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Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

I wasn't sure whether the Redskins would be able to sneak quarterback Chase Daniel onto their practice squad, but I thought it was a good bet because of his stature (6-0 in cleats). But the Saints swooped in and signed him to their practice squad. I'd like to know more about how this thing went down. If the Saints had offered Daniel a spot on the 53-man roster, it would've been easy to understand. But that's not what happened.

Jim Zorn seemed to really like Daniel and he invested a lot of time teaching him the Redskins' offense. Now, the Redskins have signed the much taller Andre' Woodson, who was released by the Giants on Saturday. I know we're only talking about the practice squad, but I think Daniel has more upside than Woodson. Every time Woodson gets in a preseason game, he sort of loses his head and fires a bunch of incompletions. Even though he's a year behind Woodson in terms of NFL development, Daniel seemed like he had more poise in the pocket.

It's been interesting to watch the NFC East teams swap training camp bodies. Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon went to camp with the Redskins, but now he's with the Eagles. And now Woodson goes from the Giants to the Skins. Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger has an interesting Tweet on Woodson.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

The Washington Redskins have added five players to their practice squad: Safety Lendy Holmes (undrafted), defensive end Rob Jackson (seventh round in '08), wide receiver Trent Shelton (former Baylor player), defensive end J.D. Skolnitsky (undrafted) and fullback Eddie Williams (seventh round in '09).

So where is Chase Daniel? I was assuming he'd be added the Skins' practice squad, but maybe he's interested in signing with another team. Daniel was pretty impressive against the Patriots -- and that team happens to need a backup quarterback. We'll let you know if anything develops.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Biggest surprise: Most former NFL quarterbacks turned head coaches love to surround themselves with as many QBs as possible. But Redskins coach Jim Zorn is taking a new approach after placing Colt Brennan on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and a previously undisclosed hip injury (torn labrum). The Skins also released Brennan's competitor for the No. 3 job, Chase Daniel, but there's a good chance that Daniel shows up on the practice squad. I don't think Brennan will ever play for the Redskins again -- even when he's healthy. The two sides will reach an injury settlement and go their separate ways.

Mildly surprising to see running backs Anthony Alridge and Dominique Dorsey both end up on the chopping block. Alridge missed too much time in camp and then he had ball security issues. Dorsey and Alridge would both be practice squad candidates. Cody Glenn was sort of a head-scratcher from the time the selection was made.

Trent Shelton's definitely a practice squad candidate. The rise of seventh-round pick Marko Mitchell out of Nevada made it impossible for Shelton to make the team. The good news is that Shelton has already sent out a Twitter update indicating that he'll be signed to the practice squad.

No-brainers: You knew Marcus Mason was going to make this team as the fourth running back. And by the end of the season, it wouldn't surprise me if he's the backup to Clinton Portis. He's just a nice change-of-pace. I thought it was no-brainer to keep him around. I think some folks might be a little surprised to see Jeremy Bridges go, but the Redskins just thought he would stand in the way of some of the young guys. He didn't look that good to me in the preseason, so I don't have any problem with that decision. You hate to see a guy like Alex Buzbee work his tail off to rehab from knee surgery and then not make the team. There's at least one cornerback still on this team (Tryon) because of where he was drafted in '08, and that's a shame. I liked the way safety Lendy Holmes tackled in the open field. Maybe there's a spot for him on the practice squad.

What's next? The Redskins are old at defensive end. Vinny Cerrato should take a peek around and see if any talented, young pass-rushers were released. But for the most part, I think the Redskins are pleased with their 53-man roster. They'd hate it if someone signed Daniel, but I don't think that will happen.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Hopefully by now you've read our groundbreaking analysis of the NFC East backup quarterback situations. With what happened in Dallas last season, it seemed like an appropriate topic. But some of my faithful readers (you know who you are) have asked me to rank the backups in the Beast. Here's what I came up with:

1. Philadelphia -- I don't necessarily think the Eagles made a wise decision in signing social reformer/Wildcat quarterback Michael Vick, but he'll immediately become the best backup in the division once he's fully reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Who are defensive coordinators more worried about? Jon Kitna or Vick? See.
2. Dallas -- I think Kitna could come off the bench and do a nice job for a few games. Over the course of a season, he might take too many sacks. But for a three- or four-game stretch, he could perform really well. The Cowboys were held hostage by the backup quarterback spot in '08. They weren't going to let it happen again.
3. Washington -- I think Todd Collins is about as dependable a backup as you'll find in the league. He led the team to the playoffs during a thrilling stretch in '07 and he does a nice job protecting the football. He's the perfect caretaker quarterback if something happens to Jason Campbell. And I like that Jim Zorn's leaning toward Chase Daniel. The former Mizzou Tiger has made the most of his limited opportunities in the preseason. The end is near for the Cult of Colt.
4. New York -- David Carr could get you through a game or two, but he'd be the last guy in the division I'd want behind center for a seven- or eight-game stretch. If Eli Manning goes down, the Giants are cooked. I can't say that about the other three teams' situations.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley


More: Chadiha: The plan | Scouts: Rating QBs | Rank 'em | Clayton: Next Cassel?


Dallas: If Tony Romo is unavailable, the Cowboys would still have a chance at winning games. Jon Kitna's moving into his late 30s, but he still has plenty of arm strength and he's a huge improvement over Brad Johnson. Kitna doesn't have the mobility of Romo and he took a lot of sacks in Detroit. But he can make all the throws and he could succeed for an extended amount of time. The only thing that worries me about Kitna is that he's had a lot of trouble getting the snap from center in training camp and in preseason games. Not sure what the problem is there.

Roy Williams had the best year of his NFL career playing with Kitna. Romo's the unquestioned starter, but Kitna's presence makes the Cowboys feel a lot more comfortable heading into '09.


New York: If Eli Manning's unavailable, the Giants are in trouble. David Carr looked a lot better against the Jets, but he had really been struggling before that. He's still sort of shell-shocked from his time with the Texans. He might be fine to get you through a game or two, but the Giants would struggle if Carr has to play four or five games. I don't think he gets the ball out quickly enough at this point. Even his own quarterbacks coach, Chris Palmer, called him out recently. With the arrival of Michael Vick in Philly, the Giants might have the weakest backup situation in the division. Right now, it seems Andre Woodson has the edge on Rhett Bomar to be the third quarterback.


Philadelphia: If Donovan McNabb's unavailable, it will be Michael Vick time for the Eagles. Obviously, he won't become the No. 2 quarterback until he's fully reinstated by Roger Goodell, but that will likely happen fairly early in the season. Vick automatically becomes the best backup in the division based on his previous work. He'll be a huge threat in the Wildcat formation and I think he'd function well as the starter if something happens to McNabb. Vick's too young and talented to have the mind-set of a backup -- and that's not necessarily a bad thing for the Eagles. If McNabb gets injured, they want Vick to feel plenty of confidence as his replacement.


Washington: If Jason Campbell is unavailable, Todd Collins will take over. Collins doesn't do anything flashy but he can do a good job of managing the team. He replaced an injured Campbell in the second half of the '07 season and led the Redskins on a remarkable playoff run. Collins doesn't have the arm strength to light it up in the vertical passing game, but he does a good job of checking down passes and not turning the ball over. Coach Jim Zorn thought that Colt Brennan might be ready to challenge Collins, but that never happened.

There's a good chance that former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel will beat out Brennan for the No. 3 spot. He's outplayed him in the preseason. Daniel's nowhere close to being a starter in this league, but he's played with a lot of poise in the preseason. Let's see how he does in the Skins' final preseason game.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

For the most part, the fourth and final preseason game is even more insignificant than most preseason games. But there's actually some intrigue in Thursday's Redskins-Jags matchup in Jacksonville. I think Jim Zorn will give Colt Brennan one more chance to play his way onto the team. And we'll get to see if Chase Daniel's promising training camp and preseason continues.

Our guy Matt Terl from Redskins.com has provided a reader poll in which you can advise Zorn how to deploy his players Thursday. I'd go one series with Jason Campbell and then bring in Daniel for the rest of the half. Brennan should get the second half and Todd Collins should get the night off.

Big evening for both quarterbacks. I'd like to see Daniel throwing to Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Both those guys need all the reps they can get.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

The Washington Redskins released linebacker Alfred Fincher, cornerback Michael Grant, defensive tackle Michael Marquardt, wide receiver Marques Hagans and offensive tackle Devin Clark on Sunday. Fincher, a solid special teams player for the Skins, was the most surprising name on the list. Coach Jim Zorn explained the decision following practice Sunday.

"I don't want to take anything away from Fincher because he's worked really hard, and he has improved," Zorn said. "But to us there was kind of a ceiling there on him compared to some of the other guys that are coming on. Now he may have been more seasoned, but sometimes with a younger guy there is a potential there that you like -- a speed or a flash that I think coaches are looking at that kind of give those guys a little bit longer look. Al, in all fairness, he was here a year ago, and the other guys are doing as well as he, so we decided that maybe they'll have a higher ceiling."

Zorn also said that defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth missed Sunday's practice due to stomach issues. He said that running back Clinton Portis will not play Thursday in Jacksonville, but indicated some of the others starters would be in the game. It sounds like we're going to see a whole lot of Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel in this game. If I had to guess right now, I think Zorn's leaning toward Daniel as the third quarterback.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

It's much easier for me to defend Jason Campbell when he plays like he did last night. The Redskins lost to the Patriots in the final seconds of a preseason game, but they appeared to gain much-needed confidence in the process. Campbell was 13-of-22 for 209 yards and a rushing touchdown, but the most important thing was that he looked poised the entire time. We saw what he can do when the offensive line gives him a little time.

	AP Photo/Nick Wass
	Marko Mitchell caught a touchdown pass in front of cornerback Jamar Love during the second half of Friday night's game.

After he called it a night, Campbell told Jim Nantz and Phil Simms that the offense couldn't "dink and dunk" its way down the field and be successful. And that's why you see coach Jim Zorn calling for so many downfield passes. I thought Post columnist Mike Wise summed it up pretty well after last night's game. OK, let's take a closer look at what took place:

Tom Brady and Randy Moss pretty much toyed with DeAngelo Hall. It wasn't an awful performance by the defense at all, but Hall was clearly in over his head against Moss. I realize he's going to make a lot of cornerbacks look bad, but you would hope Hall wouldn't get completely overwhelmed. When receivers such as Terrell Owens, Moss and Larry Fitzgerald showed up, it was always nice to have Shawn Springs on the field. Unfortunately, he now plays for the Pats. The best news for the Skins? They don't have to see Moss again -- unless it's in the Super Bowl. The good news for the defense is the three turnovers. In the second half, linebacker Rocky McIntosh made a superb play to tip the ball away from the tight end and allow LaRon Landry to go the other way. Also a really nice play on the ball by rookie corner Kevin Barnes. He's got some really good skills. This draft class is looking better all the time.

The Skins had 15 penalties for 113 yards? REALLY? Amid some of the positive aspects from this game, the penalties have to be driving Jim Zorn nuts. And you can't really pick on one unit. The defensive tackles may want to work on lining up in the right spots and you should start eliminating the false starts along the offensive line at this stage in the preseason. The 15-yard penalties will get you beat, and that's what happened when Hall grabbed Moss' facemask. The Skins' defense had a chance to get off the field at that point, but the penalty gave the Patriots another shot. You can't do that with one of the most potent offenses in the league.

There's no way in the world you can keep Marko Mitchell off the roster -- and why would you even try? He's big and he makes important catches. He froze a defender in the second half and then changed his route when he recognized that the Patriots had busted coverage.  Colt Brennan found him for a 33-yard touchdown. Patriots cornerback Jamar Love never had a chance. The guy keeps getting in the end zone, and he's become perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the preseason for the Redskins. He offers what quarterbacks like to call a wide strike zone and he appears to be learning how to beat jams near the line of scrimmage. He could be a real threat near the goal line because of his body control and hands.

Colt Brennan didn't perform well enough to overtake Chase Daniel -- at least in my opinion: The same things that made Brennan one of the most prolific passers in the history of college football can also get him in big trouble. He's supremely confident and he thinks he can fit a ball into any space. But he has to be smarter when he's around the goal line. For the second time in as many games, Brennan made a horrible decision near the goal line. He forced a pass that was picked off by Jonathan Wilhite and returned 99 yards for a touchdown. Brennan tried the old "I was just trying to make a play" excuse after the game, but that doesn't hold water. He basically surrendered 10 points with that ill-advised throw -- seven to the Patriots and three that he took away from the Skins. I liked that he came right back with the touchdown to Mitchell, but it wasn't enough to overshadow the interception in my mind. I do like the way Brennan handles screens. He's athletic enough to spin away from trouble and dump the ball to Marcus Mason on the run. Not as easy as it looks.

Hated to see Mason get the bruised ribs in the fourth quarter. It's hard to recover from those when you're taking a lot of punishment at running back. I think Mason's put himself in position to challenge Ladell Betts for the backup role. He's more explosive than Betts in my mind, and he's a better change-of-pace back. Mason puts more pressure on defenses -- both on the ground and through the air -- than Betts.

Hello, Anthony Alridge!: I've been waiting to see this guy all preseason. The former University of Houston star -- as proud U of H alum Nantz noted several times -- has elite speed. He's only about 5-foot-9, but as you saw Friday night, no one can seem to get a clean shot on him. I know he was going against the Patriots' backups, but Alridge still popped off the screen. I hope the guy gets a shot. Last year, the Redskins didn't have enough depth at running back. But with Mason, Dominique Dorsey, Betts and Alridge, they look a lot better this season.

Does Chad Rinehart frustrate you guys as much as he does me? I thought he had his moments, but the guard just sort of looks lost at times. On a play in the second half,
he let a Patriots defensive tackle race right past him. The player ended up being flagged for hitting Brennan too low. But that never happens if Rinehart does his job. It's like he never he even made an attempt at the guy. I'd hoped Rinehart would be a lot farther down the road at this point. Too many mental mistakes from what I'm seeing. Zorn will want to cut Rinehart after watching that play. Not saying he will, but the thought will cross his mind.

I'm not sure why Zorn doesn't run the ball inside the 10-yard line. In the second half, I kept wondering why Zorn wouldn't let Mason or Alridge have a chance to run the ball near the goal line. He seemed intent on letting Brennan find someone in the end zone. That would've been a good test for the offensive line to try to plow it in there.

Did the Skins not think the Patriots would blitz? In the second half, a linebacker for the Patriots (Guyton?) came clean from the right side. It's like the Redskins were shocked that Bill Belichick might send an extra rusher.

H.B. Blades is a bad man: How great was that stick he put on Fred Taylor? You don't want to get caught running high when Blades is anywhere around. He absolutely destroyed Taylor, causing him to spin in the air like a merry-go-round.

With 4:30 left in a meaningless games, I find myself shouting at Brennan: When your team's in field goal position, how in the world do you take a sack? This might have been the point when I actually knew Daniel would make the team ahead of Brennan. Just a bone-headed play right there. Once you've escaped the pocket and don't see anything, fling it out of bounds. That play set up Shaun Suisham's miss from 52 yards. Everyone can try to pile on my man Suisham, but that was all Brennan's fault.

What's the deal with the coverage? You're in a close game in the fourth quarter and you let Patrick Chung just shred the punt coverage unit? The punt certainly wasn't high enough (46 yards in length), but someone has to at least force Chung to make a move. He darts toward the sideline and coverage completely fell apart. Bad, bad play right there on special teams.

I'll be keeping my eye on the Cowboys and Giants this evening. Thanks for your continued interest.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

At the start of training camp, most Redskins fans believed Colt Brennan was in direct competition for the backup quarterback job with Todd Collins. Now he's just trying to hang onto a roster spot.

Both Chase Daniel and Brennan spoke with the media Monday -- and they had some interesting things to say, according to Dan Steinberg's Bog.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley At the start of training camp, most Redskins fans believed Colt Brennan was in direct competition for the backup quarterback job with Todd Collins. Now he's just trying to hang onto a roster spot. Both Chase Daniel and Brennan spoke with the media Monday -- and they had some interesting things to say, according to Dan Steinberg's Bog.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

I don't think it's time to panic about Jason Campbell going 1-of-7 for 10 yards in a 17-13 preseason win over the Steelers. But it's important that Campbell finds a rhythm in the third preseason game -- and he knows that.

Campbell missed Malcolm Kelly on a deep ball and he was high on a throw to Santana Moss. I think he was pressing a bit because he knew he was only going to play three series. The good news is that Washington's running game looked strong throughout the game. OK, here are a few things that caught my eye:

• Brian Orakpo has been sensational through two preseason games. I enjoyed watching him playing with the backups in the second quarter. At that point, he was obviously the best player on the field and he even looked solid in coverage. Orakpo embarrassed his former college teammate at Texas, Tony Hills, in the second quarter. Orakpo used a bull rush to push Hills back in the pocket. He knocked Hills about 3 feet into the air.
• Jim Zorn made it sound like Campbell had a nice evening. Zorn praised Campbell for his decision making and thought he managed the team well. Obviously Zorn want to make sure Campbell's confidence level remains high. Campbell put on a brave face for reporters after the game, but I assure you he's beating himself up over the six incompletions.
  
• How can you keep Marcus Mason or Marko Mitchell off this roster? Mason's one of the best preseason backs this organization has had. On Saturday, he showed the speed we've grown accustomed to seeing, but he also mixed in some power. He sent a Steelers safety flying at the end of one play. Mitchell made the nice touchdown catch from Chase Daniel. He hesitated at first in order to give Daniel some space to throw the ball. Then Mitchell simply won a jump ball. The former Nevada receiver might end up being the fifth receiver.
  
• I still think Devin Thomas will make some mental errors, but he's capable of making big plays. I liked the twisting catch he made Saturday night. He has all the tools, but he needs every rep in the preseason he can get.
  
• Scary moment in the first half when fullback Mike Sellers was writhing in pain with a knee injury. The good news is that Sellers only has a bruised knee. He's such a vital part of the Redskins' running game. They would really struggle without him.
  
• Reed Doughty was everywhere . I pretty much wrote the guy off last season, but he's actually had a solid camp. He made a couple of open-field tackles that were very impressive and he looked confident in the secondary.
  
• Is it too early to start worrying about the Skins' awful coverage units? They looked especially bad in punt coverage. They didn't have anything close to containment on the edges.
  
• I used to watch Redskins safety Lendy Holmes when he was in high school. The former Oklahoma Sooner was one of the surest tacklers on the field Saturday. A lot of rookies look a little wide-eyed at this point. That's not the way Holmes operates.
  
• I love the fact that safety Kareem Moore is a high-energy guy, but he needs to play under control. It seems like Moore's constantly going for the interception. Moore and another '08 draft pick, Rob Jackson, have a tendency to overrun plays.
  
• I'd cut D.J. Hackett the first chance I had. It's not that I think he's a bad player, but right now, he's simply taking up space. I'd much rather see Mitchell, Thomas and Kelly getting the majority of the reps.
  
• Daniel had a really effective outing. I think he has the edge on Colt Brennan at this point. And yes, I know that hurts at lot of you guys.
  
• On the interception that Todd Collins threw, Thomas needs to come back for the ball. He sort of froze on his comeback route, and that allowed former Colts cornerback Keiwan Ratliff to make a really nice play on the ball.
  
• If you're Brennan, you can't throw the ball into traffic in the red zone. I'm sure Zorn was incensed with that turnover. Just an awful decision by Brennan.
  
• Kelly does a really nice job of catching the ball away from his body. He did some nice things in Saturday's game, but the best thing he does is catch the ball consistently. Thomas might have the most upside, but Kelly's showing the most maturity right now.
  
• Former CFL star Dominique Dorsey has to make this team as a return specialist. And he's halfway home. He had some outstanding returns. The Skins need to reserve a spot on the roster for him. He's that good as a return guy -- and he runs with a little power.

Posted by ESPN.com staff

Dallas Cowboys

• The Sporting News picks linebacker Anthony Spencer as a player primed for a breakout season.
• The new Cowboys Stadium is becoming a major tourist attraction in Arlington.
  

New York Giants

• The Star-Ledger continues with its summer questionnaires by chatting with Chris Canty.
• Micah Rucker hopes to get a chance to replace Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer.
  

Philadelphia Eagles

• With a new contract, Donovan McNabb has his sights set on a Super Bowl ring.
• The pressure to perform as a rookie isn't a concern for Jeremy Maclin.
  

Washington Redskins

• Former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel is motivated by all of his doubters as he tries to earn a roster spot with the Redskins.
• ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth recalls his time with the Redskins in an interview with the team's Web site.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

For completely selfish reasons, I was happy to see the Redskins sign practice squad journeyman/wide receiver Trent Shelton this offseason. I watched him for four years at my alma mater, Baylor, and he played a prominent role in our 35-34 overtime win over Texas A&M in 2004. Of course, that was when the Aggies were still a competitive team in the Big 12.

Anyway, Shelton has apparently taken the D.C.-area by storm based on his Twitter numbers. The good people at Mister Irrelevant blog compiled a list of athletes in the area who had the most followers on Twitter. And lo and behold, former Colts and Seahawks practice squadder Shelton was No. 2 on the list behind the great Alex Ovechkin.

Here's where other Skins showed up on the list:

3. Chris Cooley

6. Chase Daniel

13. Devin Thomas

14. DeAngelo Hall

23. Rocky McIntosh

53. Robert Henson

And congratulations to Washington Post blogger Dan Steinberg, who showed up at No. 10. Here's Dan's full report on Shelton on his DC Sports Bog. Shelton, whose father used to lead cheers at Baylor's famed Floyd Casey Stadium, had this to say about his hometown team (Fort Worth), the Dallas Cowboys.

"I hated the Cowboys, actually," he said. "I was a 49ers fan. I was a big T.O. fan, so whatever team T.O. went, that's who I cheered for. So when he went to the Cowboys, I hated it, but still cheered for him a little bit. But now I'm a Redskin, so I definitely hate the Cowboys."

If you want to check out Shelton's Twitter feed, click this link.