*FAN SUBMISSION by Mark Voltaire from Washington D.C.*
With all of the talk about the cap penalty and the lack of a first round pick, I thought I would point out the Redskin players who will be returning from injury, especially, since some of them had barely played all last season. While it’s true that Washington won’t get any big free-agents or a first round pick, I think the return of some of these players will help the team maintain their status as being the best in the NFC East. Fred Davis even made the list, which I guess can be called positive thinking.
Courtesy: USA Today
When healthy, RG3 is a potential league MVP. Enough said.
Brian Orakpo (Rak) has a lot to prove and most likely needs a double-digit sack season to satisfy himself and the Redskins.
Unlike some people, I have never been big on Adam Carriker, but I do think the Redskins have a top-ten defensive front seven, and Carriker solidly adds to that, whether he or Jarvis Jenkins starts.
Brandon Meriweather: This is a tough one, considering that in one half of the 2012 football season Meriweather looked incredible. He flew around the field, made tackles, and even got a “pick.” This player is iffy, but if he can only stay healthy…
Fred Davis, as previously stated, is positive thinking. Davis has the talent to be just as good as any of the great and youthful tight-ends, and with RG3 as his quarterback, I think he will have a break-out year in the upcoming season. However, this wouldn’t be the case with Brandon Weeden as his quarterback.
Pierre Garcon has heart and played with a painful injury for most of the year. Next year, that heart and a healthy foot should give him his first 1-thousand-yard season.
Josh Morgan showed a lot of toughness this past season, and it turns out that he was hurt without anyone ever knowing it. Hopefully, coming into next season as a healthier player will help him have an even better year.
London Fletcher, the team Captain, is a coach on and off the field, and even at 38-years-old, he’ll be fine if he stays healthy.
Sav Rocca had an off year, however, being healthy should help him with bouncing back to his normal form.
Early in the year, Trent Williams played at a pro-bowl level with a right knee injury that he suffered during a game against Cincinnati. So, how good will he be next year when he’s healthy?…Exactly.
Keenan Robinson gives the Redskins a back-up as an inside linebacker, but the jury’s still out on just how good of a player he actually is.
Jordan Bernstein; not much is known about this player, except for the fact that Shannahan and Haslet like him and were planning on playing him. That’s not a lot of information, but considering how much help is needed in the secondary, every man is of some help.
Chase Minnifield was a player that I was hesitant about adding to the list, mainly because he’s never done anything and he’s been hurt, which is not a good start. However, the Redskins are in need of corner-backs, and Minnifield has the pedigree to potentially be one. So, the best I can say about him is we’ll just have to wait and see.
Now, not every man on this list missed games, but even those that did play, were playing in pain. I think signing Fred Davis was huge, but aside from that, if all of these players come back healthy, then it should help to make-up for the lack of free agents and a first round pick; couple that with what I think will be down-years for the other NFC East teams, and the Redskins should make the playoffs in consecutive seasons.
