RICHMOND, Virginia -- Doug Williams entered training camp with one thought -- and it hasn’t changed. The Washington Redskins' senior vice president of personnel not only likes the roster, which he of course helped compile, he took it one step further.
“This roster is still the best roster I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Williams said. “There are some people who were here last year who aren’t here, but we helped ourselves in a lot of different areas.”
If that’s the case, expectations should be rather high. Williams returned in 2014, and since then the Redskins have posted two winning seasons and once won the NFC East.
They also feel they've improved a defense that has finished 28th or lower in yards in two of the last three seasons. They've been 29th, 17th and 19th in points allowed during that same period. In other words: not good.
Here’s why he thinks the roster is at that level:
The defensive line. The Redskins have remade this group, with Chris Baker and Ricky Jean Francois among those out. They signed Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain and drafted Jonathan Allen in the first round. They’ve also spent the last year developing second-year players Matt Ioannidis and Anthony Lanier, both of whom played well in the preseason opener. Williams also singled out line coach Jim Tomsula, believing he will max out the talent.
“When you look at the team as a whole, in the trenches [it] has gotten a lot better not only because of the players, but the coaches, too,” said Williams, promoted to his new job in June. “Jonathan Allen [is] the guy that he was hyped up to be. When you watch him, as soon as he learns the pro game and using his hands a little better, he’s going to be a beast in there. Once he gets his body into you, nine out of 10 he’s going to win.”
The secondary. The Redskins moved Su’a Cravens from linebacker to safety, but also signed D.J. Swearinger and drafted Fabian Moreau and Montae Nicholson. Moreau, in particular, will be interesting to watch because he plays a premium position and could be the future starter if Bashaud Breeland falters or goes unsigned after the season. Second-year man Kendall Fuller has had a good camp, though he was beaten off the line in the preseason opener on the first pass to his man.
“The secondary is much improved,” Williams said. “I watch D.J. Swearinger who has brought a lot of swag to this defense. Once he gets out there, you get a lot of guys that follow D.J. That’s what we needed, man. He’s here hopefully to lead us down that path.”
There are questions, though. Cravens has to prove what he can do; Breeland must be more consistent and keep his mind right; Fuller must show that his offseason improvement was a predictor of future success.
Outside linebacker depth. The Redskins entered camp thin at outside linebacker last season, thanks to Junior Galette’s Achilles injury right before camp. But with Trent Murphy sidelined for the season with two torn ligaments, the Redskins are better prepared. That is, if Galette can stay healthy. He’s now out with a hamstring injury. If he does, and if he continues to look like he has in camp, then his return will help.
“I’m going to give him a little credit,” Williams said. “How many guy can have two Achilles on different ankles and work as hard as he has to get back to this point? He did that. He can’t control a little tweak of the hamstring. I do believe if we can get him back on the field, we’ll see some of the Junior Galette that we are looking for. We can get something out of him.”
They also drafted Ryan Anderson in the second round; he’s had a good camp. Chris Carter provides more depth and special teams help.
Wide receiver. It’s hard to say at this point that Washington will have a more productive passing attack after losing DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. Terrelle Pryor has had one of the best camps of anyone in Richmond, so he will help. But Josh Doctson injured his hamstring and Jamison Crowder hasn’t done much in camp because of the same injury.
Regardless, the Redskins do like their wideouts. That puts the onus on quarterback Kirk Cousins to once more deliver.
“It’s going to be up to our quarterback getting the ball to the guys like he did last year,” Williams said.
Even if the Redskins truly have their best roster, it'll take a lot more than Cousins to play well. Otherwise, the offseason will have just been another mirage for the Redskins.