Tonight gives us all our first opportunity to look at the new and (hopefully) improved 2010 Washington Redskins. Most people are quick to disregard the importance of preseason, and it's certainly obvious that not a lot of tonight's action will really matter in the grand scheme of things, but there are some things to keep an eye on this evening. Here's what I'll be watching for when the Skins take to FedEx Field for the first time in eight months:

Donovan's Debut

McNabb is only expected to see between 15-18 snaps tonight, but as a fan, I want to see how crisp his passes are during live action. A lot of people have commented that Donovan hasn't been particularly sharp in camp, and it will be interesting if that carries over tonight. Most Redskins fans expect a lot out of our former nemesis, and if he struggles during preseason, don't be surprised to see people panic. Hopefully he'll come out, make a quick and efficient appearance, then trot off to don a baseball cap for the rest of the night. However, his success will largely depend on...

The Receiving Corps

Will Roydell Williams impress everyone after two years out of football? Will Joey Galloway turn to dust? How will Devin Thomas respond to his third-string status on the depth chart? Who the hell is Anthony Armstrong? This group has far more questions than answers right now, and McNabb could be doomed to failure as a result. It will be interesting to see if anyone can step up. It could be...

The Tight Ends

How will fan-favorite Chris Cooley and Fred Davis co-exist in the offense? Keep an eye on how often Shanahan sends out two tight ends tonight. Many people have speculated that Cooley and Davis shouldn't be competing for playing time, but taking the field together. If Shanny can make it work, he adds two quality weapons to an otherwise stagnant offense.

The 3-4 Defense

I'm interested to see how the defense will suit the strengths of some guys on the Redskins' defense, including Brian Orakpo and LaRon Landry. I'll be paying attention to how often the team blitzes, and how close the safeties play to the line of scrimmage in particular.

The Alexander/Carter Battle

A lot has been made of the battle at outside linebacker between former defensive end Andre Carter and former jack-of-all-trades Lorenzo Alexander. Alexander shed a lot of weight in the offseason to adjust to the position, and he's already listed right behind Carter on the depth chart. Coaches have complimented his motor and his work ethic throughout the summer, but it might not matter against a character guy like Carter who's working hard to adjust to the new coaching staff at Redskin Park. Carter struggled in the 3-4 as a linebacker for the 49ers, but he's been a willing contributor throughout summer workouts and should be able to make an impact at the position.

With a little added bulk, Jeremy Jarmon hopes to compete for playing time at DE this season.

Mike Shanahan addressed the status of defensive end Jeremy Jarmon today as the second-year pro prepares to return from a knee injury that cut short his rookie campaign last season.

"Well Jeremy Jarmon, the reason why he is staying at the defensive end position [is] we thought we needed more depth there," said Shanahan at his daily press conference. "He went up to 295 pounds, so he gained a few pounds and he's been playing well especially now playing that position a little bit. It's nice to get him back; he's healthy. I think it's always different when you've been out for a while to put pads on and actually get started, but it's been very positive and I think he'll just keep on getting better."

Jarmon was taken by Washington last season in the third round of the supplemental draft out of Kentucky. He played in 11 games, starting one before his season ended after he tore his ACL in a week 12 loss to the Eagles.

Being drafted in July left Jarmon facing a steep learning curve. He still managed to show flashes of potential in a week four win over Tampa Bay in which he stripped Buccaneer RB Clifton Smith late in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory.

After rehabbing his way back into playing shape over the offseason, Jarmon has packed on about 20 pounds of muscle so he can withstand the beating of playing defensive end in a 3-4 defense.

Initially, there was speculation that Jarmon would be moving to outside linebacker along with Chris Wilson, Andre Carter, and Lorenzo Alexander, but Jarmon possesses more of a defensive end build, and the added weight will make him a valuable member of the rotation of DE's this season.

This afternoon, the Redskins acquired former Dolphins' second-round draft pick John Beck from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for free agent signee Doug Dutch. This trade means the end of the Colt Brennan era in D.C., as well as the end of the circus that always seemed to surround him. In an attempt to make Beck sound more interesting as the new third-string quarterback, we've pulled these facts* off of the internets for you to peruse:

• Beck didn't start his college playing career until he was 22 because of a mission trip to Portugal (he's Mormon, and a BYU alum).
• He speaks fluent Portuguese as a result of that three-year mission.
• He is an Eagle Scout.
• Beck was drafted in 2007, played in five games for the 1-15 Dolphins and was benched in favor of better options like Chad Pennington, Cleo Lemon and Chad Henne.
• Among his greatest professional accomplishments, he beat out Josh McCown for the Dolphins' third-string job in 2008.
  
• In the five games he saw the field for Miami, he managed to fumble the ball seven times and lose five of those. He was sacked ten times, threw three interceptions and only one touchdown.

*facts based upon Wikipedia and other unverified, illegitimate sources.

If you aren't convinced that Beck is a stellar prospect just yet, enjoy this little clip from a 2007 game against Buffalo:

The backup quarterback is traditionally a popular figure in Washington, but now-former benchwarmer Colt Brennan was especially beloved by many fans for his gunslinger mentality and candid personality. However, the Brennan era is now over and after Brennan was cut today, the Cult of Colt will ride off into the sunset. Brennan was the figurehead of an underground movement of 'Skins fans looking for a rowdy, frat-boy gunslinger they could relate to. Brennan fit that prototype and his fans ate it all up. We would see ridiculous blog post and threads proclaiming Colt the next big thing at the quarterback position. Brennan played with reckless abandon; he was a gunslinger with no conscience.

As time wore on and Jason Campbell began to lose his luster, other fans grew to love Brennan because he was an alternative to a QB they felt was not effective. Campbell was a model citizen during his stint with the Redskins, but he lacked charisma and flair; something Brennan possessed. Many turned on Campbell as he struggled through several disappointing seasons, clamoring  for Brennan to start.

Fight For Old D.C. would like to welcome it's newest team member, Jack Anderson into the fold. Jack is an aspiring journalist in the D.C. Area, and he's worked hard to develop his Redskins Blog "SkinsTalk." He also recently started the "Kings of Leonsis" Caps Blog and is earning a great reputation among the D.C. blogging community. We're certainly happy to have him help cover the Redskins this season!

I was unable to attend camp today so here's some camp notes from the Examiner's John Keim.

Something I've wondered about is Andre Carter and how much he will factor into the new 3-4 at outside linebacker. He can rush the passer as well as anyone on the team, but I have been worried about his issues in coverage.

The Redskins have Lorenzo Alexander taking the majority of the first team reps at OLB, but Carter did take some reps with the first team yesterday. Keim told me that Carter is "getting a little more action," with the first team today, and that he had one good play in coverage against Fred Davis.

You won't find a nicer, more positive guy on the team than Carter so it's tough to gauge how he's actually handling the transition, but outwardly he has been upbeat and positive so far. He is coming off a torn bicep, which limited him over the offseason, but he looks to be in tip-top shape now.

Fight For Old D.C. would like to welcome it's newest team member, Jack Anderson into the fold. Jack is an aspiring journalist in the D.C. Area, and he's worked hard to develop his Redskins Blog "SkinsTalk." He also recently started the "Kings of Leonsis" Caps Blog and is earning a great reputation among the D.C. blogging community. We're certainly happy to have him help cover the Redskins this season!

I have long opposed the idea of the Redskins mortgaging away the future in a last ditch effort to fill a need in training camp. This approach failed miserably with Jason Taylor when the 'Skins gave up a pair of draft picks to acquire Taylor in training camp in 2008.

Not only does adding new blood this late potentially destroy the atmosphere in the locker room, but it also can destroy the future if it involves sacrificing draft picks. Some teams horde picks as if a 10-century shortage of college players is soon to come. The Redskins are not one of those teams. Even in this new regime they have given up picks for Donovan McNabb and Jammal Brown.

So the Redskins' reported interest in San Diego WR Vincent Jackson is not surprising even though they will likely have to give up next year's first round pick in the deal. The Redskins do need receivers, and Jackson is the premiere name floating around the NFL. The Chargers are "opposed" to trading Jackson according to Jason La Canfora, but the Redskins are a team who would be interested in acquiring Jackson.

Jackson is coming off back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons, and possesses impressive physical characteristics that make him highly coveted. He stands at 6-5, 230, and is an athletic, fast guy. He refused to sign his one-year restricted free-agent tender this offseason and has threatened to sit out the season.

Washington has 11 receivers on the roster already but the group doesn't really have a number one receiver. Santana Moss is a capable number two, but he doesn't really have the size to consistently beat double teams. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have yet to assert themselves while the rest of the group consists of guys who just aren't talented enough to be starters in the NFL at this point in their careers.

Jackson would be an instant upgrade, which is why he's so tempting, but let's be honest: the Redskins can't afford to give up a first rounder for a receiver. And there's no way around it; San Diego expects at least one first round pick in this deal. It's a tempting move for the Redskins, but next season there will be needs to address and Mike Shanahan is already a third and a fourth round pick in the hole. So why compromise the long-term plan to bring in a temperamental player on such short notice?

The Redskins have been plagued for years by the lack of depth at receiver so adding Jackson could remedy that situation, yet there remains the fact that his addition could create problems as well as solve them. Jackson's attitude in regards to sitting out the season if the Chargers don't offer him a long-term deal is certainly a red-flag in my mind, and of course you don't want to disrupt what appears to be a happy locker room at Redskins Park.

Let us know what you think about a possible trade in the comments below and stay tuned for what could turn into the biggest splash of the summer. Somehow I wouldn't rule it out.

Image Courtesy of the Dallas Morning News

Fight For Old D.C. would like to welcome it's newest team member, Jack Anderson into the fold. Jack is an aspiring journalist in the D.C. Area, and he's worked hard to develop his Redskins Blog "SkinsTalk." He also recently started the "Kings of Leonsis" Caps Blog and is earning a great reputation among the D.C. blogging community. We're certainly happy to have him help cover the Redskins this season!

1. Donovan McNabb

It's a no-brainer. The buzz is going to to revolve around two players: McNabb and Albert Haynesworth. It's that way for a reason. McNabb is the biggest thing to hit the Redskins in forever while Haynesworth has been the story all offseason.

Obviously, McNabb will need protection to be productive, but the ultimate question is how much he'll help the WRs improve.

No offense to Jason Campbell, but he just couldn't take charge and make his receivers better. McNabb can do that. I'm interested to watch his interactions with them and see how much guys like Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas can improve under him.

Going into camp tomorrow, the Washington Redskins have two loose ends to tie off before they will have a complete 82 man roster.

First round pick Trent Williams, the tackle from Oklahoma, has yet to sign a deal. He fired his agent a few weeks ago, but expressed desire to make it to camp on time. Williams would be wise to get everything shored away as he needs to prepare for early-season showdowns with DeMarcus Ware, Trent Cole and Dwight Freeney. According to coaches, Williams has already made significant progress in the offseason workouts and mini-camps, but too keep the ball rolling, he will need to sign quickly. It is imperative that Williams miss no more than a day or two of camp. Unfortunately, only two other first round picks have signed, and neither were drafted close to the number four slot where Williams was taken. No comparables means both sides have nothing to set their price at, so it might hold up the signing process even more.

Meanwhile CB Carlos Rogers has yet to sign his tender offer. However, 106.7 the Fan's new Redskins beat reporter Grant Paulsen announced via Twitter that Roger was expected to "sign tender and practice tomorrow." The Redskins need Rogers to show up on time. Rogers will benefit from a more aggressive scheme that will allow him to play tight man-to-man coverage, which is better suited to Rogers' skill set. Rogers did fall victim to the double move last season, but Jim Haslett has re-energized the defense and will make sure Rogers will consistently play at the line of scrimmage rather than giving opposing receivers 10 yards of cushion downfield.

Rogers has a one-year, $1.543 million offer on the table. He had been testing the free agent market, but it appears that rejoining the Redskins will be his best option. He reconciled any difference with the team earlier this offseason during a meeting with Mike Shanahan.

Image Courtesy of Mister Irrelevant

Fight For Old D.C. would like to welcome it's newest team member, Jack Anderson into the fold. Jack is an aspiring journalist in the D.C. Area, and he's worked hard to develop his Redskins Blog "SkinsTalk." He also recently started the "Kings of Leonsis" Caps Blog and is earning a great reputation among the D.C. blogging community. We're certainly happy to have him help cover the Redskins this season! Enjoy his newest series, "The Hot Seat."

The word 'disappointment' has been tossed around numerous draft picks from the Washington Redskins over the years. Former Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly has yet to distance himself from that label. When the Redskins drafted Kelly in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft, they envisioned him as a top flight red zone target and possession receiver who could finally complement Santana Moss. After all, Kelly has a Randy Moss-like frame, which goes along nicely with his soft hands. However, things have yet to click for Kelly now entering his third year as a professional. Kelly has struggled through a pair of seasons with a bad knee and poor technique. He admitted that his route running in 2009 was under par, and he never displayed the speed or strength necessary to create separation from defenders.