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Could Marcus Mason Work His Way Onto The Redskins’ Roster?
Published: May 13, 2009
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He entered the 2007 preseason as a virtual unknown, but since then, RB Marcus Mason has achieved cult-like status amongst those that truly bleed the Burgundy and Gold.
For Mason, another big preseason might earn him a spot on the final 53-man roster come September.
Twice now, Mason has been one of the brightest stars in August for the Redskins, but twice his success has failed to give him a permanent place on the team. However, the old adage, “third time’s the charm”, bodes well for Mason.
An undrafted free agent from Youngstown State, Mason was a longshot to even see action in the preseason. Yet he burst onto the scene in 2007, rushing for 95 yards on 25 carries. He displayed a knack for finding the open holes and made the most of every hand-off.
Against Jacksonville in the final week of preseason, Mason carried the ball 12 times for 54 yards, his best showing of 2007.
Mason made the team, but was moved to the practice squad to make room for Omar Stoutmire. He returned for another crack at it in 2008.
He didn’t disappoint. Mason led the league in rushing through the preseason with 317 yards at an astounding 4.8 yards per carry. He looked even more impressive than he had in 2007, using a combination of speed and instinct to string together plenty of solid runs.
Despite his outstanding performance, Mason failed to make the ‘Skins roster in 2008. Coach Jim Zorn was already working with three other backs, and couldn’t afford to keep a fourth.
Mason outplayed backups Rock Cartwright and Ladell Betts, but he did post most of his numbers against third and fourth-stringers. Betts also had a big contract and Cartwright was the kick-off return man. All of this factored into Zorn’s decision to cut Mason.
Mason was recently claimed by the ‘Skins off of waivers and will be in the running yet again to make the final roster. This time, he has an even better shot.
Mason has made it a priority to improve on special teams where he struggled last year. “What I’m going to do different this year is focus on special teams,” he said. “Clinton and Ladell are great backs. I understand what my role is. No matter how well I run the ball, I have to be a better special teams player if I’m going to make the team.”
Had Mason been better on special teams in 2008, Zorn might have kept him on the roster. But that’s in the past, and now Mason has to focus on this year.
The Redskins should be looking to upgrade at the backup RB position. They need an effective runner to spell Clinton Portis. Portis has notched over 300 carries in four of the last five seasons and is closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Betts is coming off of a down-year where he only carried the ball 61 times for just 206 yards. His yards per carry was a mere 3.4 yards, slightly worse than his 3.6 YPC in 2007.
Betts hasn’t been used extensively since his 2006 spot duty for an injured Portis. He played well during that stretch, but he did have trouble protecting the ball and wasn’t capable of turning 10-yard runs into 15 or 20-yard gainers.
Washington overpaid to keep him in the fold and their investment hasn’t panned out. Mason would be a cheaper and more valuable backup so it will be interesting to see if Betts gets the boot.
Cartwright has desperately wanted to see more action at RB, but the staff seems intent on keeping him at returner. Mason has less of a downhill style, but he picks his holes with more precision and his vision far exceeds Cartwright’s.
If Mason can unseat Betts, expect to see him not only make the roster, but play an important role in the Redskins’ offense come 2009.
Redskins’ Defense Looking To Make More Of An Impact
Published: May 7, 2009
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In 2008, the Washington Redskins finished fourth in total defense in the NFL. They gave up just 288.8 yards a game and kept opposing offenses in check throughout the season.
Expect more of the same this upcoming season as the Redskins will welcome back the majority of their impact players on defense. In fact, they went a step further and brought in several new faces.
Despite the defense’s ability to keep the team in games, they were unable to generate sacks and create turnovers. The defense only had 18 takeaways and 24 sacks—near the bottom of the league in both categories. So the front office in DC set out to fix what has become a recurring issue every offseason.
They re-signed their best playmaking corner in DeAngelo Hall, landed the prize of free agency in defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, and drafted freak pass rusher Brian Orakpo out of Texas in the first round.
Hall certainly showed a nose for the ball, intercepting a pair of passes in his final seven games after joining the Redskins midseason. He showed good coverage skills against the deep pass and should team up well with Carlos Rogers to form a solid CB tandem.
Hall gives the secondary a pair of good hands and a shot at capitalizing on turnover opportunities. Meanwhile, Haynesworth will be expected to wreak havoc up front.
The defensive line has long been a collection of space eaters, but with the arrival of Haynesworth, that’s expected to change. Haynesworth can get to QB consistently, and usually commands double teams, meaning the going could get easier for Andre Carter, Orakpo, and the rest of the defensive line.
Orakpo was arguably the best pure pass rusher in the draft, and defensive coordinator Greg Blache initially appears to be using him in a sort of tweener role. On first and second downs, Orakpo lined up at strongside linebacker during this past weekend’s minicamp. Then on third down, he played DE.
This is a questionable move by the staff, as Orakpo would be more effective just learning one position in his rookie season. However, it would allow the ‘Skins to put in defensive ends like Phillip Daniels who excel at run stopping on first and second down.
Blache will most likely stick to his scheme of using the front four to control the line of scrimmage, but on passing downs he will see more of rush due to the upgrades.
With Haynesworth commanding space and applying pressure up the middle, Carter and Orakpo will get their opportunities to make the most of their speed rush. Carter, in particular, favors rushing around the edge, and this year, Haynesworth should help him find the QB at the edge.
In addition, the beef up front will help free up London Fletcher to be an even more efficient run plugger. The linebackers will be able to play a more swarming style if the front four actually demand the respect of opponents’ offensive lines.
The added pressure should give the Redskins more sacks and takeaway opportunities. Last year, opposing QBs had plenty of time to wait for the secondary to break down. Now, Washington is hoping their secondary will get more takeaway opportunities.
Free safety Laron Landry, who played deep last year to prevent big plays, should be moved up so he can fully utilize his ballhawking skills. The secondary played very conservatively as the defensive line struggled last year, but now they have to be aggressive.
The defense has been a constant for the Redskins this past half-decade. However, it has to be more than that this year. It must get the Redskins on the plus side of the turnover ratio; it must give their offense an edge in field position. They now have the playmakers to create pressure and turnovers.
So the question remains; will they make an impact?
With all the money poured into the defense, Dan Snyder certainly hopes so.
