Redskins turn to draft to fill out their roster
The Redskins drafted 12 players last season and carried a 13th rookie who went undrafted. They own seven more picks in this year’s draft. It’s the easiest, and best, way to improve in an offseason where the NFL stripped them of $36 million in cap space.
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They touted their young players last year — seven rookies started at least two games; two others were key backups and a 10th (Jarvis Jenkins) would have been one if not for a season-ending knee injury in August.
“What it does make you do is you have to develop the guys you’ve got,” former Redskins safeties coach Steve Jackson said. “Some coaches want players that are already developed. That’s what organizations that like to spend money in free agency want to do. That was my time with the Redskins.”
Jackson pointed to receiver Anthony Armstrong as a player who didn’t develop last year in part because of the change in quarterbacks; none were adept at throwing downfield. The Redskins responded by getting more receivers this offseason.
“Young guys are easier to mold,” Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said.
Focusing on the draft leads to a different mentality in the locker room as opposed to a team built mostly on free agency.
“When you [focus on the draft] you’re putting a foundation in place and everyone understands the direction of the franchise,” Jackson said. “When you bring in players from other teams you have to clean out the clutter of … them doing it a certain way for four years.”
