2013 Redskins Bubble Player: Jeremy Trueblood

Heading into the 2013 season, one of the weaknesses the Redskins had hoped to address was shoring up the right tackle position. Tyler Polumbus, the starting right tackle last year, had his struggles in 2012 and the team was looking to upgrade or at least add some competition. However, after being docked $36 million in salary cap punishments by the NFL, they were left with very little options in free agency and had to dig deep in the bargain bin to see what they could find. One of the players they were able to sign was Jeremy Trueblood.

Trueblood came into the league in 2006 as a second round pick by (current Redskins GM) Bruce Allen, who was general manager at the time of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started at right tackle his first five years and gained a reputation as a solid run blocker who had problems with holding penalties periodically and was a liability in pass protection. He got injured and then lost his starting job to James Lee towards the end of the 2010 season. The Bucs brought him back on a two year deal heading into 2011 and he started in fifteen more games, but his struggles continued, and he was forced to take a pay cut to stay on the roster heading into 2012. The wheels completely fell off last year as he appeared in only nine games and started only one while he battled with more inconsistencies and a shoulder injury. He went on the IR in November and then was released at the end of the season.

The Redskins signed him in March this offseason to compete along with Polumbus, Tom Compton, Tony Pashos and Maurice Hurt for the right tackle position. Currently, he is listed as the third string right tackle behind Polumbus and Pashos. Reviews from training camp have not been stellar, including reports that Trueblood has had several days where his effort was questioned and he looked like he did not want to be there. He will have to turn that initial reputation around during the preseason games, and based on recent past performances there is a lot of skepticism about whether or not he can do that.