Position Battles Heating Up
Gary Cope, SkinsGridiron.com, Aug. 20, 2004

The first preseason game against the Broncos (a 20-17 win) was about butterflies and hitting someone other than your teammates. The second game (a 23-20 overtime loss) gave us a glimpse of the starters and a good look at some of the young talent trying to make this Joe Gibbs-led team. It also cost us our rock of a right tackle, Jon Jansen, who ruptured his Achilles tendon and was lost for the season. Extreme buzz kill.

The third preseason game Saturday night against Miami will feature much more intensity from the Redskins. The quarterbacks have been beleaguered by the media and fans as they struggle to adjust to Gibbs' offense and find some consistency. The offensive line needs to come together and create some running room for tailback Clinton Portis, while at the same time, protecting whichever quarterback is under center. The only position on the offense that doesn't present any concerns is wide receiver…assuming they stay injury-free.

The defensive line, while remaining healthy, still hasn't shown much improvement over last season, offering no pressure in the first two games. But Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams doesn't appear to be concerned, so maybe we should reserve judgment. The linebackers are looking good (especially Marcus Washington) save for the injured Michael Barrow. The secondary also seems set.

So, while the majority of the roster has already been determined, although not officially announced, there are still some very intriguing position battles heading into Saturday night's game. Let's explore them, shall we?

Quarterback
We begin with the quarterbacks. Sure, we know Mark Brunell, Patrick Ramsey and Tim Hasselbeck are all shoe-ins to make the team, but what order they'll play in, we don't know. It's assumed that Hasselbeck will be the No. 3 guy, while Brunell, the stalwart veteran, and Ramsey, the strong-armed youngster, will battle for the starting job.

Brunell has the clear advantage at this point in the preseason, but not necessarily because of his on-the-field performance. It has more to do with Ramsey's miserable outings so far, which are slightly more disappointing than Brunell's. The third-year man out of Tulane looks uncomfortable, hurried and unsure in the pocket. Granted, he is learning a completely new system, but so far, he's clearly having a difficult time picking it up.

Anyone who watched him play last season knows he has the ability to lead this team and be very successful, but it may take him some time to get back to that point in his career. I'm not giving up hope on the kid, but I think it may be good for him to sit for half a season, or even a full season, to help take the pressure of his learning curve.

Brunell isn't doing much to impress the coaches and Gibbs repeatedly tells the media he's very concerned about the lack of production from his offense. For a veteran, Brunell has made some rookie-like mistakes and doesn't appear to be adjusting well to a new system. He did, however, turn some heads with his 61-yard touchdown pass to Darnerien McCants last weekend. Perhaps he's coming around.

Then there's Hasselbeck, the former Boston College standout, who made the most of his first preseason game. Of course, it was against third and fourth teamers. He looked a little more like a third-stringer in the Carolina game, tossing a pair of interceptions that ended up costing the Redskins a meaningless preseason game. Unless Hasselbeck comes out and just blows the doors off in the Miami game, he's still going to be the No. 3 guy.

Brunell will start against the Dolphins and we'll see plenty of Ramsey. Let's hope we see some significant improvement in both their play, otherwise, our fingers will inch ever-so-closely to the "panic" button.

Running Backs
Portis is the starter and Chad Morton is the primary backup. Period. The battle will be for their backup and that's where things get interesting, especially considering Gibbs doesn't employ a traditional fullback. The competitions features Sultan McCullough, a lightning-quick, second-year back out of USC; Ladell Betts, a third-year man out of Iowa; Rock Cartwright, a bruiser and former fullback; and John Simon, another third year guy who has impressed coaches lately with his play.

Cartwright figures to be the odd-man out. He played fullback last season, but dropped more than 20 pounds to pick up some speed, knowing he would have to compete as a tailback if he wanted to make the team. It was a move he hopes will pay off, but it's still too early to tell. Betts may also be on the outside looking in. He's sitting out Saturday's game with a tweaked hamstring, which means the other running backs will see more playing time. If they do well, it could hurt Betts.

McCullough is a fan favorite. His dedication to improving his game and his willingness to do whatever the coaches tell him is the epitome of what it means to be a Redskin. Based on Gibbs' comments and the fact the team kept McCullough last season says to me that they desperately want to find a place for this kid. He has serious potential and they don't want to miss out. As for Simon, he'll have to have an explosive performance at this point to overtake the guys ahead of him.

Wide Receivers
There's not much to say here. Laveranues Coles, Rod Gardner, Darnerien McCants, Taylor Jacobs and James Thrash are all locks to make the team, unless one of them is used as trade bait for a defensive end. You can scratch Coles and Thrash from that list, they're not going anywhere. There may be one more position up for grabs and right now, the two players who appear to be at the top of that list are Gari Scott (Michigan State) and Jafar Williams (Maryland). Both have looked good, but there are several other receivers hoping to make that final spot and they'll all get a lot of playing time over the next few weeks. If anything, these guys will have to prove they can play special teams if they want a shot at the roster.

Tight Ends
Here's is one of the most intriguing position battles of the preseason. Obviously Chris Cooley, their third-round pick is going to make the team. Gibbs loves his intensity (practicing with a bloody nose) and grittiness and sees him as the future H-back of this team. However, there are three veterans on the roster and each brings a lot of experience to the offense: Fred Baxter (12 years), Brian Kozlowski (10 years) and Walter Rasby (10 years). Kozlowski likely has a leg up on the competition because he received a personal invitation to camp from Coach Gibbs himself. Gibbs, a former part owner of the Atlanta Falcons, saw the former Connecticut standout while he was playing for the Falcons. Kozlowski has played the H-back position before and considering he's been pretty durable during his decade-long career, he has a good chance to make this team.

Baxter is also a pretty durable guy, but is ailing at the moment (will not play against Miami). Plus, he's entering his 13th season. However, he does have good hands and is known for his blocking. Rasby is very similar, although he's known more for his good blocking. He too has been relatively healthy and spent last season with the Saints, appearing in all 16 games. Rasby's not new to the Redskins, having played the 2001 and 2002 seasons in D.C.

There are a handful of other tight ends in camp, but these four are the guys competing for playing time, and even a job. Considering they're going to be used primarily as blockers, I could see Coach Joe keeping all four. Robert Royal, a second year pro out of LSU, could be the wild card, but he's had a tough time staying healthy. The one thing he has going for him is he looked good in the games he did play in last season and he's young. But, we know Gibbs loves veterans, so it could come down to Royal and one of the three veterans getting the boot. It all depends on how many H-backs the Skins want to carry.

Secondary
Like the receivers, this position will likely come down to who shows they can play all out on special teams. Fred Smoot, Sean Taylor, Shawn Springs and Matt Bowen have the secondary covered. Former Virginia Tech standout and cornerback Garnell Wilds is a local favorite to make the team and has looked solid on special teams, but still has much to learn. Walt Harris, a veteran, is finally back on the field after more than six months on the sideline following knee surgery. If he can return to full strength, he'd make a great nickel or dime back. And don't forget about Rashad Bauman, a third-year corner, who has been a solid reserve and special teams player for the Skins the last two season. You can't count him out and if it comes down to him or Wilds, look for Gibbs to take experience over the rookie.

Wrapping Up
The offensive line is set and they have some depth after a couple of late free agent signings. Look for Saturday night's game to be a lot more intense. This is the game where players on the roster bubble will begin to separate themselves from the pack. So fasten your chin strap and get ready for some football. The last three weeks of the preseason are going to be a wild ride.