Welcome back to the Hogs Haven Round Table, this week we are going to discuss a topic that was brought up here recently. Remember that this question is asked to all the writers here at Hogs Haven, but they do not see each others responses to the question.
The Redskins starters didn't look that great last Saturday night and there is concern among our readers that we have guys considered part of our "Top 22" that would have trouble making the roster on other squads. Would you guys care to suggest one player that would fit this description?
Ken
Since I know where this idea originally came from (Kevin), I have no qualms calling it absurd. I don't think we are so bad off that we are starting players that would not be able to find a job if we cut them. Hey, I get it-we have deficiencies. We are not strong at key spots along the offensive line and at safety. Was there a long line of suitors for Brandon Meriweather, Tanard Jackson and Madieu Williams? Ummmmm...not that I recall. Is Tyler Polumbus' agent daring the Redskins to cut his player so he can sign a lucrative contract with another team? Hmmm...doubtful. What in God's name was my point? What I find funny is that we have suited up-and STARTED-a player that nobody else in the entire league wanted in the not so distant past. His name was Danny Wuerffel. We don't have any Danny Wuerffel's on this roster. Woo-hoo!! PROGRESS!!!
Kevin
One player or one unit?....the Safeties. But honestly, Cedric Griffin, Jammal Brown, Brandon Merriweather. Redskins signed a bunch of 1-year league minimum contracts this off-season....the fact these players chose the 5-11 Redskins tells me they're on their last team.
Parks
I think if Kory Lichtensteiger was cut that no one would be in a hurry to sign up. He's coming off a serious injury, followed by another minor surgery and lets not forget the guy has been cut by both the Broncos and the Vikings. He's a holdover from our dumpster diving days, which apparently we are still in in terms of the offensive line.
HTTR4LIFE
I certainly can think of a player that was supposed to be part of the top 22, but is injured, that could fit that description because of his injury status. Of course I'm talking about Jammal Brown, but looking at the Redskins starting roster, I just don't see any players who wouldn't make another team. That's not to say that the Redskins have an All-Pro at every position or that they all would start on another team, I just don't believe that every team in the NFL would pass up on one of the starters to at least be a back-up somewhere.
Steve
A starter for me that would have trouble finding work elsewhere would be LG Kory Lichtensteiger. Even if we ignore the fact that Lichtensteiger has had to have surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, and his ACL and MCL in his knee since becoming an NFL'er, there aren't a lot of positives going for him. He's been cut by the Broncos and Vikings already in his career, and is really essentially an option for zone blocking teams only (yet no other ones showed any interest). While a few teams might have shown an interest at league minimum, he's now making $1.25 million, which might not be expensive overall, but is for a guy who would probably be fighting for the 8th or 9th offensive line spot on most teams. Yes people will point to his first three games last year (he actually struggled against the Rams), but even in those games was just good overall, and it is a very small sample size of his career overall. In 2010, while he had a couple of good games, for the season he was pretty atrocious, especially as a pass blocker (which makes up 60% roughly of his job description). That is not starting guard material, and is a borderline back-up profile, and oh yeah we really can't ignore those injuries in real life.
What's your take on this topic? Do you think there is a certain player(s) on the Redskins "Top 22" that wouldn't even make a roster on another NFL team if they were cut?