Use up all your jokes about the Redskins backfield while you can, because the 2005 fantasy football All Stars may get broken up before the season even starts.
We’ve said all offseason that Willie Parker had an uphill battle to make the roster. Now Jason Reid of the Washington Post writes that it “wouldn’t be shocking” if Larry Johnson and Parker were both cut. Parker also could possibly pass Johnson with a strong preseason effort this weekend.
Johnson’s biggest issue, other than the fact Herm Edwards broke him years ago, remains in pass protection. L.J. “performed woefully” in blitz pickup in his extended work against the Ravens Saturday. (He also rushed eight times for four yards and dropped a pass.)
Reid credits a source that the Redskins have been concerned about their backfield depth even before camp. The team could choose to keep Ryan Torain and Keiland Williams as backups, and possibly look to the waiver wire to fill the backup job behind Clinton Portis.
Parker and Johnson received relatively small signing bonuses totaling $300,000, so cutting them wouldn’t be that painful financially.