The Redskins Blog

PHOTOS: ‘Covered For The Holidays’

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Photos from the ‘Covered For The Holidays’ coat giveaway today at Macy’s Metro Center in downtown Washington, D.C. Participating Redskins players included Fred Davis, Doug Worthington, Joshua Morgan, Alfred Morris, Logan Paulsen and Sav Rocca.

Griffin III Wants To Convert LeBron James

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Last night, the Washington Redskins defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants at home to extend their season-long winning streak to three games.

Tonight, several Redskins players were on hand to watch the struggling Washington Wizards take on the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in D.C.

Not many gave the Wizards a chance to pull off the upset; but, wouldn’t you know it — Washington was victorious once again.

The Wizards earned their second win of the season by hanging on to defeat the Eastern Division-leading Heat, 105-101, in front of a standing-room crowd at the Verizon Center.

Among those taking in the game from the Redskins were quarterback Robert Griffin III, outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, wide receivers Leonard Hankerson, Santana Moss and Joshua Morgan, tight end Fred Davis and long snapper Nick Sundberg.

Griffin III — who was sitting courtside next to the Wizards’ bench with his fiancée, Rebecca, to his right and Orakpo two seats to his left — tweeted this immediately after the game:

My first Wizard's Game? Was a great one!—
Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 05, 2012

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Time To Redo This Scouts Inc. List

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Scouts Inc., in conjunction with ESPN, on Monday released its 2012 NFL Player Rankings, which features its Top 200 players list and the top players at each position.

The list is based on scouts and ESPN.com’s Matt Williamson “watching games and breaking down film” and does not include 2012 rookies.

After reviewing this year’s lists, it appears Scouts Inc. and Williamson should throw away their notes and go back into the film room.

Just two members of the Washington Redskins — outside linebacker Brian Orakpo (No. 100) and tight end Fred Davis (No. 188) — were included in the Top 200 list.

My first beef: how is linebacker London Fletcher — who last season was selected to the Pro Bowl after leading the National Football League in tackles and has started 179 straight games — not a top-200 player?

And that’s not my only problem with the lists, which can be accessed (with ESPN Insider access) by clicking here.

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Fred Davis Ranked No. 5 Future Tight End

New England Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski took the tight end position to a new level in 2011, as the Pats’ offense parlayed his rare combination of size, speed and strength into a record-breaking season.

Gronkowski — who just recently signed a huge contract with the Patriots — is obviously considered by many to be the tight end to beat for the next few years in the NFL, but one Washington Redskins’ tight end also finds himself among that elite group.

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Projecting The Redskins In 2015

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ESPN’s Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton and Matt Williamson today released a very interesting perspective of what they believed the NFL could look like in three years.

Where did the Redskins stack up?

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Bruce Allen On Trade, Team’s Free Agents

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Redskins general manager Bruce Allen addressed the media at this evening’s Washington Football Legends event, pertaining to the draft pick trade, and the status of tight end Fred Davis and linebacker London Fletcher: Read more »

Davis Earns The Uncommon Redskins’ Tag

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On Friday, it was announced that the Redskins had placed the franchise tag on soon-to-be free agent Fred Davis.  The contract numbers have yet to be calculated, but it boils down to an opportunity for the team to keep a star-quality player in a situation that protects them against off-the-field indiscretions.

With the way he performed in 12 games last season, the Redskins know what kind of value he provides to the offense.  After Cooley went down early in the season, Davis brought stability to the tight end position, putting up career highs in starts (12), receptions (59) and yards (796). He also grabbed three touchdowns.

He was leading the team in each of those categories before he was suspended in Week 13 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, ending his season.

Had Davis finished the season on his current pace, he would been only the sixth tight end in NFL history to have at least 78 receptions, 1,060 yards and a 13.0 yards-per-catch average.

This deal makes sense for both sides, as the Redskins like the player that Davis can be, and he has an opportunity to rebuild his value and reputation.  Essentially, a win-win for both sides.

And it’s a maneuver that hasn’t been executed very often for the Redskins franchise.  Since the franchise tag’s introduction to the collective bargaining agreement in 1993, the Redskins have used the tag on two other players, one of them twice. Read more »

Redskins Named In Top Free Agent Lists

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With the start of NFL free agency less than a month away (midnight, March 13), it’s time to start predicting which players are coming and going, and which will be sticking around.

Cue the obligatory ‘Top X-number Free Agents’ lists–because how else would we be able to compare a top-flight quarterback to a 4-3 defensive end?

The field of reliable football sources was limited to Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, and Pro Football Focus.  Four current Redskins were cited on any of the lists, and the rankings were sporadic at best.

Here is the rundown: Read more »

A Shift Back On ESPN’s All-Division Team

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In gauging division honors over the course of a 16-game season, it’s logical that the cream will rise to the top and the best of the best will be fairly set in stone.  But with the inconsistency of the entire NFC East this season, it’s been difficult to determine who is not only the best, but can perform most consistently.

In this week’s edition of Dan Graziano’s ESPN NFC East Blog’s “All-NFC East Team,” there are a new set of seven Redskins representing the best in the division at their position.  The honors are based on a body of work over the course of a season, with wry commentary to follow.

Enjoy: Read more »

New York Jets In The Rear View Mirror

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In Week 1, the Redskins beat the New York Giants, by starting well and putting them away in the fourth quarter.  The Redskins took a 14-14 halftime tie and doubled up the Giants 28-14 for the win.

Yesterday, the Redskins fell to the Giants’ roommate, by starting well and then letting them get away in the fourth quarter.  After a halftime lead and a 52-minute battle, the Redskins let the Jets off the hook, late.

With their eighth loss on the season, the Redskins also lose the opportunity for their first winning season since 2007.  But at this point, the Redskins can still improve on last year’s 6-10 campaign.

Fans don’t hold 6-10 as a benchmark season, but improving an organization takes time.  The Redskins have had great team performances six times this season (the four wins plus the two Dallas games), but they’ve had stellar individual performances in each game.

How much does that matter?  Just ask the players.

“We’re trying to build a team,” said Redskins safety Reed Doughty.  ”The last four games mean everything to this organization, to the fans, to you as a player as you’re evaluated, and what you’re trying to put on film.  Next year, we need to see the young guys step up and we need the old guys really to take leadership. I take pride in trying to put a football team out there every week.

“We’re out to win, we’re not just going out there.”

At this point, the Redskins have four one-week seasons left, four that they’re going to fight hard to win.  The evaluation process is perpetual, but this is the stretch of the season that separates the men from the boys, so to speak.  If players can find motivation to perform now, then they are key components to the future of this team.

And no matter how the team has struggled during the middle part of this season, they’ll be looking to bookend the disappointment with a strong finish.

Here are some individual stats worth mentioning from yesterday’s game: Read more »