Every Redskins player counts

An instant before the snap, Mike Sellers couldn’t help but laugh at the role reversal.

For one play against the Detroit Lions last week, the Washington Redskins’ backfield featured Sellers — 6-foot-3, 284 pounds — as the tailback and Clinton Portis — 5-foot-11, 223 pounds — as the fullback in motion.

“I played tailback in Canada, but it was weird doing it in the NFL because there was little Clinton Portis in front of me and when he motioned out, I started cracking up because I didn’t realize how small he was,” Sellers said.

During the Redskins’ 3-1 start, players performing at positions not listed in the program have become common and important. Combine play callers (Al Saunders on offense, Gregg Williams on defense) who always draw up new plays with a versatile 53-man roster and the results have been interesting:

• Linebacker Marcus Washington playing rush end.

• Tight end Todd Yoder playing fullback.

c Guard/center Mike Pucillo playing tight end.

• Defensive end Phillip Daniels playing defensive tackle.

• Tight end Chris Cooley playing receiver.

• Running back Portis taking the direct snap from the shotgun.

Since 1991, only 45 of a team’s 53 players are eligible to play on game day. Granted, it’s not like the last season of the AFL (40 players) or the late 1950s in the NFL when the roster size fluctuated between 32 and 36. But in this era of specialization, being multifaceted can keep a player in the league.

“It’s important to be versatile,” said reserve linebacker/special teams ace Khary Campbell, who has started only 11 of 55 career games. “When the coaches and front office are building a roster in training camp, they want guys who can do multiple things just in case something happens and they get into a bind or because they want to dress only a certain amount of players at a position. If they could dress 53 players, they could play a guy who was a specialist at just one thing, like first-down run-stopper. But with 46 players, that guy may sit.”

Sellers is the most high-profile example of how playing multiple roles equals playing time.

In 2004, he had only one carry and no catches. But since the start of the 2005 season, Sellers has rushed 24 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns and caught 36 passes for 226 yards and nine scores.

“I like to be a factor in the game somewhere,” he said. “I’m 32 — people usually start to leave the league at that age. I’m just getting started. I feel good. I feel fresh. I know I can catch the ball and run routes.”

With Sellers taking most of the snaps at fullback, it has created an opportunity for Pucillo to play the third tight end in the Redskins’ “Jumbo” packages. In recent weeks, he has entered the game on non-short yardage situations and pass protected.

Pucillo said it was originally a “shock” to play tight end after being so close to the football for so his entire career.

“I’m a lot more comfortable this year because I know what to expect,” he said. “They’ve slowly put me in the game more often on first and second downs this year. Al [Saunders] wants to mix things up so I always have to be ready.”

Defensively, the Redskins have developed a new wrinkle on passing downs, moving Washington from linebacker to rush end and sliding Daniels inside to tackle. Williams’ goal is to find players who can play multiple roles, be it Washington sliding to end in passing situations or a safety covering the slot receiver.

“Since we’ve been here, we’ve tried to get those kinds of players so we can adapt from week to week, season to season,” Williams said. “We’re pretty versatile right now. We can change our game plan from week to week, and we’ve done that each game so far this year. The versatility and intelligence of our players allows us to do that.”

On special teams, Cartwright and Khary Campbell developed their niche early in Joe Gibbs’ first season back with the team in 2004. Against the Detroit Lions, Cartwright and Campbell played all four coverage/return units. They’ve combined for 19 special teams tackles this year.

Cartwright is the Redskins’ third-string running back so only injuries will get him on the field offensively. But the former seventh-round pick is in his sixth season.

“I didn’t play any special teams in high school or college except for returning a couple kicks,” he said. “But when I got here, I knew as a seventh-round pick that special teams would be my way to make the roster so I tried to get good at it.”

Cartwright and his fellow resourceful reserves have a universal motto.

“Do everything they ask,” he said. “Guys who can do more than just offense or defense are kept around.”