Ryan Clark

Washington Redskins We will be featuring a different Washington Redskins player each day on this list, staying away from rookies or some second-year players still finding their way. Washington Redskins This will focus primarily on veterans at or near a career crossroads. Washington Redskins Today: safety Ryan Clark.  Any player still in the NFL at age 34 has something to prove (heck, they all do, but stay with me here) and he turns 35 during the season. Can’t imagine anyone ever expected this to be the case way back when he was an undrafted and undersized safety, but Clark developed into an excellent player because of his toughness and smarts. But Pittsburgh let Clark leave, opting for someone younger and faster (Mike Mitchell). Word out of Pittsburgh was Clark had lost a step. That’s not surprising given his age. Clark was never a burner and relied on knowing where to be and when. Clark often lined up a little deeper, sometimes 20-25 yards in certain coverages and depending on the offense, to compensate for any lost steps. A quarterback who throws with anticipation could take advantage of any lost steps. Clark will need help from the pass rush so any slowing down doesn’t become an issue. He did play in the box when warranted and covered backs on occasion. Make the plays that are available. Clark is not and never has been a playmaker. What he has been is a tough-minded, physical and smart player. You can't have a tough defense without such players, and the Redskins did not have enough of them defensively in recent years. The Redskins could have used a guy like that in the secondary for a long time. When watching his tape from last year, it’s evident Clark still likes getting involved in the action, coming up hard against the run, for example. Maybe Pittsburgh saw that less than it had in the past, but compared to what the Redskins have had, it’s an improvement. His intangibles are real and, provided he can still play, he’ll be a leader. That much was evident this spring. But Clark will have to show he can still come up and tackle; he did so for the most part last season (career-high 104 tackles) -- though there were some misses. Washington Redskins How will he handle an offense like Philadelphia's that demands good open-field tackling? Dallas and New York also will use the entire field. The Redskins just need steady, reliable play at safety. Washington Redskins If Clark provides that, he’ll be a good one-year investment. Washington Redskins Starting free safety. Washington Redskins Unless Tanard Jackson shakes off two years of rust and unless Bacarri Rambo improves dramatically, then Clark is the guy. Washington Redskins The other two can’t touch him in intangibles. Washington Redskins The question will be what is the impact on Jackson having missed the past two seasons? Washington Redskins But Clark does well anticipating plays and alerting others as to what might be coming. That helps. Linebacker London Fletcher used to do that, too, Washington Redskins but it was clear in 2013 that he was done. The Redskins hope Clark has one more solid year left, Washington Redskins and he can perhaps mentor some of their younger players, Washington Redskins.

Jason Hatcher

Washington Redskins We will be featuring a different Washington Redskins player each day on this list, staying away from rookies or some second-year players still finding their way. Washington Redskins This will focus primarily on veterans at or near a career crossroads. Washington Redskins Today, Defensive end Jason Hatcher.  Because he was a high-profile signing by a defense in need of help. Washington Redskins Also Hatcher is coming off a career year with 11 sacks and must show it wasn’t a fluke. Washington Redskins The Redskins’ coaching staff felt Hatcher gave them more fits than any interior rusher last season because of his quickness and his hands. Washington Redskins Hatcher was not as big a pass-rush threat while serving as a 3-4 defensive end, though he had a combined 8.5 in his past two seasons at that spot (when he became a full-time starter). By comparison, all the Redskins’ linemen have combined for 8.5 sacks in the past two seasons (they did have 17 in 2011. But as their production waned the past two years so, too, did the pass rush. Stephen Bowen has one sack the past two seasons combined). Still, Hatcher must show that last season was not an anomaly. The Redskins targeted him because of what he did against them and others. They also needed to diversify their rush, and the outside rushers, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, received little to no help from the interior. That left offenses able to focus more on them. The same as he did last season. The notion that he only had a big season because of Dallas’ switch to a 4-3 and now that he’s back in a 3-4 he’ll do nothing is misguided. The Redskins used their nickel pass rush about 70 percent of the time last season; that alignment is more of a 4-3 look with two interior rushers. Hatcher would be the main rusher in their fast nickel set, which features three outside linebackers. In other words, he will be used mostly as a rusher inside just like he was a year ago -- but he does have the ability to pressure from end, too. I don’t know about him getting double-digit sack totals again; in fact I’d be a little surprised. But if he got even eight that would qualify as a big improvement. Washington Redskins He needs to be a threat and have the ability to collapse the pocket. Starting right end. Washington Redskins The worry is that Hatcher is now coming off arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. That puts him in jeopardy of missing the start of training camp. Washington Redskins And the question will be: What is the lingering effect? He’ll be 32 when camp opens, Washington Redskins so there has to at least be some concern about his durability. Washington Redskins The Redskins need to have good depth at end so they can save Hatcher on run downs if need be and use him in pass situations, Washington Redskins.

Washington Redskins playoff history and information

Redskins playoff history
Date	Game	Result
Jan. 14, 2006	NFC Divisional	Seattle 20, Washington 10
Jan. 7, 2006	NFC Wild Card	Washington 17, Tampa Bay 10
Jan. 15, 2000	NFC Divisional	Tampa Bay 14, Washington 13
Jan. 8, 2000	NFC Wild Card	Washington 27, Detroit 13
Jan. 9, 1993	NFC Divisional	San Francisco 20, Washington 13
Jan. 2, 1993	NFC Wild Card	Washington 24, Minnesota 7
Jan. 26, 1992	Super Bowl XXVI	Washington 37, Buffalo 24
Jan. 12, 1992	NFC Championship	Washington 41, Detroit 10
Jan. 4, 1992	NFC Divisional	Washington 24, Atlanta 7
Jan. 12, 1991	NFC Divisional	San Francisco 28, Washington 10
Jan. 5, 1991	NFC Wild Card	Washington 20, Philadelphia 6
Jan. 31, 1988	Super Bowl XXII	Washington 41, Denver 10
Jan. 17, 1988	NFC Championship	Washington 17, Minnesota 10
Jan.10, 1988	NFC Divisional	Washington 21, Chicago 17
Jan. 11, 1987	NFC Championship	N.Y. Giants 17, Washington 0
Jan. 3, 1987	NFC Divisional	Washington 27, Chicago 13
Dec. 28, 1986	NFC Wild Card	Washington 19, L.A. Rams 7
Dec. 30, 1984	NFC Divisional	Chicago 23, Washington 19
Jan. 22, 1984	Super Bowl XVIII	L.A. Raiders 38, Washington 9
Jan. 8, 1984	NFC Championship	Washington 24, San Francisco 21
Jan. 1, 1984	NFC Divisional	Washington 51, L.A. Rams 7
Jan. 30, 1983	Super Bowl XVII	Washington 27, Miami 17
Jan. 22, 1983	NFC Championship	Washington 31, Dallas 17
Jan. 15, 1983	NFC Divisional	Washington 21, Minnesota 7
Jan. 8, 1983	NFC Wild Card	Washington 31, Detroit 7
Dec. 18, 1976	NFC Divisional	Minnesota 35, Washington 20
Dec. 22, 1974	NFC Divisional	L.A. Rams 19, Washington 10
Dec. 22, 1973	NFC Divisional	Minnesota 27, Washington 20
Jan. 14, 1973	Super Bowl VII	Miami 14, Washington 7
Dec. 31, 1972	NFC Championship	Washington 26, Dallas 3
Dec. 24, 1972	NFC Divisional	Washington 16, Green Bay 3
Dec. 26, 1971	NFC Divisional	San Francisco 24, Washington 20
Dec. 16, 1945	NFC Championship	Cleveland 15, Washington 14
Dec. 26, 1943	NFL Championship	Chicago 41, Washington 21
Dec. 19, 1943	Eastern Division	Washington 28, N.Y. Giants 0
Dec. 13, 1942	NFL Championship	Washington 14, Chicago 6
Dec. 8, 1940	NFC Championship	Chicago 73, Washington 0
Dec. 12, 1937	NFL Championship	Washington 28, Chicago 21

Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins

Begin: The Cleveland Browns are in the process of adding Washington Redskins director of pro personnel Morocco Brown to the front office, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.

Brown, who has been with Washington since 2008, interviewed with the Browns over the weekend.

Brown had been passed over for several general manager positions despite interviews in the last three years. Earlier this offseason, he interviewed with Tampa Bay, but did not receive an offer for that job.

It wasn’t immediately clear what title Brown would hold with Cleveland, but it is believed that it will be a high-ranking position in the front office. Brown has worked under director of player personnel Scott Campbell, reporting to both Campbell and general manager Bruce Allen.

Brown was instrumental in the Redskins signing free agents under Mike Shanahan, most notably Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen, and Josh Wilson during the 2010 offseason. Candidates to replace Brown include front office assistants Doug Williams and A.J. Smith, who have joined the Redskins in the last year and two years, respectively. Former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was hired this offseason to direct Cleveland’s offense.

Update, 5:37 p.m:

“I think it’s a great opportunity for Morocco for his continued development,” Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen said as he left Tuesday’s NFL owners’ meeting in Atlanta. “Him and his wife are great people and we wish them well.” Allen, as he left the meeting with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, said the team is about to begin conducting interviews to find a replacement . “we start interviews this week,” Allen said. “This has been going on. We’ve known this for a few weeks. So we’ve already started setting up interviews.” Have a Redskins question? Send an e-mail to mike.jones@washpost.com with the subject line “Mailbag question,” and it might be answered on Tuesday in The Mailbag.1014-5-30