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Looking At The Initial Practice Squad For The Washington Redskins

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Aug 19, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan and head coach Jay Gruden talk before the game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins announced most of their practice squad on Sunday afternoon. Here is an in-depth look at some of the players who made it.

The Washington Redskins made their cut down to 53 on Saturday afternoon when they trimmed 22 players from their 75-man roster. The moves came as a result of the yearly roster purge that occurs at the beginning of each NFL regular season.

A forgotten part of the roster purge is often the players that make the practice squad. Sure, they did not make the actual roster, but teams are allowed to keep 10 players on their squad and have them train with the team. This can be crucial to the development of young players who are searching for a role in the league.

The Redskins announced nine of their 10 practice squad members on Sunday. Here is an in-depth look at the players they have added to be a part of their franchise.

Sep 3, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cleveland Browns tackle Vinston Painter (70) after the game at Soldier Field. Chicago Bears defeat the Cleveland Browns 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

9. OT Vinston Painter

This is probably Vinston Painter’s last chance to prove that he can hold down a backup position for an NFL club. Painter is entering his fourth season in the league, and he has never been more than a low depth chart guy. He has only played in three games during his career and this is his final chance to make an impact before having to call it a career.

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The former sixth round pick by the Denver Broncos does not have much upside at this point. Painter has never been able to show much growth, and even the Miami Dolphins, who needed some depth on the offensive line, did not keep Painter this offseason. The Redskins probably just claimed him because they like his 6-4 size. He really will not inspire too much hope and will only be called up in the case of a starter going down.

Even then, the Redskins would be better off searching the free agent market for a better player. Painter simply is at the end of the line in his NFL career, and he is not going to be an impact player for the Redskins.

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Redskins helmet on the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

8. OL Isaiah Williams

The Redskins surprise some by keeping nine offensive linemen on their final roster, and this decision was also somewhat surprising. The team elected to keep Isaiah Williams, who is a raw player that has some potential.

Williams spent five years at Akron, playing four seasons for the Zips football team. During his sophomore season, Williams switched from being a defensive lineman to being on offensive lineman. He played both right and left tackle over his last couple of years with the program, and he looked like he could have some developmental potential.

For the Redskins, Williams saw limited action in the preseason, but he must have showed the Redskins enough to give them hope for his future. Williams is not likely to make an impact for the team at any point in the near future, but perhaps with a couple years of development he could make the team as a backup right tackle or a guard.

Nov 29, 2014; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan Wolverines fullback Joe Kerridge (36) catches a third quarter pass and is tackled by Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Darron Lee (43). Ohio State won the game 42-28 at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

7. FB Joe Kerridge

When the Redskins elected not to re-sign their long time fullback Darrel Young, one thing became clear. Jay Gruden does not plan to use fullbacks much, if at all, in the Redskins offense. That said, it is not too surprising that the team elected to keep Joe Kerridge on their roster for a couple of reasons.

First, the team will have Kerridge in their back pocket if they decide that they need a fullback during the season. He will be familiar with the playbook, and Gruden can just turn to him for however long they need him to be an effective player. He will not likely be sought after by other teams, so the team will have him pretty much under their control.

The second reason they kept Kerridge was for the scout team. The Redskins are going to be playing against teams that use fullbacks, so they will need one of their players to mimic what the opposing players would do. Kerridge can easily take on that role and he will live up to his practice squad moniker. He should be a solid investment by the Redskins.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle A.J. Francis (70) blocks Washington Redskins offensive guard Nila Kasitati (66) during the second quarter of a football game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

6. OG Nila Kasitati

If you are looking for size at the offensive guard position, Nila Kasitati is your man. Kasitati measured in at 6-3, 317 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine prior to the 2016 NFL Draft. The Oklahoma guard was considered by some to be a late round pick, including NFL Network, but he went undrafted. That was partially due to some injury concerns associated with a heart arrhythmia that he had surgery on in 2012 (also per NFL Network).

Kasitati is the kind of high upside guy you want to have on a practice squad. He has great size and he was an effective blocker for Oklahoma during their run to the College Football Playoff. He has experience and if he can put everything together, he could develop into a solid backup in the future. In the best case scenario, Kasitati could become a road grade run blocker. Then, the team could use him in obvious run situations. That may be a year or two away, but it would not be a surprise to see him make the roster at some point.

Aug 19, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Kendal Thompson (87) catches a two point conversion over New York Jets cornerback Kevin Short (32) in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

5. WR Kendal Thompson

Kendal Thompson was one of the more interesting undrafted free agent signings that the Redskins made during the offseason. Thompson had been a quarterback in college, working mostly as a backup for the Utah Utes, but he decided to switch to receiver in the pros to utilize his athleticism. The move paid off, as the Redskins liked what they saw out of him during the preseason.

Thompson had one of the most memorable moments of August for the team. He caught the game winning touchdown pass against the New York Jets on a play that was nothing short of spectacular. He grabbed the ball with just one hand, and he gave the Redskins their first win of the 2016 preseason as a result.

After that, Thompson’s on the field play was decent. He has enough athletic potential to possibly become a great player and keeping him on the practice squad will be a good move. DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are hitting free agency next season, so at the very least this will provide depth and insurance in case they lose either to another team.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Washington Redskins defensive tackle Matthew Ioannidis (98) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Washington Redskins defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

4. DT Matt Ioannidis

Matt Ioannidis was one of the players that could have made the Redskins final roster due to his potential and draft status. The team did spend a fifth round pick on the man out of Temple, and they could have easily decided to keep him on the team. Although he did not play well this preseason, he was a solid player over his career at Temple. The team does not have a true backup nose tackle, so Ioannidis could get a call up if he plays well during practice.

However, it would probably be best for Ioannidis to stay on the practice squad for most of the season. He has a lot of work to do to improve his technique to be more than just a mediocre run defender in the NFL. He needs time to develop, and the Redskins are making a smart decision and giving him that.

If the Redskins decide they need help on the defensive line, the team would either call up Ioannidis or Cullen Jenkins. The team has to be happy that they will have Ioannidis at their disposal, as it would have been tough to see another team claim the fifth rounder on waivers.

Jul 28, 2016; Richmond, VA, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Maurice Harris (13) catches the ball in front of Redskins cornerback Kendall Fuller (38) during drills as part of afternoon practice on day one of training camp at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3. WR Maurice Harris

If Josh Doctson had started the 2016 season on the PUP list, I would imagine that Maurice Harris would have occupied his roster spot while he recovered. Harris is a big bodied rookie receiver out of Cal who could be a red zone contributor someday. He is 6-3, 200 pounds and his size is something that a lot of teams are looking for. He still has to develop a fair amount, but he could end up making the Redskins team in the future.

If the team loses Garcon or Jackson in 2017 free agency, that could open a path to the roster for Harris. Presumably, Doctson would take on a bigger role and that would open the fifth or six receiver job. If he is more developed, Harris could lock down that spot and be used as a situational red zone threat when he dresses.

In the meantime, Harris will be able to work with the scout team as a red zone threat and he will help the Redskins defense adjust to playing against taller targets. The team does not have much height at the receiver positions, so having Harris around will be a big help to them.

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Brandon Wilds (20) runs against Washington Redskins linebacker Lynden Trail (48) during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Redskins 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

2. DE/LB Lynden Trail

This was one of my favorite practice squad acquisitions by the Redskins. The team really could use extra depth at the rush linebacker position. If Lynden Trail can develop, he could become a strong NFL player.

The former stud player at Norfolk State went undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. Despite his 6-7 frame and his potential as an edge rushing threat, Trail was not selected because he was simply too raw. Still, he demonstrated that he has talent during his preseason stint with the team, and a season on the practice squad could do wonders for his skill set.

Trail will not develop into a starter or anything like that, but with the right coaching he could end up being a backup edge rusher for the Redskins. Trent Murphy is not anything too special, so if Trail shows well this season in practice, he could have a chance to take his roster spot heading into 2017.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Washington Redskins running back Mack Brown (34) runs 60 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter of a football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

1. RB Mack Brown

I am absolutely shocked that Mack Brown made it through waivers. Brown was terrific during the preseason and he demonstrated that he has the potential to be a good rotational back in the NFL. He ran with speed, elusiveness, and even power at times and he led the NFL in preseason running yards with 227.

Brown’s signature game came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4 of the preseason. The back was terrific and he tallied 19 carries for 149 yards during the game. This included a 60-yard-touchdown run that saw the back break tackles, evade defenders, and use his speed to make it to the end zone. Following that performance, many thought Brown would make the roster as a high upside backup.

Instead, the Redskins put him on waivers when the roster cut deadline loomed. The team has to be ecstatic that Brown made it through waivers. There were some teams that needed serious help in the run game. Brown getting through proves that the running back position is no longer valuable as it once was. Teams can find a decent player on the streets, so why waste a roster spot on one?

That said, Brown could end up being a contributor for the team. If one of the Redskins backs goes down, he will be the first player that they call for help. He may not be on the roster now, but maybe midway through the season he will get activated. If that happens, he will undoubtedly have an impact.

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