Skins sign blocking TE Sean Ryan

[MTK]

Via Twitter:

Adam_Schefter

Washington spending again (just not the way people thought). Redskins signed former Chiefs tight end Sean Ryan to a one-year contract.

[MTK]

He's 6-5, 260 lbs:

Comment: Ryan is an average athlete with good size and is primarily used in blocking situations. He has adequate strength as a run-blocker with good effort to sustain and finish at the point of attack. He has the ability to create movement when he keeps his pads down. He can work double teams effectively and is agile enough to make small adjustments in space. As a receiver, he has limited speed and quickness downfield, but he can adjust to the ball outside his frame. He has trouble separating from linebackers coming out of his breaks. He is alert to settle quickly in the soft spots of zone coverage, but is limited athletically to make plays after the catch.

Sean Ryan Scouting - Kansas City Chiefs - ESPN

[KI Skins Fan]

I think this move may be an expression of Mike Shanahan's philosophy of having competition at every position. It looks like he's split the TE's into two positions and Ryan is apparently Yoder's competition at Blocking TE. Shanahan said that he likes to have a Blocking TE and a Receiving TE.

[Longtimefan]

Competition signing where his role will be sorted out during up-coming drills and training camp. Depending on how many TE's we keep he could provide competition as a blocker, with Cooley and Davis we don't need pass catching TE's.

[Redskin Jim]

Is Yoder currently under contract?

[freddyg12]

Cooley & Davis aren't great blockers, that's for sure. I know CC has worked on his blocking over the years & has shown improvement but he struggles at the LOS v. most OLBs. Maybe the new O & its zone blocking (though the Zorn O. supposedly used 90% zone blocking) scheme will be more suited to him. He's a better blocker in space from what I've observed.

[SirClintonPortis]

I don't think they re-siged Yoder anyway...

[Chico23231]

Great move. Allen said previously he wanted a good blocking TE, this fills the role and helps a probably average at best run blocking Oline at this point and improves a below average run blocking combo of Cooley Davis and Yoder. So far A- grade from me in free agency.

[CRedskinsRule]

From GTripps sheet:
#8 Sean Ryan age 30 score 76 Kansas City

Upside: Made it to starting lineup on his second team in 2009
Downside: Can't block well enough to be a complement to a receiving TE

by GTripps sheet he would be an upgrade to Yoder.

A little worried that he has been on 6 teams in 6 years, and dislike that he is a former Cowboy.

BUT, he will be good camp competition no matter what, and since he was with our new TE coach last season it probably is a positive signing overall

[BigHairedAristocrat]

He's just here for competition. I have some doubt as to whether he makes the roster as a TE.

[SmokinSkins]

Is this for training camp,

or

is the front office getting ready to trade a tight end??

just a thought

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Cooley and Davis are both pass-catching tight ends. Ryan is a blocking tight end. Signing Ryan has nothing to do with Cooley or Davis.

[12thMan]

Let's keep in mind guys, just because we're signing folks doesn't necessarily mean they're going to make the team. I mean, guys like Hicks and Nemo should be locks but I wouldn't get worked up about every free agent signing from here until the start of the season.

[CRedskinsRule]

Here is Matt Moseley's blog entry, nice mention on special teams blocking, that would be a solid plus in my book:

Ex-Cowboys TE signs with Redskins - NFC East Blog - ESPN

By Matt Mosley
Sean Ryan's nomadic NFL career continued Thursday when he signed with the Washington Redskins. Ryan, a fifth-round pick by the Cowboys in '04, has now been on six different rosters in as many seasons.

I was covering the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News when Ryan entered the league. Bill Parcells loved him from the start because he was an extremely tough player from the Northeast. Parcells had an affinity for Boston College players (see Marc Colombo) and Ryan turned out to be a solid special-teams player who could be a punishing blocker. He played for former Cowboys assistant Todd Haley in Kansas City last season and had a career-high 14 catches and two touchdowns.

He's not going to take any touches away from Chris Cooley or Fred Davis, but he can replace unrestricted free agent Todd Yoder as the Redskins' blocking tight end. Next up, the Redskins will take a look at former Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. We'll let you know how that visit went later today.

[Lotus]

Bye bye, Todd Yoder. Happy trails.