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We'll be crossing off names from the Washington Redskins roster below as we learn who made the final cut ahead of Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline, at which point all NFL teams must have trimmed their rosters to 53 players.
Below the roster, you'll find my own attempt to sort out who will still be with the Redskins come Sunday morning.
Crossed out are recent cuts.
Confirmed making the team: Via Zac Boyer, Jose Gumbs is in (Dejon Gomes was cut). Pat White made the team too.
(you can follow the Redskins beat writers here for breaking news)
| QB Robert Griffin III QB Kirk Cousins QB Rex Grossman QB Pat White RB Alred Morris RB Roy Helu Jr. RB Evan Royster RB Chris Thompson FB Darrel Young WR Pierre Garcon WR Josh Morgan WR Santana Moss WR Leonard Hankerson WR Aldrick Robinson |
TE Fred Davis TE Logan Paulsen TE Jordan Reed TE Niles Paul OT Trent Williams OT Tyler Polumbus OT Tom Compton OT OT OG Kory Lichtensteiger OG Chris Chester OG Adam Gettis OG Josh LeRibeus C Will Montgomery |
DE Stephen Bowen DE Kedric Golston DE Philip Merling DE DL NT Barry Cofield NT Chris Baker NT Chris Neild LB Brian Orakpo LB Ryan Kerrigan LB London Fletcher LB Perry Riley LB Darryl Tapp LB Brandon Jenkins LB Bryan Kehl LB Nick Barnett LB |
CB DeAngelo Hall CB Josh Wilson CB David Amerson CB E.J. Biggers CB CB Jerome Murphy S Brandon Meriweather S Bacarri Rambo S Reed Doughty S S Jordan Pugh S Jose Gumbs K Kai Forbath P Sav Rocca LS Nick Sundberg * Suspended |
Note: The four-game suspensions of Jarvis Jenkins and Rob Jackson open up two roster spots that will presumably go back to them once they both return.
Quarterback (3): Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins are locks to make the squad, and Rex Grossman is a virtual certainty as well. Pat White probably played well enough this preseason to earn a roster spot somewhere, but not on this team. He'll have to continue his NFL comeback in another city.
Running back (5): Alfred Morris is locked in as Mike Shanahan's bellcow, Roy Helu Jr. is firmly entrenched as Alf's change-of-pace backup, and Darrel Young is safe as the team's only true fullback. I think the third-most likely of the halfbacks to make the team is actually Chris Thompson, who has way too much upside as a big-play threat to a) give up on and b) risk losing from the practice squad, especially after his 69-yard punt return Thursday night. That being said, I don't think Thompson makes it as the third running back behind Morris and Helu (he'll be the punt returner, though). That distinction, I believe, will go to Evan Royster, who's simply been too steady when called upon in the regular season to cut loose. Keiland Williams made the most of his preseason opportunities, but he gets lost in the numbers crunch.
Wide receiver (5): Pierre Garcon, Josh Morgan, Santana Moss, Leonard Hankerson and Aldrick Robinson are all locks. A lot of people are speculating that the Redskins go with six wide receivers, but I don't see it. It's relatively easy to stash receivers on the practice squad that can fill in and give replacement-level value as a 4th-or-5th wideout in the event of injury. Plus, if Chris Cooley could once split out wide in this offense, then Jordan Reed and Niles Paul sure as heck can, too. Dezmon Briscoe is not eligible for the practice squad (and will likely get picked up by another team), but Nick Williams, Lance Lewis and Skye Dawson are.
Tight end (4): No drama here. We've known for some time that the Redskins would be keeping four tight ends, and that they'd be Fred Davis, Logan Paulsen, Jordan Reed and Niles Paul, who will double as Young's backup. Emmanuel Ogbuehi never really had a shot.
Offensive line (8): The five starters -- Trent Williams, Kory Lichtensteiger, Will Montgomery, Chris Chester and Tyler Polumbus -- are obviously safe, and I think Tom Compton, Adam Gettis and Josh LeRibeus (merely by virtue of his past draft status) are locked in as backups, as well. I think the Redskins will opt to start the season with eight offensive lineman, but find a way via injury or otherwise to open up a spot later on once Maurice Hurt, who can backup both guard and tackle, comes off the PUP list. Xavier Nixon has real potential, so I think the team stashes him on the practice squad, and gives Tony Pashos, Kevin Matthews and Tevita Stevens their walking papers.
Defensive line (6): Again, we know starters Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen are locks. Kedric Golston is safe as the do-it-all backup and temporary stand-in for Jenkins, who will begin the season serving a four-game suspension. I think Chris Baker and Chris Neild have also secured spots as backup nose tackles, and Philip Merling showed enough in the preseason to stick around until Jenkins returns from his suspension. You can go ahead and say goodbye to Dominique Hamilton, Chigbo Anunoby and Ron Brace.
Linebackers (8): This group seems pretty settled. Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, London Fletcher and Perry Riley are entrenched as the starters, and Darryl Tapp, Brandon Jenkins, Bryan Kehl and Nick Barnett are set as their backups. Jackson will add a ninth member to this group when he returns from a four-game suspension to begin the season. Will Compton, Marvin Burdette and Vic So'oto don't make the cut.
Cornerbacks (6): Once again, little intrigue. DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson are your starters, although I wouldn't be surprised if David Amerson starts pushing Wilson for the No. 2 corner job in the very near future. Chase Minnifield and E.J. Biggers are locks to make the team as the No. 4 and 5 corners, and together with Amerson give the Redskins a pretty good, young trio of corners for the future. Note: I originally only had the Redskins carrying five corners, but ended up with an extra roster spot when I got to the end. I think that spot will eventually go to Jackson when he returns from suspension, but for now I'll give it to a sixth corner, since I think it's easier to stash receivers on the practice squad as injury replacements (particularly in this offense) than it is with corners. So congratulations Jerome Murphy, you get to stick around a few more weeks (and even longer if another of the corners gets hurt).
Safeties (5): Healthy or not, Brandon Meriweather is making this team, as is Bacarri Rambo and the immortal Reed Doughty, despite the wishes of many (asinine) fans who forget that every winning team has about a half-dozen Doughtys on its roster. Aside from that trio, another couple safeties figure to make the roster, if only because the Redskins need to carry that many. Forced to choose from DeJon Gomes, Jordan Pugh and Jose Gumbs, I'll pinch my nose, go with Gomes and Pugh, and wave bye-bye to Gumbs. I also doubt many teams would come knocking at the door for Pugh's services were he to get cut, so he might be a prime candidate for the chopping block should the team need to make room for Hurt down the line. If the Redskins lose a safety to injury, Pugh will most likely be waiting at home for their call.
Specialists (3): No mysteries here. Kai Forbath is your kicker, Sav Rocca is the punter, and Nick Sundberg will handle long-snapping duties.