where all of the defneive linemen on the team have career years all at once and say that the line is strong. It isn't.

Daniels has had good years in the past; he was pretty mediocre last year. Is he sure to return to his good form or is he on the downside of his career? I think he will be better than last year but never will he be a star or a player that offenses whill have to "scheme around". Here is what is really good about Phillip Daniels. In the last two years, the Bears have stunk and have had lots of games where they could have just laid down and died. The team didn't and Daniels specifically didn't. Hopefully, his hustle will be infectious.

If Noble can play this year it will be marvelous. If he can play as well as he did two seasons ago it would be miraculous. And even if he is as good as he was two season ago, that is not a level of play that will strike fear in the hearts of offensive coordinators around the NFL. A healthy Brandon Noble will certainly be an upgrade at DT, but that ain't sayin' much.

When was Reynaldo Wynn's last "impact season"? Maybe he's due to have one now; maybe he doesn't have one to give?

I have the same questions to ask about Regan Upshaw? Here's a guy who can use a fire lit under his butt and maybe Daniels is the guy to do it? If Upshaw plays like he did last year, this will be his last season in Washington.

Cornelius Griffin is an interesting player to watch. As a rookie, he was one of the guys that people around the league thought could blossom into a star. He hasn't. In fact, some people argue that he has been significantly worse each season after his rookie year. Maybe the departure of John Fox had something to do with that and now Griffin being under the tutelage of another top-shelf defensive coordinator moight just rejuvenate his career. This is a player to watch in the pre-season games and in the early season games. He could be a significant difference-maker for the Skins this year. Or he could be mediocre...

Haley is a guy who can give other players a breather. That's it. If Haley is playing 30 snaps a game on defense, the DL is in deep yogurt.

Another area that may need some upgrading is the interior of the OL. Randy Thomas played well last year and seems to be a solid guard. The center and left guard positions last year were downright bad. Some of the teams blitzed up the middle against the Skins and it looked like the defenders were sprinting to the QB on an Interstate highway. Maybe Joe Bugel can teach these guys how to play better - or maybe they need other guys there who have more ability?

The safeties last year were not stellar. I suspect that the way to improve that position will be to bring in someone else to play the position. None of the folks back there looked like stars-in-the-making.

The CBs this year are not as good as the CBs last year. You can be as angry as you want with Champ Bailey for spurning the Redskins' contract offer, but the flat out fact is that Champ is a better CB than Shawn Springs. Springs is very good; Bailey is excellent. The Skins do not need to upgrade the CB position other than to assure depth at the position.

By the way, someone said that the safeties should be blitzing a lot this year because of the strength of the CBs. Well, if that is the case, then they coulda done that last year too because the CBs were even better last year. Hopefully, Gregg Williams will have some of that blitzing action in his defensive repertoire.

The outside linebackers are more than satisfactory. The inside LBs - on the assumption that Trotter moves on - are not very good. But they can probably pick up a satisfactory MLB after the June 1 cuts.

[Darock]

Everyone knows our biggest need is on the DLIne..our safeties are fine..it's just if we want the "playmaker"..I hope mitchell has enough in the tank to fill trotter's spot..TE is pretty weak too...

Dline
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[backrow]

Welcome Darock! Great having you!

[Longtimefan]

Regan Upshaw may not be our long term solution coming off the edge, but I think he has a year or so left, and may be able to help that DE position on passing downs.

We knew when we brought him here last year that he was coming off an injury (Same as with Dave Fiore) who didn"t play at all last season. Regan saw limited action for two reasons,first he was not completely healthy, and second he had Bruce Smith complaining to the FO about his playing time which further limited his minutes. Those "SackMaster" DE's that we all wish for are not always there because they are so hard to come by. We haven't had anything off the edge since Dexter Manley, so I'm going to stay pumped about what we do have because I know we can't fix it all in one off-season.

Mymain concern with Upshaw however is not his rushing ability, (or lack thereof) It's those bone-head penalties he braggs about getting. I'm hoping that with better coaching,coupled with a little discipline, he' be a much better performer this year.

Go Skins!!!

[SkinsRock]

Obviously, as everyone has stated, our biggest need is the D-line. IMO it has been improved, but not by much...player-wise. But the coaching has been improved immensely (as with the entire team), so I'm content with trusting the coaching staff to motivate these guys, and to be creative with the pass rush...

[RedskinRat]

There should be a huge difference in the players this season just through coaching upgrade alone. I'd so for Sean Taylor, he'll be a force for years.

[Darock]

Originally Posted by backrow

Welcome Darock! Great having you!

Much obliged backrow!! Glad to have found the board...

[skinsfanthru&thru]

I'm not sure who said Taylor was gonna be the best safety ever by the time he retires, but I don't care how good he is right now, I'll save my judgement after about 10 years or so cuz I don't ever see anyone being better than Lott. I think Taylor will be a consistent pro-bowl talent but until he can prove he can play at that level at both safety and cornerback and knock the stuffing out of anyone in an opponents jersey, I'll wait to proclaim him the best ever. Plus didn't Lott have part of one his fingers cut off or something like that so he could go back onto the field? I'm sorry but u don't really see that type of drive, and a bit of insanity, in players anymore. plus isn't Taylor more of a coverage type safety like Woodson, which if that's the case would be awesome but still not the best.

Anyone heard how Ramyer's knees r faring? cuz if he isn't going to be able to play most of the season, another weak link that needs filling is at center. As much as I like Rod Gardner, I'd love to trade him and maybe even next years 3rd if needed to san diego to get SD's second round pick and draft Jake Grove. That is one nasty center who would be a huge upgrade over the past couple centers in his rookie year alone. This guy is gonna be a Mawae type center and, baring injury, atleast a 10 or so time pro bowler when he retires.

As far as our d-line, didn't it do pretty well a couple years ago when under a defensive coach who knew what he was doing? Williams and his schemes alone will improve our defensive output tremendously over what was done last year. I think it will be solid enough to last through next year and then in the following year we will improve it even more through the draft and free agency. We still need a pass rush specialist though that isn't a linebacker.