NFL preview: Washington Redskins

Another offseason has come and gone, and the Redskins have again thrown money at the biggest fish in the free-agent sea to try and push themselves over the hump.

Projected finish: 10-6 (3rd in NFC East)

I think the addition of DT Albert Haynesworth will help the Redskins become very competitive in the NFC East. In fact, I'm picking them to finish with the same number of wins as division-winning Philadelphia and second place and wild-card winning New York. At the same time, I think the Redskins are the least equipped to win head-to-head games against their division rivals. Hence, I'm picking them to finish third in the three-horse race, and just outside of the playoffs.

I have mixed feelings on QB Jason Campell, who occasionally plays pretty well, but I think he's established by now that he's not good enough to win football games regularly for his team by himself. He'll probably engineer a very average passing game, as he has average starting receivers to throw to in Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. Beyond them, the depth chart is thin, as second-round pick Malcolm Kelly did next to nothing as a rookie. TE Chris Cooley is a top-shelf receiver, but I also think he's overrated and not quite in that Jason Witten - Antonio Gates - Tony Gonzalez class.

RB Clinton Portis ran for a fantastic 1,487 yards in 2008, but he's got to be nearing the end of his prime, if he hasn't reached it already. I do like the guys the accompany him at the RB positions, as Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright are decent backups and Mike Sellers is a nice fullback. An above-average line featuring Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas and Stephon Heyer should present Portis, Campbell and company with ample opportunity to make plays.

DE Andre Carter has had a very inconsistent career. Washington needs him to be good for a consistent outside pash rush, as the unspectacular Phillip Daniels is the likely veteran on the other side. Haynesworth should, of course, make life much easier for them and for his partner on the interior of the line, Cornelius Griffin. But the ends will have to play better than they have in years for this to be an elite line, even with Haynesworth on board.