NFL Draft Needs: Washington Redskins

Donovan McNabb experiment did not work out as planned. After a 5-5 start the Redskins lost five of their last six to finish last in the East and enter the offseason with a plethora of question marks. Daniel Snyder extended McNabb for five years to the tune of $70 million but put an out clause in the contract that would only make Snyder liable to pay McNabb just under four million in the event that they trade him or cut him before the start of the 2011 season. Judging by Mike Shanahan’s decision to bench a healthy McNabb for the final three games of the season in favor of Rex Grossman, it doesn’t look like he will be cashing any paychecks from the Skins in ’11.

The Skins’ problems don’t start and end with the 12 year vet out of Syracuse however. Washington’s defense struggled mightily this season, finishing 26th overall in rushing yards allowed and second to last in the league in both passing yards allowed and overall defense. It’s not that they lack talent with the likes of Brian Orakpo, DeAngelo Hall and LaRon Landry, but Washington seems to have a need at every level of the defense. On the offensive side, Ryan Torain showed glimpses throughout the season but couldn’t stay healthy and the Redskins still finished second to last in the league with just over 91 rushing yards a game. When Snyder and the Skins figure out what they are going to do with McNabb and the colossal headache that is Albert Haynesworth their draft picture should become a lot clearer but for now here are the Redskins’ three biggest needs.

Quarterback: Even if the Redskins miraculously decide to keep McNabb, he will be 35 in November and his best playing days are clearly behind him. The more likely scenario will see Grossman as the stopgap signal caller with Shanahan setting his sites on picking up a QB via trade or free agency (another Eagles QB perhaps) or selecting one of the top two prospects in the draft. The reigning Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton is the wild card and could be exactly what Shanahan needs to install his run first, run often offense. Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert seems to be less of a risk however and has the intangibles to be a solid passer for years to come. Both Gabbert and Newton have their question marks and neither is close to a sure thing. With a much deeper QB class coming in 2012, it seems more likely that the Skins will use their 10^th overall pick to fill one of their other gapping holes.

Wide Receiver: Santana Moss had an unbelievable year and was possibly the biggest Pro Bowl snub in the league. Anthony Armstrong had his moments as well, showing his speed and capability of being a deep threat. That being said Washington still needs to address the starting receiver position opposite of Moss. They took a chance on both Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas in the second round of the 2008 draft and both have failed miserably so there may be some hesitation to select a receiver this high. If Alabama’s Julio Jones is available at number ten however, this would be a no-brainer. He has all the physical skills to be an absolutely dominate wide receiver and would give the Skins the threat they so desperately need to complement Moss.

Defensive End/Tackle: Snyder might as well have flushed that $100 million that he gave Haynesworth down the toilet. He has been an absolute nightmare since signing his record breaking deal in 2009 and his selfishness finally boiled over this season in the form of extremely limited playing time and a four game suspension to conceivably end his brief stint in the nation’s capital. Haynesworth’s absence may have directly led to the team’s poor defensive performance in 2010 but his counterparts on the d-line sure didn’t help matters. The Skins may be in luck however because defensive end may be the deepest talent pool in the draft. If Jones isn’t available at ten and Shanahan doesn’t see the value in Newton or Gabbert; Alabama’s Marcell Dareus, Cal’s Cameron Jordan or North Carolina’s Robert Quinn would all be solid selections and immediate contributors along Washington’s defensive front.