REDSKINS FANTASY NEWS

March 10, 2006 6:00 PM ET

Joe Gibbs returned to the playoffs in his second year back, although the path to the postseason was anything but stable. The regular season featured a quarterback change in the season opener, a 3-0 start, a 2-6 slump, and a five-game must-win streak. The Redskins then picked up a Wild Card win in Tampa before falling to the NFC Champion Seahawks in the Divisional round.

It's already been a busy offseason, and it kicked off with the club bringing in offensive mastermind Al Saunders, formerly of the Chiefs. Saunders' plan to energize this sluggish offense will likely determine how the franchise chooses to modify the roster via free agency and the draft. Of course, that process has already begun.

With the Collective Bargaining Agreement (and salary cap) in limbo, the Redskins worked feverishly to restructure the contracts of 12 players (not yet filed), ironed out a deal to make linebacker LaVar Arrington a free agent, and informed a handful of people that they would eventually be released. Meanwhile, quarterback Patrick Ramsey is still on the trading block, and safety Sean Taylor continues to move back his Miami, Florida court date. Life's never dull in the capital, huh?

Needs
The Redskins are expected to trade Ramsey within the very near future (he visited the Jets on Thursday), which will create a minor void in that depth chart. Mark Brunell remains the starter and Jason Campbell will move up to the primary backup slot, but the Redskins will likely look to add another veteran.

For the second straight free agency period, the Redskins will aim to upgrade Brunell's targets. Wide receiver Santana Moss and H-back Chris Cooley are set, but David Patten, Taylor Jacobs (who could be cut), and James Thrash all underperformed when asked to be the third option. Recent reports have the Redskins angling to land 49ers wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, but such an acquisition would be tricky due to his restricted free agent status.

The tight end/H-back ranks will look fairly similar in 2006 if the team re-signs free agent Robert Royal. If that doesn't happen, the Redskins could work the market or use a draft pick on a tight end.

With guard/tackle Ray Brown retiring and center Cory Raymer likely to be released, the Redskins have some work to do on the offensive line. Starting guard Derrick Dockery should stick around after signing his RFA tender, which means the team's starting five will be in place. Depth is an issue, though.

The defensive line is in a similar situation to the offensive unit, although this side of the ball could use an infusion of pass-rushing talent. The line barely hung together when injuries took over in 2005, useful end/tackle Demetric Evans could leave via free agency, and overall the starting unit is a bit old. Defensive tackle would be best addressed via free agency, while end could be looked at early in the draft.

Arrington's release opens up a job at outside linebacker, and we don't expect the Redskins to be content with Warrick Holdman (UFA) or Chris Clemons (RFA) filling the spot. Ideally, the team would land a stud like Julian Peterson or Will Witherspoon, but free agents Scott Fujita and Andre Carter seem more within their budget.

The defensive secondary will take a hit when the Redskins release cornerback Walt Harris and safety Matt Bowen, and the team could be in deeper trouble if they are not able to re-sign starting safety Ryan Clark. Free agent safety Adam Archuleta is rumored to be on the Redskins radar.

Lastly, the Redskins could be looking for a new kicker if they release John Hall and a new punter if they opt to say goodbye to both Tom Tupa and Derrick Frost.

Salary Cap Situation
According to ESPN.com's John Clayton, the Redskins entered March 10 at $7 million over the $102 million salary cap. However, that figure only includes Arrington's release, not other potential cuts or any restructured contracts.

Unrestricted Free Agents
RB Rock Cartwright, TE Robert Royal, TE Brian Kozlowski, DE Demetric Evans, DT Cedric Killings, LB LaVar Arrington, LB Warrick Holdman, LB Khary Campbell, S Ryan Clark, S Omar Stoutmire

Restricted Free Agents
G Derrick Dockery, DE Melvin Williams, LB Chris Clemons, CB Ade Jimoh

Free Agent Signings
LS Ethan Albright

The Draft
The Redskins do not have a first-round or fourth-round pick in 2006, and currently their initial selection will come in the second round (53rd overall). Their first and fourth choices will go to the Denver Broncos as part of last April's trade that allowed the club to select Campbell in the first round. Along with the second-round choice, the Redskins have a third, a fifth, two sixths, and a seventh-round pick.

Most mock drafts envision the Redskins selecting a defensive end or wide receiver in the second round. Virginia Tech pass-rusher Darryl Tapp would be a good fit, but he might not fall quite that far. A number of quality receivers could be available in the second round, and we wouldn't be surprised if the Redskins opted for a big target like Notre Dame's Maurice Stovall.

Injury Watch
The Redskins had plenty of nagging injuries (Brunell's knee, Portis' shoulders, Jon Jansen's thumbs, Cornelius Griffin's hip, etc.) that required rest, but only a few surgery reports came across the wire. Patten had his right knee scoped on November 17 and claimed to be 100 percent by the time the Redskins were in the playoffs. Linebacker Lemar Marshall needed an offseason operation to repair his left shoulder, but he recently declared that he would not miss any of the team's scheduled workouts.

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