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Shanahan Is Unpredictable Re Final 53

Bulldog

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The releases of Graham Gano and Chris Cooley, although not thought to be impossible several weeks ago, seemed a lot less likely after the cuts to 75. But Shanahan, true to his reputation for not tipping his hand, went about the process of contracting a veteran kicker in Cundiff at the same time Gano was tweeting about staying a Redskin with Rackers’ departure.
At the same time he decided that Chris Cooley was more past than future with the Redskins. With Davis and Paul set up to be playmakers with their speed and athletic ability it falls on the third TE to primarily be a short yardage blocker and go-to guy in the former 'jumbo’ type packages. That simply wasn’t Cooley. And the thought of a veteran like Cooley sitting there waiting to get in for perhaps 5-6 snaps a game under those circumstances was a waste of his time and the Redskins dollars under the cap.
Are w set with Paulsen as the third TE? For the same reasons stated above, you can’t say 100% yes. But it looks better for him than for the last wide receiver on the bubble, Brandon Banks.
Shanahan indicated that Banks needed to show he was a legitimate player at WR to contribute in case there were injuries to those ahead of him in the lineup. Despite the 91 yard return against Chicago, Banks hasn’t shown those skills. In fact he has fallen behind Aldrick Robinson and newcomer Dezmon Briscoe and is a likely cut to get to 53.
Shanahan has toyed with a number of combinations at KR/PR, and the outcome has shown that there are other players in Paul, Moss, Crawford, etc. that can be effective in this role AND contribute on offense/defense.
It will be interesting to see what the team does with Josh LeRibeus. As a third round pick one would expect him to be front and center among the draft picks behind Griffin, but he has been all but invisible in the preseason. Adam Gettis got the starts at OG while Chester/Lichtensteiger were out. I saw as much of Compton as of LeRibeus.
It would be unusual for the Redskins to cut a third round choice this early and I think they will give him the entire year to work to get better. His role might be limited to being Montgomery’s backup at center. And that is not necessarily a comforting thought as Will has had his problems getting the ball back to Griffin in the shotgun, a formation the Redskins will use a lot more with Griffin than they did in the past with Grossman last season.
But there is definitely cause for concern with Josh. For Adam and Tom to come in and acclimate faster to the NFL game is no doubt a disappointment to the staff and front office.
On defense, the log-jam looks to be at linebacker. With Chris Neild and Chase Minnifield on the IR that counts out two competitors for a roster spot. With the numbers at LB and on the DL, it seems that the ultimate decision may be to cut a safety and keep an extra linebacker.
I could see Reed Doughty at 29 being released in those final cuts with the arrival of Meriweather, Jackson and Williams as well as the return of Gomes as a 23 year old developmental player. Of the five players vying for the 4 spots I think are available, Doughty is the one who most clearly lacks the foot speed to step in and play both strong and free. Morris indicated that is how they want the safeties to play here and be flexible enough to take on either job.
Another player that has been quiet in camp despite being with the club awhile is Kedric Golston. I wonder if the ability of Jenkins and Carriker to play either side would lead Washington to let Golston go in that last round of cuts to keep a Chris Wilson or Markus White?
Yes, White still has some eligibility for the practice squad, but neither he nor Alfred Morris would be on the PS (as some have suggested) for more than a week before they were claimed. So, I don’t see that as an option.
In looking over the roster we may be saying goodbye not only to Cooley but also to a few other long-tenured Redskins including Doughty and Golston.
It’s a sign the talent here is getting a lot better. This time last year or the year before there would have been little talk about letting any of these veterans go.
 
Is this Shanahan's publicist?

Guess you gotta be a drunk (Meriweather), a pot head(Williams, Davis) or an oft injured player that HE brought in (Brown) to be safe any more.
 
Tanard Jackson is a much better athlete and football player at 26 than Doughty is at 29.

For what the Redskins gave up to acquire him (nothing), I think it is a reasonable risk.

I think it is a farce to maintain that overall this roster is not improved considerably over what was here in 2010 when Zorn was moving his stuff out of the HC's office and Vinny was off to talk radio.

The worst thing Shanahan has done is give up the #2 for McNabb.

But that was recoverable.

We are still paying for the Haynesworth and Hall outsized contracts that Vinny gave out in 2009 with the cap penalty.

Imagine if those two contracts did not exist and Shanahan could have signed a Carl Nicks and/or Eric Winston for the OL.

This team would be even further along.
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