Could Sproles be coming to D.C.?

(Full Disclosure: As I explained more than a year ago in an NFL playoff picks article, Darren Sproles has been one of my favorite players since his days at Kansas State several years ago. I hoped the Redskins would draft Sproles in the 2005 NFL Draft, but that didn't happen. To see how much of a monster Sproles was in college, check out this video.)

According to PFT, the Redskins are interested in Darren Sproles. That's not exactly shocking news, since Daniel Snyder obviously likes to sign free agents to big contracts. And if Snyder really wants Sproles, he's going to sign him.

Most Redskins fans want Snyder to stop overpaying older players, but does Sproles qualify in this case? Probably not -- he turns 27 in June. And if there's no salary cap in the upcoming season, does it really matter how much Snyder pays anyone? It seems that the most important issue is whether Sproles would improve the Redskins or not. Let's take a look at some numbers.

First, kickoff returns:

Player	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
D. Sproles	54	1,300	24.1	66	0
R. Cartwright	39	868	22.3	42	0

In this case, Sproles has the better numbers over Rock Cartwright, the Redskins main kick returner in 2009-2010. However, in terms of kickoff return average, Sproles ranked 18th among qualified players.

Next, punt returns:

Player	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
D. Sproles	26	183	7.0	77	1
A. Randle El	17	102	6.0	43	0

Santana Moss also returned 11 punts for 52 yards, for what it's worth. Out of all qualified players, Sproles ranked 22nd in punt return average.

So what do these numbers mean? Well, they show that Sproles is a better returner than what the Redskins had last season -- and he posted those numbers while also receiving a career-high 93 carries (for 343 yards and three touchdowns) and catching a career-high 45 passes (for 497 yards -- an 11.0 average -- and four touchdowns). That increased workload may explain why Sproles's return numbers were down across the board from the previous season.

Since it seems like Clinton Portis will be back next season, Sproles wouldn't have to carry the full load in the backfield, which he probably wouldn't be able to handle for an entire season anyway because of his diminutive frame. The Redskins would be able to use Sproles on returns and almost exclusively on third downs since no other running back on the team comes close in pass-catching ability. Head coach Mike Shanahan also would surely be able to utilize Sproles's strengths in the running game with his zone blocking schemes.

Does it make more sense to draft a shifty running back (like C.J. Spiller) to handle returns and third down duties? Probably. But adding Sproles would help the Redskins in a few key areas and at least make them a little bit better going forward. It also gives Snyder a chance to spend more money.

Weekly Rundown: Sproles, Betts, Mickolio

Weekly Rundown is a combination of links and brief comments on stories and topics that I couldn't get to during the week. If there's something important that I missed, don't hesitate to send an email or leave a comment.

• Darren Sproles is exciting to watch in real life, but he's pretty entertaining in this NFL.com Fantasy Files video:
  
  
  
  Less Tomlinson, more Sproles. [Shutdown Corner]


• Your eyes may be deceiving you when it comes to arguing against UZR and other advanced fielding statistics. [FanGraphs]


• Brian Orakpo is playing well and impressing the coaching staff. [Redskins Insider]


• Danny Granger had to alter his Batcave plans a bit:
  

  
  Granger: [...] I wanted an underground tunnel entrance. I had to take that out. I found out there's so many state codes and laws against that (laughing) so we had to take that one out. But we still have the underground thing going on and I mean I've got cars and things that turn my cars and I even got sort of like a moat thing going on so it will be interesting to see.
  

  
  Why didn't Gilbert Arenas think of this idea first? [Ball Don't Lie]


• Mike Wise describes Phillip Daniels's determination to return after tearing his ACL last season. [Washington Post]


• Jim Rice doesn't think many of today's major leaguers are good role models for kids. [ESPN]


• Ladell Betts will probably be the main third-down running back this season, and I'm not so sure that's a good thing. [Redskins Insider]


• This just in: The Redskins defense should be pretty good. [ESPN]


• In just under 10 innings pitched this season, Kam Mickolio has been outstanding. [The Schmuck Stops Here]


• Although they've been doing a better job over the last few months, the O's need to play better defensively. [Camden Crazies]