ASHBURN — Mike Shanahan sees progress, just not to the extent he desired. It’s not just about the record; it’s about areas he thought would be improved. And the progress hasn’t happened nearly as fast as he anticipated when he took over the Redskins after the 2009 season.
“A lot longer than I first anticipated,” Shanahan said of the progress, nearly two years into his tenure.
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And he blamed it on the roster he inherited from former coach Jim Zorn and ex-vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato after the 2009 season. Cerrato was fired before the end of that season. Zorn was canned after it ended.
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| Rookie defensive end Jarvis Jenkins should be ready for organized team activities in the spring, coach Mike Shanahan said. Jenkins tore his ACL during the summer and missed the entire season. Before his injury, the coaches said they thought he could become their best defensive lineman. Guard Kory Lichtensteiger, who also tore his ACL, is optimistic about being 100 percent around the time of OTAs as well. |
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| Shanahan wasn’t pleased with the showing of the Redskins’ defensive front vs. Minnesota on Saturday. The Vikings rushed for 241 yards. “It wasn’t our best effort on defense this year,” Shanahan said. “Usually it starts up front, and that was probably the poorest game we’ve played up front this year. Normally if you don’t have a great outing up front, you don’t have a great game on defense.” |
“We had less depth than I thought,” Shanahan said. “We were a little older at a few positions, and I thought we might keep those players a bit longer than we did.”
The Redskins have turned over the roster since Shanahan arrived, but the record hasn’t changed much. They were 4-12 in 2009; they went 6-10 last year and are now 5-10 with one game remaining. Last season, they had eight players 33 years or over; this year they have five. They had eight starters 30 or over in 2010 compared with six this season.
“I see a big difference than two years ago,” Shanahan said. “We have a much younger team. We have more depth at a lot of different positions. I feel good with the type of players we do have. We still need a good draft and a good free agency. We still need to improve from where we’re at right now. Our record obviously indicates that. But I feel good about the team and the direction we’re headed.
“We’ve brought in a lot of people I think will help us down the road.”
No coach ever would admit to feeling bad about the path they were taking. It’s bad for job security. Several league sources have been impressed with the job the Redskins have done rebuilding the defense, specifically the front seven. However, the Redskins will exit the season with serious questions at safety with the uncertainty surrounding LaRon Landry (injury/free agency) and Oshiomogho Atogwe (injuries/performance).
But they also have severe holes on offense, needing a quarterback of the future — and perhaps for the present — as well as a playmaking receiver and another lineman or two. They also have to figure out what to do with pending free agent tight end Fred Davis, who is one more positive drug test from a yearlong suspension.
What they have found of late is a running game thanks to rookies Roy Helu and Evan Royster. With Helu sidelined by toe and knee injuries, Royster rushed for 132 yards vs. Minnesota on Saturday.
“He had a great game,” Shanahan said. “Evan made a lot of great cuts, and he was very productive throughout the whole game.”
Quarterback Rex Grossman said, “The line created a lot of holes, and he moved pretty fast. When he gets in there, he kind of glides through the holes and is pretty effective.”
The Redskins also liked Tim Hightower’s performance before he was lost to a season-ending knee injury.
“We do have depth at that position,” Shanahan said. “That’s what you’re looking for. … Eventually, what we want to do is put together a team where you can win a Super Bowl, not just get to the playoffs or win nine or 10 games. [And] be there consistently, where you have the depth to do what some of these teams have been doing year-in, year-out for a long period of time.”
