ASHBURN, Va., -- The arrival of Cullen Jenkins won’t be good news for one of the Washington Redskins' defensive linemen. That is, if Jenkins himself makes it past the final cuts.
But if he does make the 53-man roster, then the Redskins will have a tough decision – or two – to make.
Here’s a look at the main defensive line candidates. I expect the Redskins to keep seven here:
Chris Baker: He’ll start at end and has the most potential to make big plays and draw more double teams. The linemen’s job isn’t just to keep the linebackers clean -- it’s to go make plays. But if they’re not getting off blocks that can be difficult. Baker can make plays. He’s also in the final year of his contract.
Kedric Golston: The Redskins know what they’re going to get from him and, accordingly, the line, “Kedric is Kedric” is one they’ll use often. He has worked with the starters all summer as the nose tackle in their base 3-4 front and remains a key part of special teams and short-yardage situations. But he’s also 33-years-old. You also can’t discount the high level of leadership and wisdom he provides.
Kendall Reyes: He signed a one-year deal this offseason after a couple tough seasons in San Diego, which even he acknowledges. Reyes has mostly worked as the starting right end, but he hasn’t made much noise in the preseason games. The coaching staff, especially coordinator Joe Barry, knows him from his Chargers days. But it's hard to say he's won anything yet.
Ziggy Hood: He was signed in January, long before free agency, but there are some in the building who now consider him one of their better offseason acquisitions. Hood is playing with more strength than in the past, and it’s enabled him to get off blocks and make plays. He can play inside or outside in their base front and can help in the nickel packages. With Baker sidelined by a leg injury, Hood replaced him in the starting lineup for the third preseason game.
Ricky Jean Francois: He fits the one-gap attacking system well and is a valuable reserve, especially in pass-rush situations. Another strong presence in the locker room and a needed voice of calm and reason after tough losses.
Stephen Paea: He likes what he’s shown this summer, saying, “This is the best I’ve ever felt in my career. Obviously it’s not showing up in the stat sheet, but when you pull up the film in camp and the preseason, I’ve done well. And that’s the only thing I can do.” Paea can play end in the base and inside in the nickel, but he also lost his starting job last season to Baker after signing in free agency. He has a $3.3 million base salary and $4.6 million cap hit this season (though they would recoup $3.4 million against the cap if he’s somehow cut). But money won’t be an issue if the Redskins feel he can still help. It’s hard to imagine the Redskins keeping two rookies ahead of him who need time to develop (Matt Ioannidis and Anthony Lanier). But Jenkins’ arrival leads to questions.
Matt Ioannidis: The fifth-round pick from Temple can play nose tackle and end, but he hasn’t yet shown he could be part of a rotation on game day. He has had to get used to playing with consistent technique, like any rookie. But they had high hopes for him after the draft as far as his future potential.
Anthony Lanier: One of the undrafted pleasant surprises of camp. He’s long and lean and athletic – he played two years of basketball in addition to football at Alabama A&M. It shows on the field, where he’s made some plays (against Buffalo he batted a pass and beat a double team). But he’s also inconsistent and tends to get too upright too often. He still appears to be a developmental player, albeit one who is intriguing because of his skill set.
Corey Crawford: I did not have him making the final 53 before Jenkins arrived, so I don't know that his arrival changes much for him. But Crawford is someone they like, which is why they kept him on the practice squad last season. He still has eligibility on the practice squad. At 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds, he has good size.
