Saturday Slop: Mailbag and other news

Bill Polian (rightly) says Redskins must focus on more than RGIII | ESPN Redskins Blog

Polian continued by saying, "Secondly, they have to buy into the idea that every part of the team contributes to winning, not just RG III. He's part of it, and a big part of it, but everyone else contributes to winning as well. Where they've fallen short in years past has been on defense. They've been abysmal in the secondary. That has to improve. Their pass rush has to improve. Their protection of the quarterback has to improve and RG III has to improve and play within the system coach [Jay] Gruden has designed.

Brandon Scherff and Preston Smith could start for the Redskins | ESPN Redskins Blog

Enter Scherff. There was considerable debate in the NFL world about whether he was best-suited at tackle - and those debates were not just among analysts. Many teams believed his best spot would be guard. But some teams labeled his potential this way: good tackle, great guard. For the Redskins, a good tackle would be a nice improvement.

Ryan Grant impresses Redskins again, must still wait | ESPN Redskins Blog

"But I won't hesitate one bit whether he's our starting Z, starting X, starting inside player, what have you. I think as a wide receiver he's very polished and he's just waiting his turn. He is ready to go, though. I promise you that. I love Ryan Grant and what he is and what he's about."

Mailbag: Trent Murphy's Potential; why Culliver will help the Redskins safeties | ESPN Redskins Blog

There's a reason: Chris Culliver. When watching his film from last season, he understood how to play to his help and how to maintain leverage. Therefore, a safety can absolutely trust him and when you have trust, you can execute much better in this area. There's no way they could trust the corners last season: David Amerson had his gaffes and Bashaud Breeland had a couple, but also was a rookie. Both had natural growing pains which led to issues.

Patriots cut Fred Davis | CSN Washington

Rating the Redskins running back | CSN Washington

Morris has gained over 1,000 yards in each of his three NFL seasons and he is entrenched as the starter. He's not an elite back as he is not a threat to score from anywhere on the field and he is limited as a receiver out of the backfield but on a team full of question marks, Morris is not one of them. The organization appears to be very high on Jones, the third-round draft pick who was running so hard in OTAs that the coaches had to tell him to take it easy. The 6-2, 231-lb. rookie is more than just a power back; he has displayed some nimble moves in the second level and very reliable hands out of the backfield.

Need to know: Who will make the biggest different on the Redskins defense | CSN Washington

The biggest single difference—both literally and figuratively—between the Redskins' defense of 2014 and the one we'll see this year is Terrance Knighton. Barry Cofield played well at nose tackle at times over the past few years but it's hard to make up for a lack of sheer size. When Cofield was out injured for a good chunk of last year, Chris Baker was just OK filling in. Knighton brings the size and athletic ability the position needs.