The Redskins cut five players Monday, including last summer’s hot receiver Marko Mitchell, and former starter Anthony Montgomery. Washington also cut running backs Anthony Alridge and P.J. Hill and receiver James Robinson.
The only surprises were Mitchell, Mongtomery and Alridge. And they’re somewhat mild ones at that.
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The rundown on those three:
Mitchell: He flashed last summer, but there were major questions about his progress as a route-runner; he needed to become more diverse as a route-runner, which is why he didn’t play a big role once the season began. But he did show enough last summer to latch on elsewhere. Last week’s signings of Joey Galloway and Bobby Wade sent a strong signal that Washington is not thrilled with its receiving depth. If I’m Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas, I would not assume a starting role. At all. The Redskins also need a fifth receiver to contribute on special teams. That wasn’t Marko.
Montgomery: One of my favorites because of his demeanor (not to mention we’re from the same city — Cleveland). But Monty missed most of last season with a knee issue and the move to a 3-4 was not a good one for him. He has the size to play nose tackle, but his biggest flaw on the field was the inability to consistently stay low. That’s a problem at this position and it’s one that probably wasn’t about to change. The recent additions along the line made him expendable.
Alridge: A mild surprise considering there’s no real speed at this position. Yes, Fast Willie Parker is on the roster. But Fast Willie Parker hasn’t had a run longer than 34 yards the past three seasons. Maybe he’s looked fresher than anticipated this spring? Maybe Alridge just doesn’t offer much. He fumbled way too much last summer. ideally, the fourth running back should be a special teams standout (Rock Cartwright). Like Mitchell, Alridge is not that guy. And did we mention the fumbles? The only thing I’m surprised by is that Mike Shanahan’s recommendation is why Alridge was in Washington’s camp last summer.
