Post by MGB01 on Mar 17, 2008 14:19:46 GMT -5
WASHINGTON GLORY
QB: Adrian McPherson, Ryan Clement, John Stocco
McPherson is still a work in progress, but made tremendous strides in 2007. He was the beneficiary of better pass protection and better overall play from his receivers. Both McPherson and Clement were hurt in a killer loss to Jacksonville that ended up hurting their playoff chances, as they were forced to go with Stocco in that game. He threw a brutal interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
RB: Marion Barber, Brandon Jackson, Brian Shay, Ja'Mar Toombs, Brandon Miree
After three seasons as the so-called "backup", Barber is ready to explode after rushing for a team-best 679 yards and five touchdowns. Jackson was little used early in the year but came on late and finished with both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Toombs is more a big back than a fullback and isn't a great receiver either, though he did have two touchdowns. Miree would have had the job, but he was injured most of the season. Shay was added late in the season as a kick returner.
WR: David Givens, Mark Bradley, Mike Bush, Dallas Baker
Givens and Bradley both played a huge role in McPherson's development. Givens had a team-leading 68 catches and five touchdowns, while Bradley had a career-best 63 catches and six touchdowns. Bush, who was the #1 receiver in Birmingham not all that long ago, saw his numbers drop but nonetheless remains vital to the Glory offense because he's a tall target. Baker will step into a larger role in the offense.
TE: Chris Cooley, Jeff King, Matt Herian
The Glory have also helped McPherson out by surrounding him with a bevy of talent at tight end, starting with Cooley, who, stat-wise, was actually less productive than former starter Brian Natkin but Natkin isn't the field-stretcher nor the red-zone threat that Cooley is. The Glory traded Natkin to Pittsburgh. King is ready to emerge, in the team's view, as a pass-catching threat and Herian had a nice rookie year after being slowed by injuries at Nebraska.
OL: Vernon Carey, Marc Colombo, Rob Sims, Stacy Andrews, Greg Eslinger, Wayne Smith, Brad Butler, Mike Otto, Kurt Mann
Carey's arrival in D.C. gave this unit a big-time lineman and while the gains weren't really that much in pass protection, the effects it had on McPherson were invaluable. Carey, who wasn't always the fiery type when he started in Birmingham, has developed into one of the league's top left tackles and has become the leader of the unit. The Glory wanted to keep Max Starks and have one of the best tackle-tandems in the league but Starks signed with Kansas City. The Glory then made a curious move by signing Colombo, essentially swapping right tackles but Colombo has toughness that neither Butler nor Otto, who both had been pegged to replace Starks, have. Andrews, who played behind Smith at right guard when he was drafted by Chicago in 2004, will likely replace him with the Glory after getting some meaningful action last year and playing well. Sims and Eslinger played very well last year and seem to have big futures in front of them.
DL: Victor Adenjayu, Jay Moore, Adam Braidwood, Israel Raybon, Conrad Bolston, Chad Beasley
The Glory took some heat in the offseason over passing on Adam Carriker despite picking linebacker Paul Posluszny. Raybon had more sacks than the ends combined, and he only had five. The addition of Braidwood, who was the #1 pick in the CFL Draft two years ago along with a return to health of Moore and a bounce-back year from Adeyanju will hopefully change that. Adeyanju was still perhaps their best run-stopping lineman, putting an exclamtion point on the need for a good run-stuffing tackle in the draft. Raybon can still play, but how long is a growing question after recently turning 35. Bolston is a good developmental prospect but not a solution to the Glory's needs.
LB: Paul Posluszny, Paris Lenon, Darryl Blackstock, D'Qwell Jackson, Ed Hartwell, Anthony Gargiulo, Kai Parham
Posluszny finished second in Rookie of the Year-voting to Michael Griffin and some actually thought he was a better player, leading the team in tackles and snagging a pair of interceptions. Blackstock has become a force against the run while Jackson makes his share of plays, though too often they come five yards past the line of scrimmage. Lenon showed he wasn't ready to give up his starting spot just yet after a fine season in which he finished second on the team with 81 tackles. Hartwell, the former Bolts starter, replaces Dwayne Rudd as the veteran reserve linebacker. Parham was a big part of the Glory's return coverage units which averaged just 20.9 yards on kickoffs and 9.3 yards on punts.
DB: Dyshod Carter, Ronyell Whitaker, Lamont Thompson, Glenn Sumter, Antonio Perkins, Tarell Brown, Dashon Goldson
Despite some occasional big plays given up and injuries here and there Carter continues to be a top-flight defender, and was a big reason the Glory yielded only 11 passing touchdowns, which was second to the X-Bowl champion Hitmen. The lack of a pass rush up front made the secondary's exploits even more amazing. Whitaker is trusted at the opposite corner, and Perkins is a dependable starter when called upon but is best out of the nickel, where he had a team-leading five interceptions a year ago. Goldson is a hard-nosed player who was used in substitute package and the team thinks he could supplant either of the veteran starters eventually.
ST: Martin Gramatica (K), Travis Dorsch (P), Brian Shay (KR), Antonio Perkins (PR), Kurt Mann (LS)
Gramatica was steady but not spectacular, and despite hitting a respectable six of eight from beyond 40 yards the Glory would still like to have a kicker with a stronger leg. Dorsch wasn't outstanding, but his coverage units made him look good as his net average was a decent 33.2. Shay replaced Bradley late in the year as the kickoff returner as Bradley was only averaging 21.1 per return. Perkins, an explosive punt returner in his college days at Oklahoma, has yet to have the same impact with the Glory but still does a fine job, with a 12.2 average last year.
DRAFT NEEDS
1. DT-The Glory basically have an aging Raybo and that's about it. Beasley is a serviceable player who can play both inside and outside but isn't really a starter, and Bolston is a good developmental player but not much more. A top pass-rushing tackle would be nice but a run stopper is a more pressing need after teams ran for over 128 yards per game against Washington in '07.
2. WR-If McPherson is to continue his development the Glory must keep adding outlets for him. The receiver depth is thin. Bush is tall but doesn't fit the profile of a slot receiver and Baker is in his developmental stages.
3. QB-The backup situation may have indeed cost the Glory the playoffs a year ago. In a scene right out of Any Given Sunday, McPherson and Clement were both injured just plays from each other in a huge loss to Jacksonville, leaving the Glory's fate in the hands of Stocco. Clement, the much-maligned former Outlaws' starter, was a serviceable backup in Detroit and has one of the stronger arms in the league but the Glory should at least ponder the possibility of an upgrade.
QB: Adrian McPherson, Ryan Clement, John Stocco
McPherson is still a work in progress, but made tremendous strides in 2007. He was the beneficiary of better pass protection and better overall play from his receivers. Both McPherson and Clement were hurt in a killer loss to Jacksonville that ended up hurting their playoff chances, as they were forced to go with Stocco in that game. He threw a brutal interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
RB: Marion Barber, Brandon Jackson, Brian Shay, Ja'Mar Toombs, Brandon Miree
After three seasons as the so-called "backup", Barber is ready to explode after rushing for a team-best 679 yards and five touchdowns. Jackson was little used early in the year but came on late and finished with both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Toombs is more a big back than a fullback and isn't a great receiver either, though he did have two touchdowns. Miree would have had the job, but he was injured most of the season. Shay was added late in the season as a kick returner.
WR: David Givens, Mark Bradley, Mike Bush, Dallas Baker
Givens and Bradley both played a huge role in McPherson's development. Givens had a team-leading 68 catches and five touchdowns, while Bradley had a career-best 63 catches and six touchdowns. Bush, who was the #1 receiver in Birmingham not all that long ago, saw his numbers drop but nonetheless remains vital to the Glory offense because he's a tall target. Baker will step into a larger role in the offense.
TE: Chris Cooley, Jeff King, Matt Herian
The Glory have also helped McPherson out by surrounding him with a bevy of talent at tight end, starting with Cooley, who, stat-wise, was actually less productive than former starter Brian Natkin but Natkin isn't the field-stretcher nor the red-zone threat that Cooley is. The Glory traded Natkin to Pittsburgh. King is ready to emerge, in the team's view, as a pass-catching threat and Herian had a nice rookie year after being slowed by injuries at Nebraska.
OL: Vernon Carey, Marc Colombo, Rob Sims, Stacy Andrews, Greg Eslinger, Wayne Smith, Brad Butler, Mike Otto, Kurt Mann
Carey's arrival in D.C. gave this unit a big-time lineman and while the gains weren't really that much in pass protection, the effects it had on McPherson were invaluable. Carey, who wasn't always the fiery type when he started in Birmingham, has developed into one of the league's top left tackles and has become the leader of the unit. The Glory wanted to keep Max Starks and have one of the best tackle-tandems in the league but Starks signed with Kansas City. The Glory then made a curious move by signing Colombo, essentially swapping right tackles but Colombo has toughness that neither Butler nor Otto, who both had been pegged to replace Starks, have. Andrews, who played behind Smith at right guard when he was drafted by Chicago in 2004, will likely replace him with the Glory after getting some meaningful action last year and playing well. Sims and Eslinger played very well last year and seem to have big futures in front of them.
DL: Victor Adenjayu, Jay Moore, Adam Braidwood, Israel Raybon, Conrad Bolston, Chad Beasley
The Glory took some heat in the offseason over passing on Adam Carriker despite picking linebacker Paul Posluszny. Raybon had more sacks than the ends combined, and he only had five. The addition of Braidwood, who was the #1 pick in the CFL Draft two years ago along with a return to health of Moore and a bounce-back year from Adeyanju will hopefully change that. Adeyanju was still perhaps their best run-stopping lineman, putting an exclamtion point on the need for a good run-stuffing tackle in the draft. Raybon can still play, but how long is a growing question after recently turning 35. Bolston is a good developmental prospect but not a solution to the Glory's needs.
LB: Paul Posluszny, Paris Lenon, Darryl Blackstock, D'Qwell Jackson, Ed Hartwell, Anthony Gargiulo, Kai Parham
Posluszny finished second in Rookie of the Year-voting to Michael Griffin and some actually thought he was a better player, leading the team in tackles and snagging a pair of interceptions. Blackstock has become a force against the run while Jackson makes his share of plays, though too often they come five yards past the line of scrimmage. Lenon showed he wasn't ready to give up his starting spot just yet after a fine season in which he finished second on the team with 81 tackles. Hartwell, the former Bolts starter, replaces Dwayne Rudd as the veteran reserve linebacker. Parham was a big part of the Glory's return coverage units which averaged just 20.9 yards on kickoffs and 9.3 yards on punts.
DB: Dyshod Carter, Ronyell Whitaker, Lamont Thompson, Glenn Sumter, Antonio Perkins, Tarell Brown, Dashon Goldson
Despite some occasional big plays given up and injuries here and there Carter continues to be a top-flight defender, and was a big reason the Glory yielded only 11 passing touchdowns, which was second to the X-Bowl champion Hitmen. The lack of a pass rush up front made the secondary's exploits even more amazing. Whitaker is trusted at the opposite corner, and Perkins is a dependable starter when called upon but is best out of the nickel, where he had a team-leading five interceptions a year ago. Goldson is a hard-nosed player who was used in substitute package and the team thinks he could supplant either of the veteran starters eventually.
ST: Martin Gramatica (K), Travis Dorsch (P), Brian Shay (KR), Antonio Perkins (PR), Kurt Mann (LS)
Gramatica was steady but not spectacular, and despite hitting a respectable six of eight from beyond 40 yards the Glory would still like to have a kicker with a stronger leg. Dorsch wasn't outstanding, but his coverage units made him look good as his net average was a decent 33.2. Shay replaced Bradley late in the year as the kickoff returner as Bradley was only averaging 21.1 per return. Perkins, an explosive punt returner in his college days at Oklahoma, has yet to have the same impact with the Glory but still does a fine job, with a 12.2 average last year.
DRAFT NEEDS
1. DT-The Glory basically have an aging Raybo and that's about it. Beasley is a serviceable player who can play both inside and outside but isn't really a starter, and Bolston is a good developmental player but not much more. A top pass-rushing tackle would be nice but a run stopper is a more pressing need after teams ran for over 128 yards per game against Washington in '07.
2. WR-If McPherson is to continue his development the Glory must keep adding outlets for him. The receiver depth is thin. Bush is tall but doesn't fit the profile of a slot receiver and Baker is in his developmental stages.
3. QB-The backup situation may have indeed cost the Glory the playoffs a year ago. In a scene right out of Any Given Sunday, McPherson and Clement were both injured just plays from each other in a huge loss to Jacksonville, leaving the Glory's fate in the hands of Stocco. Clement, the much-maligned former Outlaws' starter, was a serviceable backup in Detroit and has one of the stronger arms in the league but the Glory should at least ponder the possibility of an upgrade.