The dilemma of an old team is that it can’t play for tomorrow.
The Washington Redskins are essentially out of the playoffs. Not technically — 2005 proved that when they won their last four games after a 5-7 start — but miracles of that sort don’t happen too often.
What are the Redskins to do over the final five weeks beginning Sunday at the New York Giants? Essentially, the same thing they’ve been doing.
Forget any youth movement. First, few coaches will sacrifice the season’s final month for the next year. They’re too insecure for that. Second, the Redskins don’t have a significant amount of young players.
There is no young quarterback. Third-stringer John Beck has only four years experience but is 29. The Redskins have no idea whether he’s really a long-term option and would benefit from a look now, but this battered offensive line provides so little time it wouldn’t be a fair chance.
The young running backs already are playing after the loss of Clinton Portis. The past month has proved they’re not permanent replacements.
The Redskins are at least trying young receivers opposite Santana Moss. Joey Galloway isn’t taking away time from Anthony Armstrong or Terrence Austin anymore. But Washington needs to feature these receivers more over the final weeks to determine whether one can become next year’s No. 2.
Don’t get started on using Brandon Banks more. He’s too valuable as a returner to risk more than a couple snaps in the Wildcat formation. If 300-pound defensive linemen get a clear shot at the 150-pound returner, they will crunch him.
As for defensive line, the Redskins are older than the dog-ate-my-homework excuse. Three starters are at least 31 years old. It’s hard to imagine Philip Daniels and Vonnie Holiday returning, never mind the troublesome Albert Haynesworth. The Redskins don’t have many spare parts born after 1985, though. Jeremy Jarmon could be used more just to see whether he’s a future replacement.
Cornerback Carlos Rogers and linebacker Rocky McIntosh figure to leave as free agents. Both were forced to return in 2010 because of a clause in the labor agreement binding them to Washington for one more year. But rookie Perry Riley isn’t ready to take over for McIntosh, and replacing Rogers with Kevin Barnes isn’t the right move, either.
The Redskins are forced to play older veterans over prospects after they gambled the aging crew had one playoff run left in the tank. Now it’s about rebuilding without getting a head start.
With 2011 looking like at least a partial lockout by the owners — why else would the NFL announce Tuesday a ticket refund plan with three months left in the negotiating window — this old roster will be tremendously changed by 2012. There might be only a handful of those from the Jim Zorn era remaining by then.
Too bad the next wave can’t start now.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
