Wondering about a player's status? Trying to recall a past game? Want some insight on the Redskins? Redskins.com's Gary Fitzgerald opens up the mailbag on Tuesday and answers fan questions.

Got a question? Email **webmaster@redskins.com*.*

Question: Gary, let's say the Redskins decide to draft a quarterback at No. 4 and both Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen are available. Who do the Redskins pick?

-- Patrick F.

Gary: Bradford is widely considered the top quarterback in the draft, ahead of Clausen. He has a strong, accurate arm and good field vision. He threw for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a sophomore but was sidelined most of last season with a shoulder injury. Bradford played in a spread offense at Oklahoma, so there is going to be a transition phase in terms of technique and decision-making as he adjusts to a pro-style offense.

Meantime, Clausen played in a pro offense for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, so he may be more NFL ready than Bradford. Clausen threw for 3,722 yards, 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions last year. Scouts say Clausen lacks a big-time arm, but that could make him a good fit for a West Coast offense, a system that relies more on short and intermediate passes--and a system that Kyle Shanahan expects to run in Washington.

So who is the better prospect? My estimation: when in doubt, go with the strong-armed quarterback.

Question: Do you think the Redskins will trade down in the draft? We have a good quarterback in Jason Campbell and I believe Mike Shanahan is smart enough to realize that. I know the 49ers are desperately in need of a franchise quarterback and they have the 13th and 17th pick in the draft. They might be interested in trading up to get Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen with the fourth pick.

-- Andrew S.

Gary: If Bradford and left tackle Russell Okung are both off the draft board when the Redskins pick at No. 4, then I believe the Redskins will explore trading down. Multiple teams should have interest in trading up for one of the two elite defensive tackles, Gerald McCoy or Ndamukong Suh, in the draft. San Francisco would appear to be a good target as a trade partner with the Redskins, whether they want a quarterback or not. However, I'm not sure the 49ers would be willing to yield both of their first-round picks. How about one of their two first-round picks and their second-rounder, at No. 49 overall?

Question: With the Eagles releasing Shawn Andrews, will the Redskins try to sign him? He would be a great addition to our offensive line. When he's on point, he's one of the best in the NFL at guard. With Mike Shanahan in his ear, he could be non-controversial.

-- Josh P.

Gary: Andrews' departure from Philadelphia certainly raised eyebrows in Washington, at least among fans starved for offensive line help. A two-time Pro Bowl right guard in a West Coast offense, he could slide right in on the Redskins' offensive line and be an impact player. I have no inside knowledge of the Redskins' thoughts on Andrews, but there are a lot of questions to be answered about him. Is his surgically repaired back healthy? Will his offbeat personality fit into the Redskins' locker room and mesh with the serious-minded Shanahan? Does he even want to play football? Given that Andrews is still rehabbing, there is no rush to evaluate him. But his status is certainly worth keeping an eye on as the offseason progresses.

Question: What is it that makes Todd Yoder expendable, but is brought to the table by Sean Ryan? Yoder had three touchdowns catches for the Redskins last year. My impression is that he is a good blocker, but that he can also get open. On the other hand, Ryan is 30 and is apparently pretty much limited to being a blocking tight end, with only two TD catches in his career.

-- Bill M.

Gary:At tight end, the Redskins have two solid pass-catchers in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis and they're going to get the bulk of playing time. So the team needs a third tight end to be a dominant blocker. That's Ryan's forte. He is a little bigger in size and he could see significant playing time in short yardage and goal line packages. Yoder is a solid blocker as well--I'm not knocking him at all. But he is two years older than Ryan and has played three more NFL seasons. Yoder, by the way, is an unrestricted free agent. He was not re-signed by the Redskins.

Question: Hey Gary, is there any chance that we take Ndamukong Suh if he falls to us at No. 4 in the draft?

-- Kimberly D.

Gary: Sure there's a chance the Redskins will draft Suh or Gerald McCoy at No. 4. With the release of Cornelius Griffin, the Redskins could use another interior defensive lineman and Suh or McCoy could help solidify the inside of the Redskins' defensive line for years to come. I don't see it happening, though. The Redskins have too many other needs, particularly on offense, to take Suh or McCoy at No. 4.

Question: How would you rate the Redskins' overall team speed as opposed to other teams in the NFL?

-- Rita B.

Gary: Elite speed is something I believe the Redskins have lacked for several years. Other teams have emphasized speed with the drafting of running back Chris Johnson in Tennessee, wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin in Philadelphia, cornerback Mike Jenkins in Dallas and kick returner Josh Cribbs in Cleveland. The Redskins may also have to look to the draft to upgrade team speed. In-house, Phillip Buchanon still has good speed at age 29 and he could help in the secondary and on punt returns. Running back Anthony Alridge, another speedster, is hoping to make an impact.