When general manager Scot McCloughan was hired by Washington Redskins President Bruce Allen, he surely did not take the job to make team Head Coach Jay Gruden’s life difficult. But as it happens, he has.
In the time he’s been here, McCloughan has brought a depth of talent to the roster that has been missing for years. And it’s going to make the next four days for Gruden — the days he has left before he must cut down his team to 53 men — really tough.
RB Matt Jones and Chris Thompson are the team’s starting running backs. But what can Gruden do about UCFAs Rob Kelley and Mack Brown who have been really good the last several weeks? These two run hard and right into defenders. This is not to say that Jones and Thompson don’t. But did people realize the two backups were such physical runners?
Throughout the preseason, a bunch of guys have fought extremely hard to prove themselves. And, while this happens pretty much on every NFL team, many of the players on the current Washington roster have shown they have enough talent to warrant keeping them there.
Wide out Rashad Ross has had a much better offseason and preseason that a lot of folks thought he would have. He has become the team’s kickoff returner and, in addition to plays he made in the third preseason game with the starters, against the Tampa Buccaneers just one of the plays he made was a 13-yard pass from rookie QB Nate Sudfeld for a touchdown. Whereas many thought he would not make the 2016 roster, it appears he’s solidified a spot now.
Newly-signed defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins had a chance to prove he was worth the one-year deal he got this week and seventh-round draft pick Matt Ioannidis worked to his to prove he was worth his selection.
As Tropical Storm Hermine raged off the coast of Florida, guys on the bubble like CB Deshazor Everett logged six tackles and made a case for a roster spot. Linebacker Terence Garvin got after Bucs wide out Austin Seferian-Jenkins to the point where he couldn’t bring in a pass.
This is not to say there aren’t players who did not have great games in Tampa. But for the most part, what was obvious in this game is that there are a lot of the guys currently on the roster who could start on a lot of NFL teams.
In the end, the Redskins won the game 20-13 and the score was not at all indicative of how dominant Washington was throughout.
McCloughan has brought so many good football players into the DMV that Gruden has a tough job to do in the coming days when he and his staff must cut some really talented players.