Player Profile: Keenan McCardell, Wide Receiver, University of Nevada-Las Vegas Age: 38 (!) NFL Experience: 16 years (!) Contract Remaining: None; Unrestricted Free Agent McCardell's career credentials: 16 years of service, a two time pro bowler, 883 career receptions (8th all-time), 11373 yards (20th all-time), played for 5 different NFL teams. His career is winding down in the place where it started. He was a 12th round draft pick of the Washington Redskins back in 1991. His first catch as a Redskin came on October 7, 2007, only about sixteen and a half years (and with the same head coach) after the Redskins drafted him. McCardell caught 22 balls for the Redskins last year, not bad for a guy who spent the first month of the season out of football. He definately showed that has something left in the tank, averaging 11.4 yards a catch. McCardell only signed a one year deal, and is back on the open market again. With that said, not too many teams are looking for a 38 year old receiver to stabilize their WR corps. That criteria pretty much fits only the Redskins. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El are making the big bucks, and a winning team can only invest so much money at the receiver position and continue to have competency elsewhere. Many fans are clamoring for an upgrade at the WR position. The problem is that any receiver the Redskins bring in to start would take the playing time from Antwaan Randle El and his 4.5 million dollar 2008 cap number, just as the guy is coming off a career year. The only real upgrade the Redskins can make at receiver is to bring in a stud player along the lines of a Chad Johnson, or a Roy Williams. While players like this would certainly give the Redskins a go to target not named Cooley, they would both command high draft pick compensation, and money in excess of what Moss and Randle El are being payed. If the Redskins were going to chase one of the games elite receivers, they would have done it before they invested in Moss and Randle El. At this point, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. What if Randle El continues to improve, or if Moss returns to 2005 form? Then the Redskins have a case of too many weapons, and only one football. With issues still on both lines needing to be addressed, they would have too much money invested in non-issue positions. The best use of the 2008 season would to allow Moss to try to be the number one receiver for the first half of the season or so. If he can return to form, then the Redskins likely have a super bowl contender and a 6-2 start on their hands. If he continues to decline, the Redskins can slide him down to number 3 on the depth chart, and then worry about the receiver position in the 2009 offseason. In the mean time, the team should be focused on acquiring or re-signing a player, such as Keenan McCardell, who is capable of being a go-to possession guy on third down, but is comfortable starting (and potentially finishing) the season as the third receiver on a team who frequently plays their TE in the slot on 3WR sets. At 38, McCardell has a role cut out for him on this Skins. Should the Santana "experiment" go awry again this year, McCardell is capable of teaming up with Randle El to give Jason Campbell a dependable duo when teams take away Cooley. That is exactly what the Redskins need at this point. McCardell is probably better than a 50% chance to retire at this point, but I'm sure the Redskins can convince him to suit up and give it one more year. Considering the alternative options, and that McCardell is well-versed in the West Coast Offense from his days as a Buccaneer, McCardell still has a spot on this team, but only if he wants it.