THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 5, 1995 TAG: 9512050407
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: IRVING, TEXAS LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
The Washington Redskins' initial list of free-agent targets they will pursue this offseason is, as expected, top-heavy with defensive linemen.
Tackle Russell Maryland of the Dallas Cowboys and ends Robert Porcher of the Detroit Lions and Leslie O'Neal of the San Diego Chargers top the list, which also includes Chuck Smith of Atlanta and Marco Coleman of Miami. Washington hopes to add at least two starters on its defensive front.
With offensive tackle Jim Lachey's future uncertain after a third consecutive injury-stifled season, the Redskins also list Buffalo tackle John Fina and Atlanta's Bob Whitfield among their priorities to flesh out the offensive line and enable Joe Patton to move from tackle back to guard.
Tackles Jumbo Elliott of the New York Giants and Dan Diego's Harry Swayne appear on their list.
In addition, there are several defensive linemen on the team's early draft list.
Washington, with one of the league's worst records at 4-9 despite its 24-17 victory over Dallas Sunday, could still have one of the top five picks in the '96 draft.
Defensive tackle Cedric Jones of Oklahoma State, and ends Darryl Gardener of Baylor and Marcus Jones of North Carolina are high on the team's early list.
So is Ohio State running back Eddie George and 6-8, 310-pound UCLA offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, a Washington native some say may be the draft's best player.
With many areas of need, the Redskins will look hard at dealing the pick in exchange for a couple of mid-first-round choices. Tampa Bay has two fist-round picks, the second from Indianapolis via the Craig Erickson trade.
There's talk that if that can be done, the Redskins might use one of those picks on a wide receiver to pair with '95 first-round pick Michael Westbrook.
Southern California's Keyshawn Johnson and Ohio State junior Terry Glenn (if he comes out) are considered the top wideouts. Syracuse's Marvin Harrison and Eric Moulds of Mississippi State are likely high selections.
Five key Redskins enter some form of free agency after this season - offensive tackle Ed Simmons and guard Ray Brown, running back Terry Allen, receiver Henry Ellard and defensive end Sterling Palmer. The Redskins have the right to match any offer made to Allen and Palmer.
Simmons and Brown, who have started every game this season and have been the team's most consistent linemen, are top priorities. So is Ellard, who turns 35 this summer.
RUN TERRY, RUN: Allen's 13-yard run in the third quarter, a key play in the Redskins' drive that earned them a 14-10 lead, pushed the former Minnesota Viking over 1,000 yards this season. Just the seventh Redskin to break 1,000 yards, Allen has 1,021, sixth-highest total after 13 games.
Allen, who finished Sunday's game with 98 yards and two touchdowns, took his achievement in stride.
``It's not like I haven't done it before,'' he said, recalling two previous 1,000-yard seasons with the Vikings. ``If a back plays 16 weeks and doesn't get 1,000 yards, he's out of position.''
The team's single-season rushing record is 1,347 by John Riggins in 1983. Allen needs to average 109 yards his last three games to break that mark.
TURK AND POUNDS: Matt Turk's punting played a major role in the victory. Turk, a rookie, averaged 45.5 yards on six punts, half of which were downed or fair-caught inside the Dallas 20. Cowboy Kevin Williams returned just one, for zero yards. That's because rookie Darryl Pounds literally ran him over with a resounding tackle the instant he touched a 52-yard Turk punt on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
``He's a guy playing his fourth game,'' coach Norv Turner said. ``He's what I'm talking about when I say we're getting better. He can run and he's going to be a terrific defensive back. He's already a terrific special-teams player.''
Pounds, the team's third-round pick, missed all of training camp with back problems.
THIS N' THAT: Deion Sanders' impact was non-existent Sunday, though he was credited with two tackles. The Neon One played no offense, returning one kickoff 15 yards. ... Emmitt Smith's touchdown gave him 22 this season, two shy of Riggins' league single-season mark set in 1983. ... Michael Irvin's 101-yard receiving performance gave him an NFL-record 11 this season, breaking the record set by Charley Hennigan (Oilers, '61). ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler scrambles away from Dallas
defender Larry Brown for a seven-yard gain during Sunday's game in
Dallas which the Redskins won, 24-17.
by CNB