Player Observations - Redskins vs. Bucs

The final preseason game usually doesn't mean much for starters, but for those players who are on the bubble, a solid performance can mean the difference between an NFL paycheck or a job in the real world. There were a few players who stood out against weak Bucs backups, but one thing that I think we can all take away from this game is that we have much better depth across the board than we have had since Shanahan took over his team.

The Studs:

Kirk Cousins - The rookie quarterback was in the spotlight once again, and he did not disappoint. Cousins was 15/27, 222 and one Interception. He showed every aspect of his game, hitting on two deep balls, throwing strikes across the middle, and showing touch to his running backs out of the backfield. Cousins may still be listed as third on the depth chart, but he made a strong push this preseason to back up RG3.

Tom Compton - I watched and re-watched the rookie right tackle for most of the game and came away very impressed with his play. I understand it was against mostly second and third stringers, but regardless, his play stood out for a few reasons. Compton showed excellent feet in pass pro, and did not allow his man to cross his face to generate pressure(this to me was significant). In the run game Compton consistently set the edge on the outside zone, and blew his man off the ball in inside running plays. I also saw him loop-pull on a screen to the left, where he looked very fast getting out of his stance, showed great control once he got to the corner, and was able to make an effective block against a smaller, quicker defensive back. Overall a solid performance by the rookie, who played the entire game.

Roy Helu - Helu has speed; we all know this. This speed was on display Wednesday against the Bucs reserves. Helu just has that second gear that the other backs on our roster are lacking. He plants his foot and gets up-field in a hurry. He rushed 15 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 34 yards, one being on a nice wheel route, where he exploded down field after the catch for a gain of 17. Helu definitely brings a different look to our backfield.

Chris Wilson - Again, Wilson spent the majority of the game in the Bucs backfield. He was beating his man like a drum, and was harassing quarterbacks and running backs alike all evening. He was not credited with a sack, but he caused at least two that I saw. It's going to be hard for the coaches to keep him off this roster.

Richard Crawford - The rookie was impressive yet again. He showed tight coverage, even when a pass was completed to his man. He seemed to never be out of position, and he also made a nice interception down the left sideline on a deep pass attempt. He plays much bigger than his size, and should at least be on the field for the Redskins in nickle and dime packages this season.

Redskins Defense - They recorded five sacks, three interceptions and held the Bucs to three points. Not much more to say here.

The Duds:

I'll leave this one up to you.

So we have seen four preseason games. We have roster cuts coming by Friday. Who did enough to make this team, and who was left on the outside looking in?