The Redskins Preseason Opener vs The Patriots Washington has a few new players on their roster that make up the future of the Redskins this year. However Youth Da'Ron Payne Jersey , hype alone will not allow the players most talked about to make the team, the practice squad, or even keep a quality role with Washington. It is about performance to back up the hype that will earn these players a role for the 2018 Washington Redskins, so in the first preseason game whom should you be paying attention to? Alex Smith – Well, this is the obvious one. However, it is dependent upon how many throws Smith has in his debut game. It has been mentioned on many occasions that Jay Gruden has high expectations of Alex Smith due his veteran experience along with the team's need to win now. It is worth monitoring how Smith’s chemistry with his receivers, and offense as a whole, has developed at this point of the year. Also worth noting is how fluent the offense moves in and out of the huddle as Smith receives calls from the sidelines. The third pre-season game for sure is where you can expect to see extensive time with the starters and Smith to get a better sense of where they are. Offensive Line – Now, many would want to see rookie running back Derrius Guice on this list Youth Jordan Reed Jersey , but he is nothing to monitor in game one of the preseason for a couple of reasons. The run scheme in the preseason is pretty basic; you will not see that many schemed up runs, just the typical stretch/dive/power runs. This is why the offensive line should be monitored, who steps up on the interior line. Chase Roullier is a second-year offensive lineman, now the Redskins starting center, who will get valuable experience in his first game of 2018. Other back ups on the team will have an extensive amount of time as well; Geron Christian Sr. is another offensive lineman that is worth monitoring after his mixed review of training camp thus far. If you are a football nerd, like myself, pay attention to the individual battles in the trenches and evaluate the repetitions. Ryan Anderson – This second-year player has to begin his second NFL season with a bang following an injury-riddled rookie campaign. His performances, or lack thereof, prevented him from seeing decent playing time on the defensive side of the football. Anderson has to improve drastically as a pass-rusher if he would like to get on the field more. For the Redskins' sake White Josh Doctson Jersey , they need him to improve as well. Josh Harvey-Clemons – The Redskins are very impressed with Harvey-Clemons for the role he plays with Washington. His rookie season was impressive enough where his performance would not allow the Redskins to take him off the field; he earned himself a role as a prominent nickel and dime linebacker. The first game of 2018, due to his spot on the depth chart, expect his snap count to be pretty significant and watching him can help you get a glimpse on his continued development as a converted safety to a rangy inside-linebacker. These are just a few of my standouts to keep an eye on tonight, what will you be looking for in the Redskins’ first preseason matchup? Jarrett Stidham, QBSchool: Auburn | Conference: SECCollege Experience: RS Junior | Age: 22Height / Weight: 6-3 / 215lbsProjected Draft Status: 3rd-4th roundNFL Comparison: Derek CarrCollege StatisticsPlayer OverviewJarrett Stidham has had a roller coaster collegiate career, to say the least. He was the number one dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school in Texas. Stidham committed to Baylor where he played under then-rockstar head coach Art Briles. As a true freshman, he played in 10 games, throwing for 12 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and 1 Matthew Ioannidis Jersey ,265 yards with a 69% completion percentage and 11.6 Y/A. In short, he looked liked an upcoming star.After the Baylor scandal that pretty much nuked their football program, Stidham transferred to JUCO for a year. He then transferred to Auburn to restart his college career. In 2017, he was named second team All-SEC and SEC Newcomer of the Year. Stidham was a projected first-round pick by some, but he decided to return to Auburn for his redshirt junior season. 2018 was a hugely disappointing season for Auburn as a team. Stidham’s stats declined, but didn’t crater. Auburn lacked 1) talented weapons on offense and 2) offensive adaptability; many blamed head coach Gus Malzahn for their woes. Stidham is a talented player with an impressive pedigree, but has failed to capture the attention of the draft community largely due to issues out of his control. StrengthsThrows a catchable ball with nice touch and anticipation; plenty of zip, but doesn’t possess a cannonGood accuracy to place the ball where he wants on a receiver or lead him between zones; above-average deep ball accuracyPlus athleticism as a quarterback; multi-sport athlete (basketball, track); can do damage with his legsQuality size and build Authentic Adrian Peterson Jersey , although not prototypicalRecognized as a leader by coaches, teammates, named team captain and made decision to play in final bowl gameWeaknessesOften panics when initial look isn’t there; can lead to negative plays or careless turnoversHappy feet in the pocket causes poor accuracy and delivery mechanics — needs to slow his footwork down and maintain a stable platformMediaHow He’d Fit on the RedskinsA lot of the negative traits scouts attribute to Stidham can be explained, in part, by the predictability of Auburn’s offense. Head coach Gus Malzahn is a huge fan of receiver screens and shot plays, which meant when the initial look was covered, the quarterback often had nowhere to go with the ball. This lead to Stidham either taking a negative play or forcing throws, shoddy pocket presence and a sped-up internal clock.There were bright spots, though http://www.authenticswashingtonredskins … way-jersey , and Stidham showed he could continually move the ball despite the offense’s limitations. In his final college game, Stidham & Co. throttled Purdue 63-14 in the Music City Bowl, and he threw for 373 yards and five touchdowns. For all the flak that Gruden gets, I think he is a better passing game coordinator than Malzahn and has answers built into his offense. He can also work with Stidham’s athletic ability to move him outside the pocket. He’s exhibited good leadership qualities in two years at Auburn to lead a group of men. At worst I see Stidham sticking around as a backup, and his ceiling is a mid-level starter in the NFL. www.nflshopoutlet.com/jacksonville-jaguars