Looking back: The Redskins failed to adequately address their depth along the line so it was just a matter of time before that error was exposed. Sure enough, by early in the season Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas — both coming off surgeries and still battling issues — were done. Shocker, we know. Apparently it was to the Redskins. The foolish decision to rarely draft offensive linemen came back to haunt this franchise. Unless Chad Rinehart is your idea of a building block; he’s the only linemen chosen in the past five drafts. Let that one sink in. Anyway, Levi Jones showed that he could not play left tackle; Stephon Heyer continued to prove he is not a legitimate starter — though he deserves credit for playing hurt; Mike Williams, signed as a right tackle showed he was better at guard; Edwin Williams proved he should have been a practice squader and Will Montgomery proved he was a center. Sadly, he was at guard. Casey Rabach and Derrick Dockery played every game; neither was particularly great.
What they need: Lots of help. Dockery is the only one who is almost guaranteed to return as a starter. Rabach is a free agent. My thought? Nobody else should be starting next year. With Samuels expected to retire, they’ll need a left tackle. Thomas’ age (34) and recent injury past suggests his time is almost up, if not over. They need to find more athletic linemen, which could mean smaller one’s as well, to help with the cutback lanes by getting to the linebackers. That’s something Heyer could not do. They also need to find guards who can pull.
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Grade: D. We’d give them an F, but the real F goes to the front office for thinking this group had enough depth. And the effort of the players was never in question. So we’re being kind. Besides, these guys are twice my size.
Where they’re headed: For major changes. We’d suggest drafting a left tackle in the first round and finding a quarterback in the second. MIke Shanahan drafted a lineman in all but one of his drafts in Denver — and selected 17 overall. He gets it; the previous Redskins front office (and the owner) did not. But if Russell Okung is not available at No. 4, I’d either trade down or go elsewhere. Okung fits what Shanahan likes (and is similar to Ryan Clady, whom Shanahan picked with Denver). The options in free agency are limited, though Tampa left tackle Donald Penn might be one, though teams typically don’t let young players at this spot walk away (if they’re any good). Denver guard Chris Kuper is another possibility, though his status could be determined more by the CBA. Regardless, this team will not return to any sort of glory until the line is fixed.
