With training camp set to begin later this month, Redskins.com previews the current state of the Redskins' roster, continuing today with the team's nose tackles.
The Washington Redskins will head to the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center with just two listed nose tackles in Kedric Golston and Jerrell Powe, but others on the roster such as Chris Baker, Stephen Paea and Matt Ioannidis could play inside some, too.
ROSTER SUBTRACTION(S):
Before the Redskins head to Richmond for training camp, check out who all is on the roster position-by-position. Today it is the nose tackles.
-Terrance Knighton (Free Agent Signed By Patriots)
KEY ADDITION(S):-Jerrell Powe
CURRENT STATE OF THE UNIT:
In a series of moves that signaled a new philosophy, Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan signed three defensive linemen early in his tenure with the team in 2014, bringing on Paea and fellow defensive end Ricky Jean Francois along with nose tackle Terrence Knighton.
Knighton is a traditional nose tackle, checking in at 6-foot-3, 354 pounds. While the Temple product would experience some positive moments with the Redskins on 371 defensive snaps, the team elected to not re-sign him this offseason.
The decision was made in part because of how offenses are forcing defenses to spread out now.
"The amount of times that you're in base defense now with all the three receiver sets and everyone throwing the ball, if you look at the numbers, it's not that often," Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said in March. "But you still need to have a big nose guard in there that can stop the run."
Instead, Washington re-signed Golston and Powe with the belief that the two can make an impact at nose tackle whenever the Redskins need one on the field.
Golston, 33, is the longest tenured player on the Redskins' roster. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-4, 330 pounder has appeared in 140 games over the last 10 seasons.
During the 2015 season, the University of Georgia product saw action in 15 regular season games tallying 10 tackles.
Powe, meanwhile, was brought back by the Redskins in January after spending last offseason in Washington.
While Powe was not on an NFL team during the 2015 season, the four-year veteran has prior experience with the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.
Gruden believes Golston is a proven player that is a "12- to 15-play game kind of guy" at the positon.
But the Redskins have additional options at nose tackle, too, as Baker, Stephen Paea and Ioannidis could make appearances inside.
While Ioannidis, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, is listed as a defensive end on the roster, the Redskins think he could eventually be a "very good nose guard" down the road.
"He's gaining ground," Redskins defensive line coach Robb Akey said. "He came in here with a great, burning desire and he working his tail off. He's growing mentally at this point in time and I expect that to continue to be the case. He's going to be an option in there."
WHAT TO WATCH:
Throughout OTAs and minicamp, whenever the Redskins were in base formation, it was Golston who took the first reps at nose tackle.
Entering his 11th season, Golston is seeking to continue what has been an impressive run with the Redskins, rising from a sixth-round pick to a contributor even in 2016.
Powe, meanwhile, has played 28 games during his NFL career and could climb his way up the depth chart with an impressive performance during training camp.
Also keep an eye on how often Baker, Paea and Ioannidis are used at nose tackle, if at all.
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