Doug Williams knows what the Redskins have in Jammal Brown, having scouted him for four seasons. He also thinks he knows what the Redskins now have for the foreseeable future: bookend tackles.
“This is a great move,” Williams said by phone.
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We agree. The trickle-down effect of acquiring Brown, 29, is rather large. It gives the Redskins potentially strong bookend tackles for the next five years. In Mike Shanahan‘s offense, athletic tackles typically equal offensive success.
And it allows Artis Hicks to move to right guard, where he has played and where, assuming he beats out Mike Williams, his athleticism will stand out more. Because the Redskins will rely on play-action passes and double moves by receivers, protection is paramount. This should — if Trent Williams looks as good in the games as he has in practice sans pads — provide that sort of help.
“Jammal was a solid left tackle,” Williams said. “He wasn’t a dominator. Jammal is not a mauler, but he’s athletic enough to do what they’ll ask him to do: moving on the run and getting to the next level.”
And that’s good news not only for quarterback Donovan McNabb but for the running backs. With Brown and Williams, they have two tackles who should excel in blocking linebackers and creating cutback lanes.
“If you ask him to be a powerful head-up run blocker, that won’t be his thing,” Williams said. “But for what they do, he’ll fit in very well. … And when you have any kind of athletic tackles, the guards go along for the ride a lot of times.”
