Redskins pad the O-line

The Washington Redskins announced the addition of two offensive linemen to the practice squad. Calvin Armstrong, 6-7, 320 pounds, tried out for the team in training camp, but was released. Kevin Sampson, 6-4, 312 pounds, was a seventh-round draft choice out of Syracuse by Kansas City in 2004. He has been hobbled by injuries, but did play in 16 games with the Chiefs. Released by Kansas City at the start of the season, Sampson spent two weeks on the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. To make room, the team released fullback Brian Bell and lineman Kili Lefotu from the practice squad. Lefotu was assigned by the Redskins to NFL Europa last summer. He was involved in an altercation over the weekend, resulting in his arrest.   The roster changes are prompted by injuries suffered by offensive linemen during the Packers game. Right tackle Todd Wade, who is replacing starting right tackle Jon Jansen, and center Casey Rabach both suffered groin pulls. Rookie right tackle Stephon Heyer, who stepped in for Wade, suffered a hamstring injury. Their playing status for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals is uncertain. All On The Line Much is made of Joe Gibbs winning three Super Bowls with three different quartbacks, three different tail backs and three different kickers, but he always had the Hogs, arguably the greatest offensive line unit in football. [And as much an injustice that no Hog graces the Hall of Fame as is the insult to Art Monk.]    The line that began the season was an experienced group considered a strength of the offense. Now, in a worst case scenario, left tackle Chris Samuels could be the only starter from last season to face the Cardinals Sunday. Samuels missed the entire preseason with a knee injury. Jon Jansen went down in the first game with a broken and dislocated ankle, to be followed the next week by right guard Randy Thomas. They were replaced by back-ups Todd Wade and Jason Fabini. The Redskins traded a draft pick to the New York Jets for Pete Kendall when they were unable to find a suitable replacement for left guard Derrick Dockery who defected to Buffalo for a boatload of cash. The Skins could move Fabini to right tackle, where he played most of his career and insert Mike Pucillo to guard. That could be confounded if Rabach is not available to play Sunday. Pucillo is a utility player who is the back-up center/guard and the “tackle eligible” blocker in the “jumbo” packages. The coaches see great value in that role, which is the in-part reason that they were reluctant to use Pucillo at left guard. The offensive line is 51 percent of the success or failure of every play [my opinion], so this is a deep concern. Watching how coaches and teams cope with injuries is part of the drama of sports.      Grimm News Speaking of Hogs, Russ Grimm [what a great name for a lineman!] returns to Washington as the assistant head coach, offensive line, for the Arizona Cardinals. Lately, when ex-Redskins come back to FedEx, they’ve come with a lot of Cosmic forces seeking to right injustices suffered at the hands of the owner. It worked for Norv Turner and the Raiders and for Marty Schottenheimer and the Chargers. If the Redskins played Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks, the college kids might steal a win. Adam Archuleta has a November date at FedEx and that worries me. Russ Grimm left for happy reasons before Daniel Snyder’s arrival, so there should be no paranormal curse of the ex-Redskin for the Cardinals game.   Like Monk, Grimm was snubbed by the Hall of Fame voters in 2005, ’06 and ’07. Grimm is my personal favorite candidate to be the next Redskins head coach. Daniel Snyder’s pattern has been to tap the biggest named former head coach. Until I seem something otherwise, I expect that to continue.