The big question isn't always who deserves to be on a roster, it's whether or not there's enough room to make it happen. So while the Washington Redskins have a number of players they like at many spots, the fact is that not all will remain in Ashburn, Virginia, when the season begins. Those dreaded two words -- numbers game -- will become a factor.
The situation, in terms of roster spots available, appears somewhat settled at quarterback, tight end, receiver (though sixth wideout Rashad Ross has dropped too many passes this camp), defensive back and for the specialists. There always could be surprises at one of those spots, but for now other positions remain a little more unsettled -- not in terms of who starts, but how many they can keep at each position. If tight end Derek Carrier returns before the season begins, then that position becomes one to watch as well.
Some of the more interesting situations:
Running back: Entering the preseason opener, there were three who were in really good shape: starter Matt Jones, backup Chris Thompson and rookie Keith Marshall. But Marshall did not run well in the first game. He was too impatient to the hole and it prevented him from making better runs. That will be something to watch as the preseason unfolds. Rob Kelley rushed for 40 yards on seven carries against Atlanta, receiving good blocking but also helping himself with more patience. Before that game, one source said there was a gap between the top three and the others. But after that game, Kelley worked with the No. 2 offense, rotating with Marshall. One source said not to read into that, but it’s also hard not to. Mack Brown also ran well in the fourth quarter against Atlanta. The coaches like fullback Joe Kerridge, but he’s probably a stronger practice squad candidate.
Offensive line: There appear to be eight locks or near-locks (some of this depends on health). Those who have worked exclusively with the starters: left tackle Trent Williams, center Kory Lichtensteiger, guard Brandon Scherff and tackle Morgan Moses. Spencer Long and Shawn Lauvao have split time at left guard; Long also has worked at center. Arie Kouandjio has worked at both guard spots and tackle while Ty Nsekhe is the third tackle. The question is: Will they keep a ninth, and if so who will it be? That’s where players such as center Austin Reiter or guard/center Josh LeRibeus would battle for a spot.
Linebacker: Typically teams keep a combination of nine at outside and inside so this will be interesting to watch. As of now, the top six inside would be Will Compton, Mason Foster, Perry Riley, Su’a Cravens, Martrell Spaight and Terence Garvin. Cravens and Garvin offer versatility and could both be excellent special-teamers. But can the Redskins afford to keep all six? If they do, then they’d keep three on the outside -- Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith and Trent Murphy. Houston Bates and Willie Jefferson are ones to watch if they keep four outside and five inside.
Defensive line: The Redskins have seven defensive linemen who could make a strong case for a roster spot: Chris Baker, Kedric Golston, Kendall Reyes, Stephen Paea, Ricky Jean Francois, Ziggy Hood and Matt Ioannidis. But if they keep seven defensive linemen, it could mean keeping one fewer player elsewhere on defense. Ioannidis has not shown he should be above seventh on this list, but you can’t cut him because he has shown enough to be a worthy player to develop.
