Redskins' Specialists Are Off Cutting Board

Even the most seasoned place kickers and punters spend August with one eye on the ball and the other on their competition. Job security is iffy at best for these specialists, with many NFL teams considering training camp to be an open tryout for those positions.

But in Washington, incumbent Redskins place kicker Shaun Suisham and punter Derrick Frost are enjoying a rare luxury: training camp without a backup on the roster.

Neither would consider himself fully established, and both have vivid recent memories of being cut and traveling from city to city for a workout in hope of a contract. Yet the Redskins do not have another player at either of their spots after cutting place kicker Tyler Fredrickson this week because of a roster crunch at tight end and fullback.

New contenders could emerge in camp and during the season should either struggle. But for now Suisham and Frost can savor a respite from at least having to stare their potential replacement in the face on the practice field.

The Redskins are one of three teams with one punter and kicker on the roster, while 13 of 32 NFL teams have a total of four specialists in camp. For many Redskins fans, tired of years of ineffectiveness and instability at these positions, the situation is hardly ideal. But with the team incurring injuries and looking to stock up on depth at cornerback and offensive line, it's a necessary reality for now.

"I didn't like [cutting Fredrickson] earlier in the week, because that puts us in a little bit of a bind," Coach Joe Gibbs said yesterday. "I think what happens there is we got kind of critically short, and then what happens is you get short at just one spot, and it costs you all your practice because you can't stay out there if you're not getting work. And lots of times you're deep at other areas and need work, and you can't. So we had pressure at fullback, and we had tight end pressure, so we decided to make that move, and we didn't like doing that."

The Redskins seek to go back to the playoffs after a 5-11 season, and Gibbs repeatedly has addressed the players about the slim margin between success and failure. Close games are the norm in the NFL, and Washington has for the most part been competitive in its games under Gibbs, often keeping the score close until the late going.

When informed of the current number of place kickers and punters in Redskins camp, one NFL personnel executive said: "Wow, that's it? I think that kicker has a chance to be good, but I'd worry about the punter."

The executive was quick to point out there is a preponderance of luck involved in finding a quality young specialist -- conceding his team's current kicker was a last-minute addition to an emergency tryout list and at training camp somewhat as a favor to his agent. But he added to get lucky, "You need to give yourself a chance" by having more competition on hand.

When asked if it was safe to assume special teams coach Danny Smith felt good about the two kickers in camp, Gibbs began to chuckle and quipped: "Obviously it must be pretty good, because we're down to two. So I hope he feels good about them. I'm going to kill him if he doesn't."

Smith conceded that in a perfect world there would be more place kickers and punters in camp but said he understood the need for additional players at other positions considering the injury situation.

Meantime, Frost and Suisham spend a good deal of practice as spectators, with no one else to share repetitions, and the coaches are careful not to have them take up all the slack, overextend and risk injury.

Last season the Redskins played five games decided by three points or fewer, and won one of them. Ten of their games were decided by six points or fewer, and they won four of those. Sixteen of Washington's 48 games under Gibbs have been settled by three points or fewer; Washington has won six of those games and lost 10.

The Redskins have yet to get through a season with one place kicker since Gibbs returned to coach the team -- largely because of a surprising loyalty to oft-injured kicker John Hall. Last season Hall and journeyman Nick Novak failed to produce before Suisham was signed in late November and connected on 8 of 9 field goals and all seven kicks shorter than 50 yards.

Suisham, 25, felt bad to see Fredrickson cut so soon, particularly when it was due more to injuries at other positions than performance. But he relishes the chance to carry the entire load.

"From a selfish standpoint, outside of Tyler as a person, it's great," Suisham said of being the only place kicker in camp. "I want all the kicks. I don't want anyone else taking the kicks. I don't want anyone else taking the reps. I want everything. I know it's a selfish thing, but I like being the guy, and I want to continue being the guy, and I don't want to give it to anyone else. I kind of like what I'm doing right now."

Frost, 26, started slowly last season and reached a point at which his career was in the balance, as the Redskins rushed in free agent punters to compete with him. That punt-off brought out the best in him, and he was much more consistent in the second half after adjusting his technique -- altering the angle in which he dropped the ball to his foot, keeping his head down longer and concentrating on getting a full extension.

"They want to get me started a little sooner this year than last year," Frost said. "Last year I started slow, and I think they're looking to get me going quicker. I can't control what they're going to do [with the roster]. I'm just trying to make myself better. If you're always worried about everybody else, then you're not going to get any better."