Washington’s football club is looking to forget their 3-13 season last year that not only brought too many losses, but also internal turmoil. Washington has been trying to forget the things that led them to that terrible season, putting the past behind them and looking forward. They took a few good steps by getting rid of the regime in charge in Mike and Kyle Shanahan and most of the coaching staff.
The changes came mostly on the offensive side of the ball as defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and defensive backs coach Raheem Morris both stayed on. Now you might ask why the team would keep the defensive coordinator of a defense that was 15th in yards per game, 31st in points allowed per game, and 26th in the league in yards allowed per game (according to NFL.com)? The reasoning is that the team felt that Mike Shanahan held Haslett back and controlled most of the defense. Now that Shanahan is gone Haslett will have the chance to run the defense that he wants. This also means that now more than ever, Haslett and his defense will be under a microscope.
Haslett has come out and said that his main priority is to get to the quarterback, and you might be asking yourself why wasn’t that a priority before? It comes back to Shanahan. Mike Shanahan didn’t want to send the outside linebackers on blitzes often, instead preferring them to be used in pass coverage. This may have been good in theory but having a mere three or four-man pass rush is not going to cut it in the NFL today. Teams cannot survive if they give opposing quarterbacks the time to extend the play and make a completion. This also gives the receivers more time to get open and puts additional pressure on the pass coverage you are trying to improve. Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan are talented pass rushers, and the best way to utilize their talents is by having them create pressure for the opposing quarterback.
Washington also made it a priority to improve on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. They brought back some key players by tagging Orakpo; and re-signing Perry Riley, Chris Baker, Rob Jackson, Brandon Merriweather, and DeAngelo Hall. They also signed a couple of new pieces in free agency in defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, who had 13 sacks last year which is more than anyone on the Redskins defense, corner back Tracy Porter, and free safety Ryan Clark.
As of today, the Redskins have a lot of defensive depth. We do not know who will start on defensive line as there are a number of capable options today. The same can be said about the Washington secondary. The secondary is a lot better off now that Washington has Ryan Clark starting at free safety. The team could move Brandon Merriweather back to strong safety, a position where he is a lot more comfortable and effective. Ryan Clark might be getting older but he is always where he needs to be and doesn’t give up the big plays that Washington fans have been used to seeing.
One big question this defense hasn’t answered is who is going to play along side Perry Riley at the inside linebacker position? They signed a couple of players but those men mainly look like special teamers and second stringers. Look for Washington to address this position at the draft, as it is a huge question that still needs to be answered.
Now that we’ve examined the defense, check back in later and we’ll take a look at the off-season changes and needs for the Washington offense next season.
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