I Dislike Your Favorite Team

The five-month NFL banquet is only a few weeks away. Preseason is like eating popcorn on the way to the banquet hall. However, for a team which has experienced a total regime change -- and no team experienced greater off-season change than Washington -- the first preseason game is the first splintered glimpse of what may be.

Reserves will play roughly three-quarters of the game, and some relevant 2nd & 3rd string position battles are worth acknowledging. But in this first game, I hope to learn more about some of these starting position battles:

#2 WR
Joey Galloway has the surprising lead. Redskins.com says that "He's still got a remarkable portion of his speed, seems to be catching the ball well, and is currently sitting on top of the depth chart." Hardly a ringing endorsement, but having Galloway in contention should drive the youngsters. At 39, Galloway is only a year younger than his position coach ... and eight years older than his offensive coordinator.

I hear more about Roydell Williams (comeback from three years) and rookie Anthony Armstrong than any of the other receivers in camp. Bobby Wade and Devin Campbell are quiet, and Malcolm Kelly will soon be cut if he can't get on the field.

OLB
Andre Carter and Lorenzo Alexander have been splitting reps. Both are converted DE's and neither is especially strong in coverage. Linebacker looks to be the weak link on defense, and this is the weakest spot at LB.

Chris Wilson, another converted DE, deserves mention if only because of his remark about Galloway's old-timer status: "He might have an endorsement with Pony."

DE
I believe that this is the most wide open of all the open positions. Adam Karriker and Kedric Golston are starting against Buffaloaf, but veterans Vonnie Holliday and Philip Daniels as well as youngster Jeremy Jarmon could make a move based on performance. When you figure in that Albert Haynesworth is likely to see time at end, the team is deep with decent talent at this position. But who is going to step up?

Injury Notes
WR Malcolm Kelly, FS Chris Horton and OT Jammal Brown are out for the preseason game. Brown's starter status is unlikely to diminish, but the other two kids from 2007 can't afford to miss playing time.

IN OTHER NEWS:
An Eagles fan wore a McNabb jersey onto the sidelines of a practice ... a jersey in Washington's lustrous burgundy and gold. Allegedly, Andy Reid told security to remove the shirt. Caveat emptor, bitches.

The league-leader in interceptions, Jay Cutler, promised to throw a lot of interceptions in 2010. I'm pretty sure that's a promise he'll be able to keep.