In case you didn't know, we've got the two stars of the film on the roster. First up is Devin Thomas, who plays Arnold's Dutch, er, enthusiastically:

Thomas is a serial abuser of the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger lines from "Predator," which Malcolm Kelly finds entirely amusing. "Do it just one time," Kelly requested today, but instead Thomas did it about 73 times. Quoting Thomas:

C'mahn, what are you dooing, get to the chopper. C'mahn, now. Nowwww. C'mahn. What are you waiting for, doo it, c'mahn. Kill me. I'm right here. C'maaaaahn. C'mahn, do it, kill me, I'm right here, now, get to the chopper. Dillon, Billy, Poncho, c'mahn, I'm right here, get to the chopper, what are you guys dooing, let's go.

Who doesn't?

Via Homer McFanboy, and this should surprise no one, Chris Horton plays The Predator:

We’ve got to bring something to your attention. It seems the fans have given you a nickname …

"I think I already know it," Horton said. "The Predator?"...

My guess is, unlike in basketball or other sports, the fans can’t really see your face. They just see the helmet and the hair as you swoop in and make another play.

(Laughs). "It’s a good thing, I guess," he said. "The Predator, his role, he’s a deadly guy. Some of the things he did and some of the weapons he had in the movie were insane. So I guess it’s a good thing."

The helmet thing never crossed my mind, though I suppose it makes sense now (but then every helmeted football player would have a helmet related nickname, yah? Naw man, it's definitely the hair). All that is left is for Devin Thomas to lure Chris Horton into the locker room only to attempt to dispatch of him using rudimentary barbaric forest designed traps and then demand that the Predator kill him, but only if it is like right now.

But who will play Dillon (left)?

via www.favouritefilm.com

Must be Jason Taylor. You show up on my door step from a mysterious group with a checkered past (the CIA, Miami Dolphins, whatever) to aid us in a "rescue" mission? Sure, and then it becomes like totally apparent that the real reason was so you could use destroy the military camp of the NFC East. You know what? I've been used, Jason Taylor, and I like it. Your well-intentioned trickery will ultimately be vindicated when you head butt Tony Romo for a 72 yard loss despite having both your arms dislocated. Will you survive? Maybe, probably not actually, but the viewer will learn to love you.

Mac?

via www.montysminiguns.com

Essay you are erratic like Antwaan Randle El. I don't really know what is up with you through most of the season, as you're too busy going generally crazy by hog-hunting or cutting your face while shaving or dropping passes. But then, right when it seems you've really lost your mind with your crazy whispers, redemption; he's right through them trees! - or defenders, as you squeeze a pass to Chris Cooley in a come from behind victory over the Eagles. I never stopped believing Mac, not after you shot out them trees.

Anna (middle)?

via www.favouritefilm.com

Durant Brooks you escaped the alien or else getting cut only by the skin of your teeth, and now you've got that crazy stare and absolutely surprising ability to speak fluent english of the horror (where did she learn this?). No one is more aware of their own potentialy impending doom as you. You've seen the beast, the headlines, the paper clippings, and you know best that mortality is really just one severed spinal column or botched punt away. Hey, happy ending: Anna makes it through the movie, so will you, guy. Just blame chupacabra or something.

Blaine.

via imgsrv.itm-e72.com

Jon Jansen. You're the seasoned veteran of the team, having survived with your own skill and ingenuity through either an unlivable firefight or 10 years with the Washington Redskins, longer than anyone else on the team. Is this 2008 Redskins trek through the Guatemalan jungle your last? Whatever the case may be, when you spray ordnance into the trees they make way like defensive linemen getting clubbed left and right. I don't care what they say about this grizzled war vet, dude still has it.

Billy.

via chenzhen.files.wordpress.com

Andre Carter fears nothing, including knife fights with alien hunters who rip out the spinal columns of human beings. He would just as gladly challenge Mr. Predator to a mano-a-mano knife fight on a sliver of wooden bridge as he would challenge a double team just to buy the secondary a few valuable seconds of time. Carter doesn't talk much but, when he does, you get the sense that you better listen, because it will be profound. The only thing that distinguishes the two is that Andre Carter would win that one on one with the Pred.

Poncho.

Lorenzo Alexander. Versatile Poncho takes a whole lot of licking but keeps on ticking throughout the entire season. So you may have had your internal organs shattered or your helmet taken off, but Poncho Alexander keeps on coming with a mean pass rush or never letting go of your rifle (which probably killed poor Poncho, Predators don't kill unarmed prey). Safety equipment is for the weak.

Hawkins?

via www.moviesarecool.com

Uhh, yea, Ethan Albright. Listen, someone has to snap the ball and carry all this radio equipment and it might as well be you, Red. But we really appreciate it!

Reader(s) encouraged to do their own. On a personal note, I watched this movie something like 20 times my freshman year of college, over, and over, and over again.

Back to actual (rather than theoretical) football. My sincerest apologies for selfishly not posting much besides this massive nerdfest. I write a near 5,000 word essay on the two point conversion and the extra point and, typically, think it's more interesting than it is. I just couldn't bring myself to bump it.

Fortunately I am bringing to you someone who is knowledgeable about actual football in particular his Arizona Cardinals. cgolden of Revenge of the Birds graciously agreed to exchange content for the upcoming game. This will be a nice change of pace from the typical 5 Questions, as cgolden suggested we do key matchups and I feel the format worked out quite well. He also just posted a helpful injury summary for the upcoming game here. I steal stuff:

Washington Redskins: The Skins have a few more players dinged up with London Fletcher (rib) and Marcus Washington (hamstring), Carlos Rogers (groin) and Jason Taylor (knee) limited in practice. Malcolm Kelly (ankle) and James Thrash (ankle), H.B. Blades (knee) and Fred Smoot (hip), did not practice but most are still expected to play this Sunday. 

He is good at blogging.

Enjoy this:

Match-up #1: Redskins secondary vs. Cardinals WRs

Master of Universe: Advantage: Cardinals - No shame in admitting that there's no good way to deal with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Last week: 12 receptions, 293 yards, 3 touchdowns. Shawn Springs I don't worry so much about, but this is way above Carlos Rogers' pay grade. The good news is rookie Chris Horton, who both looked phenomenal last week and may or may not retain the starting position vacated briefly by a sick Reed Doughty [ED NOTE: Ben says naw, he's usually righteous which is to say correct]. Boldin and Fitzgerald, at least in this young season, are very much playing two impossibly difficult to cover roles. Boldin, despite being the shorter of the two, plays the reliable favored son, who moves chains at will. His three touchdowns are tops in the league and his impossibly high 78+% 1st down catch rate is about as high as anyone else. Fitzgerald, as stated, is a physical monster but somehow also is the speed demon get behind you receiver. His 20.4 YPC is remarkable, especially when one considers he's done most of it on 20-40 yard receptions, meaning he's consistently down the field catching footballs. Four of his nine receptions were +20 yards.

Merely extremely talented Cardinal blogger who knows much (more than I) about football but has yet to master universe: Advantage: Cardinals - I don't know that there's a secondary in this league that I'd say had an advantage over Boldin, Fitzgerald and company, but I will say that I had to at least think about this one. Shawn Springs may not be what he once was but when he's paired with Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot, you've got a solid trio of corner backs. When you add in one of the best young safeties in the league, LaRon Landry and rookie Chris Horton who had a great game last week, they're a formidable secondary. As solid as a secondary may be though when Warner is playing like he has the past two games and Fitzgerald and Boldin are catching everything in sight, the passing game is hard to contain.

Match-up #2: Redskins pass rush vs. Cardinals offensive line

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Redskins - I don't know enough about the Cardinals offensive line to really comment, so I'll just rant on the Redskins. At four sacks the 'Skins are good but not great so far. Jason Taylor is a big name with one sack so far, which is again, good but not great. Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffin round out a solid unit with the combo of Golston/Montgomery closing it out. As I'm of the opinion that Montgomery is probably the most underrated lineman on the team, I feel good at all positions. That said, who knows to what degree these guys remain healthy (or healthy enough; Taylor isn't long removed from injury)? This front downgrades subtantially when Demetric Evans is in for either Taylor or Carter. The emphasis will be the pass rush, since the Cardinals haven't looked so hot running the ball thus far.

cgolden: Advantage: Redskins - The Redskins have some formidable edge pass rushers in Jason Taylor and Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffin has been decent at providing some pressure up the middle. The turning point of this game could be whether or not the Skins are able to put pressure on Warner with their front four or if they'll have to blitz to get in his face. The Dolphins tried to blitz last week and they got burned numerous times. Warner is very capable of recognizing the blitz and standing in the pocket just long enough to deliver the pass. If Taylor and Carter are able to be get around Levi Brown and Mike Gandy, if could be a long day for the Cards.

Match-up #3: Redskins receivers vs. Cardinals secondary

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Unknown - We've been simultaneously blessed and cursed with receivers in Washington. In 2005 Santana Moss put together one of the best receiving performances in the history of the franchise. In 2007 it took us like 10 weeks to get a receiver with a touchdown. Antwaan Randle El has developed much as a receiver over the past few years even as he's totally forgotten how to return punts. The real question is who plays that #3 spot, and we've got a pair of rookies dueling with James Thrash for that right. I have to think the rookies are better in the long run but, so far, due to injury and Thomas and Kelly halfassing it apparently, Thrash is the guy. Chris Cooley should be the gameplan focus of the Cardinals. The Cardinals' pass defense is playing very well so far, although I don't know how much of that is due exclusively to their secondary. In any event, because the Redskins' receivers --passing game in general-- are so Jekyll and Hyde, there's no telling how this one plays out.

CG: Advantage: Redskins - This is a tough match-up to judge because the Cardinals corner backs haven't been tested much this season, but Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and company should be a nice measuring stick. If Jason Campbell looks like the quarterback of week 2 instead of week 1, the Skins might be able to stretch the field and open up the underneath for Chris Cooley. The Cardinals secondary isn't star studded but they do have some talent and depth. Adrian Wilson and Karlos Dansby will likely be relied upon to limit Chris Cooley while Antrel Rolle will have to keep Moss from getting deep. If Campbell has time in the pocket, they've got enough weapons to give the Cardinals some problems.

Match-up #4: Cardinals pass rush vs. Redskins OL

Hogs Haven: Advantage: Redskins - I was terrified of our O-Line coming into the season with Jansen who, for many years was painted on our starting roster, lost his job to Stephon Heyer. He looked shaky, if only briefly, in our first game. But this O-Line is playing good football, having given up just three sacks, which is very above average especially having played the Giants (though they were limited by injury). In pass protection I'm more worried about Campbell holding on to the ball too long than I am them not giving him the time to make plays down the field. Our yards per carry (4.2) is good, nothing special, but we've done it without breaking big runs. Our running game and Arizona's running defense meet halfway, although they're a little better so far. The fun thing to watch will be their pass rush, which has generated 6 sacks and probably accounted for much of their success against the pass so far. I worry about the blitz, but the Cardinals will find that Clinton Portis is one of the best blitz pick up backs in the league. Someone will be eaten, mark my words.

CG: Advantage: Cardinals - The Redskins only gave up one sack to the Giants in week one but they really haven't faced a team that blitzes as much as the Cardinals yet. The Cardinals pulled back the intensity last week once they jumped out by three scores, but they put constant pressure on the Niners in week 1. The Skins line is full of experienced veterans but the Cardinals will be coming from every direction on Sunday. Clancy Pendergast has a plethora of pass rushers and he's had some creative ways of getting them all on the field in various situations. Campbell will have to keep his head on a swivel and make sure that he gets rid of the ball quickly.

You should definitely check out his post because he has like pictures imbedded comfortably into the side of his content. It's amazing. And they are topical. When they was picking people to run websites on this network, reader(s) here definitely got jobbed.

Regarding the Cardinals, this ain't your daddy's team (which is to say, this isn't the team we've beaten 62% of the time in like 120 games -- did you know the Cardinals have scored 2,206 points against us? WTF, mate?) now sitting 2-0 atop the weakest division in football. While I'm unwilling to admit the Cards have been tested, they've done what good teams are supposed to do against bad teams which is: win convincingly. Their DVOA is strong.

Just got off the phone with a friend (who is tortured over which two of Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, and Santana Moss to start) and the meme was that I had no useful information to provide regarding Mos because: The Cardinals are a team I don't know much about and indeed not much is to be known about them given their schedule thus far. This is a good team that has beaten two historically (don't take that term too literally) bad teams. I believe it is a good defense but don't know for sure.

Will soon.

I received an email last week from giving me some Redskins odds courtesy of Bodog, and thought I'd share. You know, for the kids. These are as old as the 27th of August and I have no idea to what degree they've changed:

Team Odds

Odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII

Washington Redskins                13/2 40/1

 

Odds to win the 2008 NFC Championship       

Washington Redskins                18/1

 

Odds to win the NFC East Division     

Washington Redskins                40/1 13/2

 

Win Totals

Washington Redskins Regular Season Wins

Over   7.5                      -115

Under 7.5                      -115

 

Washington Redskins Regular Season Home Wins

Over   4                         -130

Under 4                         Even

 

Washington Redskins Regular Season Away Wins

Over   3.5                      -110

Under 3.5                      -120

 

Player Performance Odds

Jason Campbell Passing Yards

Over/Under                    3300

 

Jason Campbell Passing Touchdowns

Over/Under                    18.5

 

Clinton Portis Rushing Yards

Over/Under                    1250

 

Clinton Portis Total Touchdowns

Over/Under                    10

 

Clinton Portis Receiving Yards

Over/Under                    350

 

Ladell Betts Rushing and Receiving Yards

Over/Under                    550

 

Santana Moss Receiving Yards

Over/Under                    950

 

Santana Moss Touchdowns

Over/Under                    5

 

Antwaan Randle El Receiving Yards

Over/Under                    650

 

Who will have more receiving yards?

Devin Thomas                 -300

Malcolm Kelly                +225

 

Chris Cooley Receiving Yards

Over/Under                    750

 

Chris Cooley Touchdowns

Over/Under                    6.5

 

Jason Taylor Sacks

Over/Under                    9.5

 

Andre Carter Sacks

Over/Under                    9.5

So there's obviously something screwed up with the first three odds, as it is somewhat implausible that we're more likely to win the Super Bowl than we are our conference and/or division.

Here is me on the rest, though reader(s) are constantly reminded that I am a horrible gambler:

• 8 wins tells me we take the over on 7.5
• I'd take the over on home wins. I think we've got Arizona and St. Louis beat. I don't necessarily like our chances against both Pittsburgh and Cleveland but think the two games combined are good for one victory. So I'm up to at least 3 home wins before I consider division, and I don't think we get swept at home 0-4.
• Presuming 5 home wins (sounds about right) I'd take the under on away wins with 3, given my 8-8 prognostication.
• Over on Jason Campbell and 3300 yards. Sans injury he would've done that last year, and I think he's a better quarterback in 2008.
• I'm actually going to take under on 18.5 touchdowns as 18 sounds about right.
• Portis is going over 1250 rushing yards. His 3.9 YPC was the lowest its been since 2004 and I see that improving without a substantial change in the amount of carries he gets.
• Walking away on the touchdowns; Portis will have 10 rushing TDs.
• As I still view Portis' strength in the passing game to be his blocking, not receiving, I'll take the under on receiving yards. 389 in 2007 was a career best and around 150 more than he'd ever had in Washington in a single season.
• Betts... I'll take the under. Even with a slightly increased role in 2008 he's still just around that much.
• Under on Moss, he's been a long way from 950 receiving yards for the past two years and I have to think with the introduction of Kelly and Thomas into this offense (even if it only happens closer to the end of the season) will steal from him some receptions.
• Over on touchdowns, 3 receiving was a huge anomaly.
• Over on ARE; even with the broken hand I think he's good for ~ 700 yards.
• No comment on either Kelly or Thomas as I've left that up to readers, and I think that's a fluid development that I'd just as soon not try and predict with any certainty.
• Cooley is over. In his current role as Redskins starting stud TE, more often than not he's been good for 750+ yards. I think the addition of Fred Davis impacts his numbers positively, actually.
• Over on touchdowns as well, see above.
• No comment on Taylor sacks, as I'm not about to predict a double digit season until he's had at least one as a 'Skin.
• Andre Carter will have 10 sacks, bet on it.

Having said "bet on it" know that I do not put my money where my mouth is the above, because I haven't any. Money that is.

CptChaosSidekick already has the story but it is consequential enough that I had to write up my own thoughts as well. Today is a sad, sad day in Redskins history, as the team (I'm sure reluctantly) cut the greatest backup FB who happened to play tight end in College in history. My fan-heart is broken into a million pieces as I try -- fail -- to comprehend the horror, the horror. Per the Official Site, emphasis added somberly:

To make room for Thomas on the roster, the Redskins released fullback Pete Schmitt.

This isn't actually a surprise to me, since not-too-long ago I asked a person of interest who would know something about it whether Schmitt had any chance of surviving the cuts, and was told matter-of-factly that he didn't. Deep down I knew it was always a long shot, but damn me for loving the underdog.

My support for Pete Schmitt is well documented. After this space's interview with Pete, the first Hogs Haven player interview, Schmitt struck me as a classic overachiever experiencing what many of us only dream of. He also drank Miller Lite and Gin and Tonics, which only endeared him to me more. And now, unfortunately, he's been cut.

Best wishes to Pete Schmitt and I hope he sticks somewhere. Apparently I didn't root loudly enough. I apologize.

I guess congrats are in order for Lee Gibbons of The Redskin Report. Although he didn't say anything, he could have as he called Nemo Broughton as the sure-fire starter over Pete Schmitt many months ago. As per usual, my prediction turned out to be bogus. Lee Gibbons is a reliable commenter on all things Redskins, and he's right once more.

The good news is that Devin Thomas is now signed:

The Redskins have signed rookie wide receiver Devin Thomas, the team's top selection in last April's NFL Draft.

Thomas was the Redskins' second-round draft pick, 34th overall, in the draft.

Thomas was at Redskins Park on Friday morning, along with his agent Drew Rosenhaus, to sign the contract. It is a four-year deal, the team has announced.

Redskins Insider has the semantics:

Thomas will earn a max of $4.8 million in his deal, with $2.75 million as his signing bonus, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

I never thought the team would have trouble signing Thomas so I'm not dancing in the moonlight over this, but good on the team for getting him under contract meaning one less thing to worry about during training camp. Speaking of TC, it hasn't received the coverage it deserves here and I apologize for that. As CptChaosSidekick pointed out, the Official Site has their own training camp battles to watch this season. It is:

PUNTER: FROST vs. BROOKS

SAFETY: DOUGHTY vs. SCHWEIGERT

THIRD CORNERBACK

FOURTH DEFENSIVE END

FIFTH WIDE RECEIVER

If I were to rank them in order of interest I'd say: Defensive end, then safety, then cornerback, then fifth wide receiver, then punter. Why?

Defensive End: I'm of the opinion, having watched the unimaginable happen when the Giants beat the Patriots in the last Super Bowl, that defensive line is the single greatest equalizer in the game. Am I relying too heavily on one anecdote that probably doesn't capture the larger scheme? Who cares, it makes for easier print. Andre Carter and Phillip Daniels are secure. The real issue is the trio of Erasmus James vs. Demetric Evans vs. Chris Wilson and how that shakes out. The good news to keep in mind is that we could end up with two solid backups plus a situational pass rusher. One carry-over from the Gregg Williams era I hope Greg Blache keeps is rotating the defensive ends in and out to keep them fresh (also we like to line up Daniels at tackle sometimes). Even if Wilson or Evans or James don't end up as the clear-cut backup DE, they still could make the roster and get some PT.

Safety: This is the Doughty show. My real interest in this is to see just how much of an overachiever he is; obviously the team didn't show tonnage of faith in his ability to be the starter as we went out and brought in some people to challenge him for position. Having said that, I thought he played reliably enough last season and would love to see him win the battle this time around. I noticed that Sean Taylor regressed a bit when Ryan Clark left town. I don't know if that wasn't just the result of a general decline in the total defense. I think chemistry at safety matters, anyways, and LaRon Landry has more with Doughty than anyone else on the team.

More Training Camp thoughts will follow this evening, but for now I'm taking the lady friend out to dinner and a movie (I am so, so cool). Get your thoughts in the comments section before I return to put you all to sleep. Cheers and thank ye Football Gods we're so close to the season.

Eric Karabell (hat tip to Extreme Skins) of ESPN has the Fantasy scoop (or does he?) on... the offensive line?

On the line: Keeping tackles Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen healthy is critical, especially with Campbell being a bit fumble-prone. Jansen missed the entire season because of a dislocated ankle, while right guard Randy Thomas has not been durable. It's an old, brittle line learning a new system it might be able to thrive in, although that shouldn't hold back Portis. The defensive line welcomes former Viking Erasmus James, but he's not guaranteed to start. Andre Carter can be an impact guy in deep IDP leagues, but for the most part, fantasy owners need not worry about this defensive line.

Despite the fact that the article hails from ESPN's 2008 Fantasy Football Draft Kit, the author obviously went off the fantasy sports reservation, because I've never played a fantasy football league where the offensive line garnered points. Maybe he's focused on the indirect effects a struggling line has on your RB and QB and everyone else. Who knows?

There is no news, so we'll talk about the defensive line, I suppose. Issue is which or whether either of James or Chris Wilson will make the team. I have absolutely no read on how this non-battle has played out so far, as there's sufficient print supporting both of them to give me pause. For instance, you can read about Erasmus James at ESPN or Wilson at TSN:

PERSONNEL ANALYSIS: Two backups could play prominent roles for the defense this season. Chris Wilson is a lightweight in terms of bulk, but the DE comes off the ball with a great deal of explosion. He's quick enough to get around most offensive tackles, and fast enough to get to the QB before the pass is thrown. Defensive coordinator Greg Blache plans to play to the individual strengths of his players, and that could mean Wilson gets more snaps in passing situations. ...

I think I've said it before, but if the team wants to keep both Wilson and James it could mean the end for Demetric Evans. We've got a lot of Defensive Ends, including recently signed draft pick Rob Jackson, undrafted FA Dorian Smith. Not everyone can make the team.

They weren't kidding about Wilson being on the small side, either. The team lists him at 240 lbs, which makes him the smallest by over 10 pounds. Then again, Carter was the 2nd smallest on the line last year but by far the most productive. From the looks of it, lean and mean is the strategy for rushing the bad guy's passer.

Situational defenders are great so long as the starters remain healthy.

There really is nothing going on right now, these are the offseason doldrums. Enjoy.

Full quote via Star Tribune, emphasis added (except for names):

Vinny Cerrato -- the executive vice president of football operations for the Washington Redskins, and a former Gophers recruiting coordinator who grew up in Albert Lea -- is in the Twin Cities for a family vacation. He said his team is confident that Erasmus James, the oft-injured defensive end traded from the Vikings to Washington, will be ready to play in the final two preseason games this fall. "He spent the last week down with Dr. James Andrews rehabbing his knee, and he had spent the previous few weeks with our rehabilitation guys, then he'll be back for the next three weeks rehabbing," said Cerrato, who believes the former first-round pick out of Wisconsin will play this year after not doing much in his three seasons with the Vikings. "What he wants to do is, in college he weighed like 258-260 [pounds], then when he went to the Vikings they wanted him big, so he was like 275. So, we wanted him back to where he was in college."

That's big news for James, who faces an uphill battle just to make the roster. He won't supplant Andre Carter or Phillip Daniels and so will need to steal a spot from either Chris Wilson or Demetric Evans or, alternatively, hope that the team keeps 5 DEs.

I think everyone here hopes, as Cerrato says, that he looks and plays more like he did in College than so far in the NFL. He was the 2004 Big Ten defensive player of the year (and, obviously, Big Ten defensive linemen of the year) and a first team All American. In the NFL? Nothing much.

Regarding the weight, if he's playing for Wilson's spot or a 5th DE spot, I am all about it. Anything he can do to speed up his pass rush is good, since that's all we've asked Wilson to do so far. And as a backup, backup DE, I'd love him as a situational pass rusher. But I don't know if I need him lighter and leaner if he's supplanting Demetric Evans. Evans is a complete DE (even if an uninspiring one) and is serviceable against the run. I doubt Daniels will start 16 games next year, so we'll need a run stopper on that line at some point next year.

Redskins 360 takes an early stab at the defensive depth chart and notices that we're going to lose at least one deserving player on the defensive line somewhere along the way. He says:

Defensive line (9)
Set: Phillip Daniels, Cornelius Griffin, Andre Carter, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Demetric Evans and Lorenzo Alexander.
Competition: A bunch of players for two spots -- Chris Wilson, Erasmus James or Alex Buzbee as an athletic pass rusher? Does Ryan Boschetti continue to be a survivor at tackle due to his work ethic?
Prediction: Injuries could play into how many linemen are kept for Week 1. If Rocky McIntosh and/or Carlos Rogers aren't ready, that's bad news for the D-line. James is a wild card because he's coming off knee surgery. I really like the flash Wilson showed as a third-down pass rusher so he makes the team. James will get a shot on the final roster.

I'll tentatively agree on these locks: Daniels, Griffin, Carter, Montgomery, and Golston. I do not include Demetric Evans in that list because I'm not certain he's a better defensive end than Chris Wilson. I think he's a much better complete player than Wilson in that he's better against the run. I also think his experience is a positive. That said, in 14 games last season he had one sack vs. Wilson's four in 8 games. Having made that point, I would say that Evans' statistical resume on the whole last year was better than Wilson's, especially considering his 3 passes defensed and nearly twice as many tackles in less than twice as many games. None of that factors in snaps.

Why I'm down on Evans -- and let me be clear that I'm not down on him, I just think this might be the year he gets lost in a roster shuffle -- is he hasn't shown any growth whatsoever. He's the same player now that he was in 2004 when he came to Washington. Statistically he's been remarkably consistent, that is, consistently unremarkable. Tackles as a Redskin:

17, 17, 14, 19

Sacks as a Redskin:

2.5, 3, 2, 1

Stuffs as a Redskin:

3, 0, 2.5, 2.5

Etc. Not all of that is Evans fault because he might not be getting the requisite snaps to improve those numbers. But, then again, it's his job to win those snaps away from the people in front of him.

Was Chris Wilson so great? No, not really, but he at least showed more potential last season as a remarkable pass rusher than Evans has in four seasons. The team might end up being presented with a business decision: Do you take the reliable (if nothing special) veteran in Evans but by doing so sacrifice Wilson to the practice squad and, potentially, to someone else? Wilson could end up a great pass rusher in this league and we may never have the opportunity to realize his potential here in Washington if we don't continue developing him right now.

And what's to be done with Erasmus James, who was somehow one of the most talented College d-linemen just a few years ago yet has now found his way to our roster for a 7th round pick?

Defining the "problem": We have, by my count, more than nine defensive linemen who probably could make this roster but can't spend many more roster spots at this position. This list is end heavy as well; Griffin, Golston, Montgomery are the defensive tackles that Redskins 360 lists. Phillip Daniels can line up on the inside too, but he's also our starting end. And with injuries at linebacker and cornerback won't we have to burn some spots elsewhere?

Before I offer my own solution to this alleged problem, let's hear from reader(s). How do your own lists match up with Redskins 360's?

Phillip Daniels is strong.

Is that what passes for a lead/lede (the debate rages on!) around here? I'm just following the big dogs, as USA Today's Inside Slant demonstrates:

Phillip Daniels is 35.

That is hot off the presses, nine-minute old news, I'm told.

But, unfortunately, very true. Phillip Daniels is old. USA Today might as well have substituted his actual age for a descriptive adjective like elderly, ancient, or antediluvian if they were feeling especially saucy. On the let's-keep-smiles front, battle-tested, seasoned, or familiar would have worked.

Or just old.

The reality in the NFL is that actually quite young human beings can be approaching their professional twilight by their mid-30s, especially when that person's job description says something like: Must outrun or out power a large, probably younger superhuman.

At 35 I'm not certain how much success Daniels will have outrunning his younger opponents, but on this latter challenge there is some reason for optimism. Because though Phillip Daniels might be old in football years -- he's the third oldest on the team, behind Todd Collins and Ethan Albright -- he's strong even by football standards. Really strong:

And Daniels is certainly stronger. In his first competitive powerlifting event since 1999, the 6-4, 290-pound Daniels won his weight class with a 633-pound squat and a 600-pound dead-lift at the American Powerlifting Federation Nationals in March.

"That was in March so who knows what I can lift now?" Daniels said. "I took two weeks off (after the Jan. 5 wild-card loss at Seattle) and I went right into powerlifting. I hadn't done this since just before my last year in Seattle.

Not so coincidentally, that's when Daniels had a career-high 9.0 sacks, which resulted in a hefty, four-year deal with the Bears. And Daniels had 8.0 sacks with the Redskins in 2005, the healthiest of his first four seasons in Washington.

You've hooked me, USA Today, but I learn best with pictures. Six hundred pounds, huh? Consider:

via www.all-creatures.org

I'm told the feller on the left weighs 600 lbs. (Fat ass on the right is beyond even the comic strength of Daniels; he's a 700 pound tortoise.) There are no 600 pound offensive linemen in the NFL. As of this writing, I should add.

I must acknowledge that Daniels hasn't exactly been the sackmaster recently. His sack totals have steadily declined since 2005 from 8 to 3 to 2.5 last season. His tackles haven't moved in the right direction, either, from 48 total in 2005 to 37 in both '06 and '07. But tackling and sacks (and the latter requires the former) is not the only thing a defensive end can do to help the defense.

Sacks aren't some glorious end in and of themselves, even if fans love watching them. They're great because they kill the opponent's down while also taking from them some yards. Even when they fail to accomplish the yardage decrease by any substantial amount, sacks are still extremely valuable for the defense. A negative inches sack is still a useful means towards the ultimate end of forcing the other poor bastard to die three times then punt. Another, comparably debilitating means towards that end is swatting the ball down. It doesn't get the yards, it isn't nearly as sexy a stat as the sack, but it always kills the opponent's down and sometimes leads to an immediate possession change; batted passes sometimes get intercepted.

Phillip Daniels is a ball-hawk. At least in so far as the term can be used for defensive linemen.

See for yourself: Daniels can claim that he had more passes defensed than LaRon Landry last year. Only Shawn Springs, London Fletcher, and Fred Smoot had more. If you combined all the passes defensed by other defensive linemen last season it would be nine, or, the same amount Daniels had. Nine passes defensed.

I am not certain that all nine were swatted balls, but it's doubtful that the Redskins were often putting a 276 pound, thirty-something linemen into coverage. I also know that many of those passes defensed were balls swatted at or near the line of scrimmage, because I watched him do it. (CNNSI says 8 of them were, in fact, batted down at the LOS.)

Would I trade every sack for a ball swatted at the line of scrimmage? No, but it's close, or at least a lot closer than most fans would be willing to admit. And if you counted them as comparable than Phillip Daniels goes from an over-the-hill defensive end in steady decline in 2007 to similarly disposed towards ending the opponent's play as Andre Carter. Carter had 10.5 sacks and 2 passes defensed. Daniels very nearly swapped, with 9 defensed passes and 2.5 sacks.

Admittedly, none of that takes into consideration hurries or pressures or simply presence. At some point trying to turn Phillip Daniels in 2007 into Andre Carter in 2007 is asking reader(s) to deny what their eyes told them; Carter was the better defensive end. But I'm saying it's close, or at least closer than your eyes said.

Phillip Daniels is old. He does have twelve years, almost certainly his best years, of NFL experience behind him. Somewhere in the future a younger player is going to have to supplant him as the starter. But that doesn't mean he's finished tomorrow; the man still knows how to rush a passer with his head up, focused on the only really important thing in dispute, which has been, and always will be, the actual football. Also:

Phillip Daniels can lift a hippopotamus.

Football Outsiders has their post-draft analysis of the NFC East up, go enjoy. Author is a guest, one Mike McGibbon, and all seems to be in order in the story. I found no glaring errors, though I'm not sure the Redskins got, as McGibbon wrote, 10 draft picks as a result of our 1st round draft pick trade (I thought we gave up a 1st, 3rd, 5th ro a 2nd, 2nd, 4th. It's been a minute, though, so maybe my memory doesn't serve).

Either way, McGibbon knows a lot more about our undrafted free agents than I do, and thus I direct your attention to some guys to watch, per him:

Undrafted Free Agents

In all, the Redskins brought in 13 undrafted rookie free agents. Of those 13, four were offensive linemen. And of those four, Florida State’s Shannon Boatman and New Mexico’s Devin Clark may have the best chance to make the team, given that both started for most of their final two seasons. Dorian Smith, an All-Pac 10 first-team defensive end from Oregon State, will also challenge for a spot.

Quick look at the roster reveals that Shannon Boatman has already been lost. He, uhh, failed a physical. Tough break, guy. But both Dorian Smith and Devin Clark are, as of this writing, still with the team. The team has a lot of defensive ends (nine) and certainly more than we will by final cuts. Locks would be, in my opinion, Phillip Daniels and Andre Carter as starters with Demetric Evans and Chris Wilson backing up. Let's speculate that the team keeps 9-10 defensive linemen, and you have to imagine Kedric the Barbarian, Mt. Gomery, and Cornelius Griffin, with Lorenzo Alexander and Ryan Boschetti both in good position to make the team (although Alexander could make the team in any number of his superhuman capacities, so maybe he wouldn't even count as a D-Linemen). We're in need of upgrade on the defensive line, but that doesn't mean any rookie can just step in and take the spot of one of the more established veterans. That might've been the case a few years ago, but young linemen Anthony Montgomery, Chris wilson and Kedric Golston have started a youth movement at that position. Until Griffin and Daniels take the long walk, the Dorian Smiths of the world will have to earn a place on this team.

At offensive line I think recent injuries may encourage Coach Zorn -- a former expansion team quarterback who knew a thing or two about the perils of a bad offensive line -- to keep a larger than normal contingent of offensive linemen on the roster. Locks are the starters, obviously, in Jon Jansen, Randy Thomas, Chris Samuels, Casey Rabach, and Pete Kendall. I think Fabini and Stephon Heyer will probably be around as well. I hope Chad Rinehart makes the team, and he should. On Todd Wade I'm indifferent, as he hasn't done much to impress. We'll need to keep someone about to backup Casey Rabach at center; with versatile Mike Pucillo gone, the spot as of now belongs to Kyle DeVan, unless there is someone else on the team who can snap the football and block effectively.

Question to readers is: We've got a good crop of undrafted rookie free agents. These things are remarkably difficult to predict, and we are really at the mercy of the team in telling us who has impressed thus far, but is anyone willing to go on record on who will or will not make the roster? Who will be this year's Stephon Heyer (acknowledging that his position was aided in large part by factors outside control or prediction: injuries)? I'm aspecifically soliciting commentary on players local to reader(s) markets that maybe the rest of us haven't seen play so much.