Are the Redskins Just One or Two Players Away?

Are the Washington Redskins a team that is considered to be one or two players away from being perennial contenders?

This question has be asked many times over the last 24 hours since we emerged as front-runners for the services of All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman. Fans, both rational and irrational, have questioned the possible acquisition, wondering why we would break the bank on one player, when it seems like we still have many holes to fill on this team.

So, are we just one or two players away from being a perennial contender? Let's take a look.

QB - We seem to have the player identified for the foreseeable future, and he seems to be a pretty good one.

RB - Jones is a nice back, who many(myself included) view as complete. He just needs to eliminate the fumbles.

TE - Reed, Paul, Davis and Paulsen. We are all set!

WR - We are not set here, as Garcon and Jackson will likely be gone next year. Future is bleak right now.

LT - Williams is a top 3 LT in the NFL in his prime!

LG - We have 3 solid options.

C - Not there yet, BUT, could our future center be already on the roster?

RG - All set!

RT - All set!

DT - We have some nice ancillary pieces, but we need a centerpiece to build around.

DE - Same as above.

OLB - Kerrigan, Smith and Gallett - yeah, we are all set!

LB - We have some guys capable, but we are not close to being there.

CB - IF Norman comes on board, hell yes, we are all set!

SS - Far from good, but not horrible either.

FS - Hall can be good, but for how long? No depth or youth behind him.

By my count, we are about 6-7 impact players away from being pretty complete across the board. This is assuming Norman comes aboard.

So, let's take a look at the most important positions, because, as we all know, there is not a team in the NFL who is stacked at every position. Most have a few average starters in their lineup. The key however, is to have very good players at key positions.

The key positions are:

Franchise QB - Check

Blindside Protector - Check

Pass Rushers - Check

Shut-down Corners - Check(if Norman signs)

Big Play Receivers - Check(for now)

The Redskins do seem to have the basis covered when it comes to the top 5 impact areas on a football team.

If Norman agrees to a deal today to become a Redskin, can we add 2-3 impact players in this draft to become a really complete team?

DT/DE - We know this draft is stacked at the position. We should be able to find an impact player in round one or two.

C - This is going to be a big question mark. Would Scot surprise us all by taking Alabama's Ryan Kelly in the first round, and setting up the offensive line for years to come?

WR - How will we set ourselves up for the future? Being that we will most likely have some big money wrapped up in Cousins, Reed and possibly Norman, we may not be able to afford to go the free agent route, where the prices can get very high. The draft may be needed to fill the void.

S - This is not a great draft class. We need help on the back end, and a prospect to groom behind our current vets would be best.

LB - I'm not as concerned here, as you can find quality players who don't break the bank in free agency. There are also some nice options later on in the draft. Either way, we need to find younger, more athletic options for this defense.