The Washington Redskins are in no real danger, at least when it comes to ticket sales and merchandise, as they remain one of the most popular teams in the league of all time. However, his season record last year was questionable, ending with a final score of 9-7 and a wild card playoff loss against the Seattle Seahawks.
Worse yet, it was announced at the start of the season that head coach Joe Gibbs was retiring (not to mention a few layoffs from the coaching office). This means that the Washington Redskins will restructure this season under new coach Jim Zorn. In addition to all the office drama, the team also lost a host of players, including wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, Mark Brunell, Reche Caldwell and others.
All eyes were on the draft, especially considering the Redskins actually traded a conditional 2009 seventh-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings. His trade was defensive end Erasmus James, who is now signed to play at least one game for the Redskins this season. The Washington Redskins were busy negotiating during the preseason, trading with various teams until they finally got ten draft picks.
The top pick in the second round was Michigan State wide receiver Devin Thomas. He was followed by second-rounders Fred Davis, a tight end from the University of Southern California and wide receiver Malcolm Kelly from Oklahoma. The team had a third-round pick and chose offensive guard Chad Rinehart from northern Iowa. Cornerback Justin Tryon from Arizona State was chosen next. The sixth round brought the team together with three players, including Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks, Nicholls State defensive blocker Kareems Moore and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan. That left two final seventh-round draft picks, defensive end Rob Jackson of Kansas State and safety Chris Horton of the University of California, Los Angeles.
How have fans and media pundits reviewed the Redskins’ 2008 draft? Reviews have generally been positive, though some loyal fans remain, ironically, die-hard skeptics. For a second-round pick, the team did very well, as Devin Thomas looks like a first-round pick. Thomas has everything management wants in a wide receiver, including size, speed and athleticism. Some pundits question whether Thomas was worth it, as he recently dropped down the rankings and may need a few more years to develop his skills. Oklahoma’s Malcolm Kelly was another good choice, even if his reputation was marred by health and maturity issues. However, for a second-round draft pick, he might as well be a steal.
The consensus is that Washington did a pretty good job in the draft, although the final picks didn’t include many high-impact players or much starting material. However, this team already made the playoffs last year and didn’t have any big gaps to fill. In the end, new coach Jim Zorn opted to refine the team’s power rather than restructure its foundations. That strategy could pay off next season.
