Casey Rabach • 6-4, 295 pounds
Rabach has been steady in the middle this summer. Aside from losing some battles in one-on-one work, he’s mostly gone unnoticed. For a center, that’s a good thing. And he handled the middle well vs. Baltimore.
Though he might not be one of the best centers in the NFL — coach Joe Bugel has touted him for the Pro Bowl in the past — he is reliable. Rabach has missed one game in his first four seasons.
His communication skills are lauded.
“He’s really in charge out there,” Redskins coach Jim Zorn said. “He’s very intelligent. Buges relies on him a lot. And he’s willing to work every day whether he’s sore or not.”
Jeremy Bridges • 6-4 • 326 pounds
Now that he’s returned from his sprained ankle, he’s working at both tackles. However, Bridges still needs to show a lot more to prove that he can be a good backup at either spot. And it could be that he’s better off at guard, a position he’s started at in the NFL.
Too often at tackle, Bridges allows the defensive linemen to get their hands in his chest. It enables them to control him, knocking him off-balance too often.
Randy Thomas • 6-5 • 308 pounds
Thomas should be able to play vs. Pittsburgh Saturday night in the second preseason game. But the Redskins need to continue being smart with his knee.
A healthy Thomas makes a difference on the line. When he didn’t play vs. Baltimore, the right side of the line rarely, if ever, got to the linebackers. On one of the first plays in full-team work Sunday, Thomas drove middle linebacker London Fletcher back.
