Status of Injured Players: Wait on Them or Move Forward?

Your thoughts on Malcolm Kelly, Ryan Torain, and Kareem Moore?

All three have some ability but are dogged by continuing injury problems. Is this the year we have enough depth and rookies where it makes sense to release them?

The Redskins will keep Hankerson and Austin at WR which makes things tough for Kelly as Moss and Gaffney aren't going anywhere.

RB? Hightower seems to have taken the mantle to start. Helu and Royster have been productive and are Shanahan/Allen picks here in Washington working on low salary deals. Keiland Williams if retained can double as depth at RB. Torain looks to be on the outside.

Safety? The team needs depth at this position, but a veteran who can stabilize things behind the starters. Moore has been injured for a second consecutive season with what appears now could be a chronic knee problem. He and Chris Horton, drafted in 2008, are no longer 22 year old rookies the team can wait on. I would think about dipping into free agency during the cut downs and taking a veteran to bridge us to 2012 and perhaps going with Gomes as a developmental guy for the long-term who can contribute on teams right away.

Kelly: Gone. No question.

Torain: this is where things get interesting. A week ago this time, I bet Lanky Torain wouldn't be on the final 53, now I'm not so sure (and yes, Lanky, I'll still keep the bet). I can not figure out Royster's (lack of) playing time. I don't know if they are trying to hide him so another team doesn't snatch him up on the PS, or if maybe he sucks, or what the deal is. After the Pitt game, I thought for sure that unless Torain played well in the final three games, he would be cut. When news came he was going to miss the next two, I thought he would be cut for sure. Now, I'm not so positive. Leaning towards him being cut still, but not sure.

Moore: We will keep Kareem, I think. Unless a better option appears on the FA market, he stays.

Bulldog's Twin said:

The Redskins will keep Hankerson and Austin at WR which makes things tough for Kelly as Moss and Gaffney aren't going anywhere.

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You're not convinced Armstrong makes it ?

Cut Kelly for sure.

Torain, I'm not so sure, because we only have one proven RB in Hightower. We don't know how our rookies will fare in regular season if Hightower gets injured.

Moore should be the most likely keeper because that's the position the team is hurting the most, and Moore hasn't yet shown himself to be injury-prone nearly as much as the other 2.

I agree with Goaldie - they are hiding Royster to stash on the PS. Torain makes this team, no doubt whatsoever in my mind!

Kelly - cut for sure. He's had way too many chances.

Moore - I still think he has a lot of upside, but can't stay on the field either. I would say cut him, but our safety depth is scary without him (its kinda scary WITH him).

And I also agree with FtS - Armstrong makes the team for sure. Here are the 6 WRs:
Moss, Gaffney, Armstrong, Austin, Hankerson, Banks/Stallworth/Paul. I think Banks to IR, Paul to the PS and Stallworth makes the team. Unless they were not impressed with his half-ass play against the Colts.

I think Kelly and Torain are goners, and we keep Moore.

With the youth, depth and talent at WR and RB, it just doesn't make any sense to me to keep them.

Moore is kept solely due to the safety situation being a bit of a disaster right now. Armstrong will also stay.

Moore is the only one I'd keep. I like ATV a lot, but we've got gobs of young talent at RB, and I want to keep some of our other 'youth with potential' which means we can't afford to hold a roster spot for a good RB who can't stay healthy. Kelly? Nuff said.

I actually see us keeping Torain because he could be a battering ram inside the 20. Use Hightower and Helu to get down the field and bring Torain in for the Redzone. It makes sense to me. It will minimize his carries and I think he could very effective in this role. Plus, and hopefully, he will have a better chance of staying healthy.

Of course, this may be wishful thinking, but I think this is the way I would lean.

Torain was a beast towards the end of last season, with a subpar OLine & the ZBS still not completely in place. The OL looks to be much more comfortable w/ their roles this season - I still say there is absolutely zero chance Torain gets cut without showing what he can do behind the revamped unit.

Hightower looks really good - but how good would a 1-2 punch of Hightower & Torain look? QB might not matter, we may never have to throw the ball!