Season Summary:
I always thought that the Redskins the past few seasons were a little underrated while being led by Kirk Cousins and a solid defense. Even now they doubt this team and expect them to be in the cellar of the NFC East. Granted they do not have the same type of defense as the Giants, an offensive line or run game like the Cowboys, or the upside of the Eagles led by Carson Wentz. However, I think they have probably the most consistent quarterback in the division with Kirk Cousins. I know he is not the most amazing quarterback talent wise compared to say a Wentz or as decorated as Eli, but he throws less picks than Manning and he is not a rookie coming into his sophomore year like Wentz or Prescott. I can see this team surprising a lot of people as long as Cousins plays at a high level. I do wonder if he decides to play just okay enough to get a new contract, but not good enough for the Redskins wanting to franchise tag him a third time. It's very obvious to everyone that the organization does not value him as well as they should and if I were him I would leave to go somewhere I would be more appreciated. Thankfully for the Redskins I think Kirk is a good guy who will always play hard and maybe another year over 4,000 yards and a push to possibly at least make the playoffs will make the Redskins realize they were lucky they drafted him the same year they traded up for RG3.
If you could not tell I actually believe that Kirk Cousins is one of the better quarterbacks in the league or at least appreciate him as a solid enough quarterback to lead a team to at least a Super Bowl berth with good pieces around him. I think the Redskins do not see it that way because they drafted him in the 4th round and he was supposed to be the back up to Robert Griffin who they traded up to get with the 2nd pick. If that's the way their bonehead owner Dan Snyder sees it then he will never be willing to give a quarterback he pictured as a back up the money he truly deserves. If they fail to retain Cousins than anyone who is a Redskins fan I think should choose a new team since they will never be anything more than a dysfunctional organization. People are worried that Cousins lost his top two options this off season with Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, but to me they are not that big of losses since both are north of 30 and in Garcon's case he just did not fit the scheme as well as he did under Kyle Shanahan. Meanwhile, Jackson is a one trick pony with his speed, but as he ages his speed will dissipate and then he will become just a slow, oft-injured receiver. I like their pick up of Terrell Pryor who is a more dynamic and younger version of Jackson in my opinion and if first rounder Josh Doctson can stay healthy he may take the place of Garcon on the outside. Plus, they still have Jamison Crowder one of the most underrated young receivers in the league. Of course, they still have Jordan Reed at tight end and if he can stay healthy he will be a constant safety valve for Cousins. He still plays behind a solid line anchored by Trent Williams at left tackle along with Shaun Lauvao and Brandon Scherff serving as two solid guards. The run game is a question mark where Robert Kelley is the penciled starter, but I can see rookie Samaje Perine eventually replacing the veteran.
Their defense is also a solid bunch with a good mix of savvy veterans and some young high upside options that can fill in around them. The weakest unit may be their defensive line where they will ask rookie first rounder Jonathan Allen to do a lot of the heavy lifting next to Stacy McGee and Joey Mbu. I do like some of the depth on the line with Terrell McClain, Ziggy Hood, and Matt Ionnadis being possible good rotational players. Their linebacking core is getting a jolt of energy with the pick up of Zach Brown in the middle who is a big upgrade over Mason Foster and the undersized Will Compton. I would like to see them get a little better down the line in middle, but like I said in previous articles inside linebackers will not make or break your defense. Instead, edge rushers are the life blood of a defense and the Redskins have a few nice pieces there. Veterans Preston Smith and Ryan Kerrigan can create a solid pass rush on their own, but the Redskins were smart to find a quality back up to come in when Kerrigan gets hurt again with rookie Ryan Anderson who should bring a high level of energy. Then their secondary is anchored by the wise pick up of Josh Norman who continues to look great along with Bashaud Breeland who looked better as the season went on and their back ups Kendall Fuller and rookie Fabian Moreau who can possibly develop into quality pieces. Their safety unit is another weak spot on the defense that needs work like their line with D.J. Swearinger and Su'a Cravens penciled in as starters. Neither of those two are that great in my opinion and more so Cravens who is a position less player.
In the end, I can see them being a competitive team all season long and now in the wake of the Ezekiel Elliot suspension they have a little easier path in the division. Judging who will win the divisional match ups in the NFC East is one of the tougher ones since I think all four will be very solid so I generally split both games between each of them. With match ups against the 49ers, Rams, Vikings, Saints, Chargers, Cardinals, Broncos, and a Raiders team traveling to them I can see them landing a pretty respectable record. Right now in my mocks I have them with a 7-9 record, but if they can beat some of the team's they are even with or take both games from either the Giants, Eagles, or Cowboys they can land a better record. In general, I do not see this team being a bottom feeder like many think and at the very least will just miss the playoffs.
Rookie Predictions:
1 (17) - Jonathan Allen DT - I know former GM Scott McCloughan and owner Dan Snyder probably had their differences, which is why the owner let out some scandals to fire his GM instead of just manning up and doing it before the whole pre-draft lead up. I doubt that would have worked since McCloughan was actually a really good talent evaluator and drafter. I am not sure who made this pick, but it was the correct pick to make for the Redskins. They were lucky Allen slid due to his injury risks, but his upside and talent is immense. He has great leadership qualities, and football intelligence to always be a valuable cog in the middle of their defense. I think the only mistake he made was going back to the grind at Alabama practices for his senior year, which is where he got hurt like many players before him. If he was smart he should have just been a first rounder the year prior. If he stays healthy, a lot of GMs may regret passing on him.
2 (17) - Ryan Anderson OLB - Someone loved the Alabama Pro-Day leading up to the draft. However, neither Anderson or Allen were terrible picks and both are possible starters on day one. I think Anderson was a poor man's version of his former teammate Tim Williams, but to me he has a little more versatility due to his motor and grit. He should be able to play on ever down as a run stopper and a second push pass rusher. I doubt he will ever turn into a dynamic sack artist, but he should be able to rotate in for the Redskins as they protect Ryan Kerrigan and his shoddy health.
3 (17) - Fabian Moreau CB - This pick to me is a bit similar to the Sydney Jones pick made by the Eagles the round prior. Moreau may not start right away thanks to being injured by doing yet again the same work out at his Pro Day that he did at the Combine, but he should be ready sooner than Jones and may play this season. He is an athletic specimen with a ton of speed and explosiveness. He has intelligence coming out of UCLA and should only get better as he works more on his technique and footwork instead of just relying on his athleticism. I can see him creating a nice three man corner unit with Norman and Breeland that will make this one of the more feared secondaries in the league.
4 (7) - Samaje Perine RB - Again, I have no idea if McCloughan was in charge of making the picks since he was only fired a few days after the draft, but if he was I think Dan Snyder should be fired because this is another terrific pick. Perine was getting over looked by Mixon due to his off field issues and more explosive play making skills, but Perine is no slouch either. He is a powerful back who can tote the rock 20 plus times a game with good speed down the field. I think he has a sleeper shot at winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award if coach Jay Gruden can get over his obsession of starting veterans over rookies like he plans to do with Robert Kelley over Perine.
4 (17) - Montae Nicholson S - Michigan St has fielded a great secondary over the years, but like Alabama defensive backs very few have really translated to the NFL. However, I liked Nicholson a lot coming into the draft and think this is another very nice value pick for the Redskins. He has a ton of length and athletic ability to patrol the back end of a defense. He should be able to battle for a starting spot in the safety unit with how injury prone and average they are. The only issue with Nicholson is his aggressiveness to over pursue or when he does the opposite and plays too soft. If he can find the balance he should turn into a quality defender.
5 (10) - Jeremy Sprinkle TE - This is a pick that I actually did not like by the Redskins. To me Sprinkle is a bonehead player who has had a ton of off field problems and has clashed with coaches, even ones during the Senior Bowl. He does have nice all around ability pass catching and blocking, but I worry he will never actually put the work in. There were other tight ends on the board like Eric Saubert, Bucky Hodges, Cole Hikutini, Blake Jarwin, and others who could have been better picks. However, it is a 5th round selections so if he does bust then it's no big deal.
6 (15) - Chase Roullier C - The Redskins biggest weakness on the line has been the center spot for the past few seasons. They even attempted to get Bryan Stork from the Patriots last year during training camp, but he ended up failing the medical exam. So, obviously they would look to fix the issue this off season and unfortunately, this is a poor draft for blockers. He has versatility to move at guard also so this is a nice depth option and a possible quality starter down the road.
6 (25) - Robert Davis WR - Nice depth option at receiver after they lost two starters in Garcon and Jackson. Plus, the health of Josh Doctson has to worry the team and cause them to find at least one or two quality depth options to groom in case of emergency. Davis is a raw and explosive athlete who may break into a starting role down the line if they fail to retain Pryor on his one year deal or give up on Docston.
7 (12) - Josh Harvey-Clemons S - A thumper who seemed to be gaining traction leading up to the draft, but ended up falling to the 7th round. For the Redskins this is a great value pick and gives them an opportunity to harness the former NC State stud's athletic upside. He is very raw and has an odd tweener size so he may eventually move into a small linebacker role to match up against tight ends. If not he at the very least will be a terrific special teamer with his size and speed.
7 (17) - Josh Holsey CB - If he had a better health history I bet he would have been more highly regarded after being a four year starter at Auburn playing against quality athletes in the SEC. He has good versatility to be a quality depth option at both corner and safety. Not a bad pick here to end up with a potential starter down the road if he plays as well as he can and stay healthy.
2018 Off Season:
Like I said above, if the Redskins continue to mess around with Kirk Cousins I do not blame him if he runs away from this organization his first opportunity he can. They very clearly do not value him as a quality quarterback, which many teams would love to have and if he is a free agent he will not have a shortage of suitors trying to bring him. I do think Cousins is a classy guy so if he does get the contract he wants from the Redskins I can see him resigning, but I think that's a bad move. It just gives organizations more opportunities to string along players and abuse their lack of leverage with franchise tags. Cousins should stick it to the team and put others on notice who just keep trapping young players with franchise tags by moving on to another organization. If they do keep them they need to find a GM to continue the good work McCloughan has done by drafting quality players across the roster. Their defense still needs work on the line and at the safety unit. Plus, the line could use some better options. Overall, this team will be in a good spot for the future that is of course if they keep Cousins.
My 2018 Mock Selections:
1 (13) - Calvin Ridley WR Alabama
2 (12) - Billy Price OG/C Ohio St
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