Do we need a linebacker?

by Skin Patrol on Apr 15, 2008 12:55 PM EDT

Not much emphasis has been placed on acquiring a linebacker in the upcoming draft but perhaps that has been in error. The team has gone as far as scheduling a visit from at least one linebacker. Per the Post:

Since early last week, Zorn and Vinny Cerrato, executive vice president of football operations, and their staffs have met for about 16 hours a day, reviewing videotapes of players and discussing options, Cerrato said. Washington, which holds the 21st pick in the April 26-27 draft, also has scheduled visits this week with draft-eligible players. Former Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly and former Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo are among the players the Redskins plan to host.

The Kelly invite comes as no surprise as the team is in obvious need of a larger receiver to complement Santana Moss and bolster an underachieving receiving unit. Malcolm Kelly fits that bill. But Jerod Mayo? Marcus Washington, London Fletcher, and Rocky McIntosh make up a solid unit for the immediate future, yes? Perhaps not:

With weak-side linebacker Rocky McIntosh recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, the Redskins are expected to draft an outside linebacker. The Redskins have expressed optimism about McIntosh being ready to start the 2008 season, but McIntosh also has a potentially degenerative condition in both knees. Mayo, who also declared for the draft after his junior year, was a weak-side linebacker in his first two years at Tennessee and switched to middle linebacker before last season. Mayo (6-1, 242) led the Volunteers with 140 tackles last season.

Jerod Mayo projects as a first round pick. Although he hasn't been taken in our own Mock Draft yet, by pick 31, he is the number one available prospect on MTD's board. For depth we've got Khary Campbell (Note: Covering the Redskins thinks he's good for special teams only), H.B. Blades (The Hamburglar) and then a bunch of people I've not heard of: Danny Verdun-Wheeler, Rian Wallace, and Matt Sinclair. This is neither good nor horribly bad; I think Campbell can backup on both outside spots and feel fine with the Hamburglar in the middle. I do lament the fact that we may end up having spent a 2nd round pick (McIntosh), 5th round pick (Hamburglar), 6th round pick (Dallas Sartz) and potentially early pick this coming year on linebackers, without a starter to show for it. If McIntosh's knee is indeed degenerative -- and I pray it is not -- then we're in hot water at linebacker in spite of expending large draft resources on the position.

I don't know what the future holds in Re: Rocky McIntosh, but I know it's a lot brighter if his knee holds up. Question to reader(s): Should we draft a linebacker in the 1st round? I'd vote no, initially, and say that concerns about Rocky's injury should prompt, if anything, the drafting of a reliable backup linebacker in a later round. Unless the team knows something the rest of us don't (and of course they do) then mere concerns over a knee shouldn't force our hand on the first round draft pick. Then again, they scheduled the meeting with Mayo and both Marcus Washington and London Fletcher are in their 30s.

PS: On all things Jerod Mayo related, please check out one of the best blogs on the entire network. Rocky Top Talk is our Vols blogger and does outstanding, recognized work at his blog.

Rocky Top Talk, NFL DRAFT PROFILE: LINEBACKER JEROD MAYO

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mayo

I'm really high on him. SEC leading tackler, most competitive guy on the field as voted by his teamates. Can play inside or out. I actually think he might go in the top 20 or even higher. He'd be a nice addition to your team.

by Blitzburgh @ Hogs Haven on Apr 15, 2008 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

Do we need an offensive line man?

The redskins appear to be looking at all areas, with the large number of picks this year. I'm starting to believe that if Danny, Vinny and Zorn had a choice, it would be to trade down out of 21 with additional picks in the second/Third rounds.
Remeber Atlanta has 3 second round picks, Given 2 seconds and a next year pick to allow Atlanta to choose a QB at 21...Will give the Redskins 3 2nd round picks, two of them early...where a Mayo could still be available...

The Redskins have all 22 starters back so need is relavent to not NEEDING but wanting the best possible "future" starter, OL, LB, etc...

by dr WNC on Apr 15, 2008 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

I think you're spot on.

We have a bunch of concerns at the backup spots -- backup OL, backup LB, backup CB, etc. -- but outside of perhaps D-Line and WR no real needs. That's the kind of situation that screams trading down for additional picks, in my opinion.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Apr 15, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

It screams trading down for additional picks

but is anyone going to listen to to our screams?

by CptChaosSidekick on Apr 15, 2008 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I always listen

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Apr 15, 2008 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

True

but you aren't the one who can give our team more picks.

by CptChaosSidekick on Apr 15, 2008 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he means...

someone outside your very small bubble.

by TexSkins on Apr 15, 2008 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions

A dim bulb brightens

by CptChaosSidekick on Apr 15, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey now...

my dim bulb stays pretty consistently dim.

Dim in my bubble.

by TexSkins on Apr 15, 2008 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm probably missing something

obvious again, but I was referring to myself as being slow not you. Tired as hell...

12hr shifts are getting old BUT it's almost beer:30!

by CptChaosSidekick on Apr 15, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

12 hr shifts are not cool

Whomever invented 12 hour shifts was not a 12 hour shift worker. We may not be heard but Vinny is thinking like that, from Posts Redskin insider over a month ago:

As for the Skins draft position, asked how he feels about their spot at 21, Cerrato said that "if we don't pick there, we're more likely to move down then up." Obviously it's early to have any real sense of that, but it was a striking dose of honesty about where the team stands.. They don't mind their spot in the lower third of the first round..

by dr WNC on Apr 15, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Dude...

Mayo is a straight up tackling machine. He can rush the passer, but his talents are very much the same as London and Blades: tackle the guy with the ball.

Check out his profile here and note the 4.54 and the fact that he is the #1 overall rated ILB and #28 overall player on the NFL Draft Countdown board.

His ideal spot on the Redskins team would be the weakside, the spot currently occupied by injured LB Rocky McIntosh. If the team does draft him (Mayo) in the 1st, that doesn't bode well for Rocky's future. You also have to throw in the rumors of Briggs... who would also play Rocky's spot in the Skins defense... it seems the team has little confidence in the player they gave up a lot to draft.

Interesting.

by TexSkins on Apr 15, 2008 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

London Fletcher concern

Mayo is a young London Fletcher.
With Fletcher's current contract
59 London Fletcher LB 3.440 4.350 7.100 7.100
2008 and 2009 show modest cap hits but starting in 2010, it reaches into the possible release area. Keep in mind a key to all contract is that every player completes at least three years.
2007,2008 and 2009. Could be the next middle linebacker...?

by dr WNC on Apr 15, 2008 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions