The Dark Horse Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 Redskins sign Coleman<br /><br />Eight-year veteran OL Ben Coleman signed with the Redskins on Tuesday, giving the team a highly versatile component to its front five. Coleman, 30, can play every position on the line but center, and he should vie for the starting OG job. Coleman entered the league as a second-round pick of Arizona in 1993. He’s also played for the Jaguars and Chargers. Coleman has started 94 of the 120 games in which he’s played, including all 16 for San Diego last season.<br /><br />Buchsbaum: Coleman is definitely good enough to start for them at either guard spot, though he’s probably more comfortable at left guard. He also gives them a third offensive tackle who can come in and do the job at either position. Throughout his career, he’s been known as a guy who has more talent than he generally plays to, and he lacks a little bit in the way of motivation. But he is a big, talented athlete and at a little over $1 million is a good investment. <br /><br />------------<br /><br />Robert Jones to sign with Redskins<br /><br />Buchsbaum: It looks like former Cowboys, Rams and Dolphins LB Robert Jones will sign with the Redskins. He can give them depth on the outside and in the middle. He’s a former second-round pick who had a couple of good years in the NFL but never really became the type of player a lot of people thought he could become. The big reason is he never was really an overly instinctive linebacker and had a hard time taking on and shedding blocks. However, he has had his moments in the league and still could be effective, and he may even beat out Kevin Mitchell at middle linebacker, which was his original pro position.<br /> <br /> [ January 25, 2002: Message edited by: Die Hard ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 Jones has good speed and is a guy that keeps himself in good shape year round. Buschbaum is right that Jones is a guy that has had troubling getting off blocks inside in the past, to me that was less a strength issue and more of one of taking the wrong angle and not being as instinctive, as the guide noted. Coleman is a real good find as he is a superior player to many of the offensive linemen that signed for larger dollars earlier in free agency. Coleman really played well in Jacksonville where he was on a team that was in contention. Last year on a 1-15 team without a quarterback, Coleman slumped some and as one of the posters noted had a horrible couple of games against the Raiders and Broncos. But I think going back to a competitive situation will be good for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 The competition at Guard and MLB in july should be interesting ------------------ Yes I'm paid to think and I need a raise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsThug Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 Who wouldn't be discouraged playing for the Chargers last year and maybe slacking off a bit? I know these guys are professionals and should give 100% each play, yada yada, but let's face it -- when you know you have a good shot at winning, players are prone to give that extra effort. I think THE HEIMER will give out guys a good chance to win. Training camp will be very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GURU Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 Frankly, I'd like to see Mitchell outright win the starting MLB position. I like his energy, he's got good size for the middle, and he's got decent athletic ability. Looking at his history, it seems injuries have stunted his development. He never really got a fair shot last training camp. The coaching staff was fairly committed to Derek Smith. I thought he looked good in preseason games last year (he made several stops at or behind the line of scrimmage) as well as in limited playing time during the regular season. He even showed us some ability to play in zone pass coverage against the Ravens. Jones is a decent fallback, however. He's never really been a strong player. He came out of college weighing in the 220lbs range. His presently listed weight is indicative of NFL weight training more than anything else. It's interesting that Jimmy Johnson picked him back up in Miami after letting him leave Dallas. I remember some rumblings at the time in Dallas about his lack of instincts and weakness in taking on blocks while playing the middle. But he was adequate on the outside in Miami. Jones' experience and ability to play inside or outside is definately an asset, though. If he ends up starting the season on the bench, he is an excellent depth player who can come in and start without a significant dropoff in the level of play. Coleman is an excellent pickup, especially value-wise. He's never really played up to the level of his talent and isn't a driven, high-intensity player, but he defeinately increases the level of talent and depth along the entire line. He's not likely to ever be a Pro Bowl candidate, but he's certainly above average. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at how our offensive line is shaping up. The only problem I could see is if either or both of the young guys (Mookie and Fletcher) win the starting position and the veterans sulk a bit. Could be bad for chemistry, but I don't anticipate it being a major problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 14, 2001 Share Posted June 14, 2001 good coaches know how to handle team competitions and keeping players involved even after they lose a starting job. Joe Gibbs did it with numerous players who remained valuable performers in spot or backup roles. I think the players Marty acquired are by and large good guys, in that they are not troublemakers like Andre Rison or loudmouthes like Deion Sanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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