Although since-fired team president Bruce Allen took most of the heat for the Redskins’ personnel decisions during the 2010s, Dan Snyder has continued to play a role in the franchise’s football operations. Allen was also believed to be on the side of drafting Dwayne Haskins, but John Keim and Jason Reid of ESPN.com write Snyder appeared to lead that charge — even though the owner once criticized for his big-ticket moves has contributed less input on that front in recent years. Some in Washington’s building placed a third-round grade on Haskins, per Keim and Reid. Haskins was viewed as a first-round pick for most of the pre-draft process. While Ron Rivera is expected to have more control over Redskins personnel matters than Jay Gruden, sources informed the ESPN duo they still expect Snyder to be involved.
Here is the latest out of Washington:
- New defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio confirmed the Redskins will shift back to a 4-3 base defense, Les Carpenter of the Washington Post notes. Both Rivera and Del Rio have used 4-3 bases for most of their respective careers, so this should come as no surprise. However, Snyder is believed to have made this a point of emphasis, per Keim and Reid. The Redskins have not deployed a 4-3 base defense in 11 seasons, though with teams’ increased nickel usage, transitions in front-seven schemes are not as significant as they once were. This will make Washington’s starting lineup interesting, however, with the team having three talented interior defenders — Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and 2019 sack leader Matt Ioannidis — up front.
- Ryan Kerrigan just completed a down year, registering a career-low 5.5 sacks and missing the first two games of his career. The productive Redskins edge defender is going into a contract year, but Keim tweets Kerrigan and previous Redskins management had engaged in extension talks in 2019. Kerrigan, 31, would like to stay with Washington on a third contract.
- Rather than retirement, Alex Smith will continue his efforts to return to the field. The Redskins quarterback has missed the past 22 games because of a gruesome leg injury that required numerous surgeries. “I still have dreams of getting back to where I was and getting back out there,” Smith said, via NBC Sports Washington’s Ethan Cadeaux. “This has been a crazy ride with a lot of unforeseen turns, but without a doubt, that’s still my goal.” Smith, 35, is set to count $21.4MM against Washington’s cap this season. No cap savings can come of a Smith release until 2021.
“…sources informed the ESPN duo they still expect Snyder to be involved.”
That’s a pretty quick way to kill off any feel-good buzz ‘Skins fans might have had.
Any Joe on the street knows that Snyder will be involved so it also provides a glimpse of how well plugged in ESPN sources are…lol.
I think both the Giants and Skins jumped too early for QB’s last year. I understand bot teams needed to do something. But they both look pretty ordinary to me.
Haskins has a lot of long term potential. 50 touchdowns to 4 interceptions in college is a good indicator. Haskins is not part of the new breed of running-passing-feinting put-the-team-on-your-back QB’s (Aaron Rodgers was an early version, currently Russell Wilson is such a QB, Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson). Haskins is a stand up tall in the pocket and thrown TD’s kind of QB like Philip Rivers or Ben Roethlisberger.
If the Redskins build a playbook which matches that skill set Haskins has the potential to be reasonably special (as in Big Ben winning seasons, not as in magic Aaron turning games upside down).
The only QB this year (apart from the possibly lifetime IR case Tua) who is clearly better than Haskins is Joe Burrows. The rest of these college QB’s this year have shown flaws in consistency, accuracy or big game performance.
That said, if the Redskins did have the number one draft pick, they’d do well to draft Burrows (second coming of Aaron Rodgers) and trade Haskins for a late first or early second round pick. But the Redskins don’t have the number one pick. They have the number two pick. The Cincinnati Bengals will pick Burrows with number one.
Much less sold on the “obvious” second pick, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. He seems to pick his spots and often doesn’t pursue on plays.
Drafting Burrows and trading Haskins would be pointless. Redskins were dead last in time of possession so they need to say goodbye to Williams, Penn and Flowers and completely rebuild the OL.
Flowers has been quite the discovery on offensive line as a guard. As bad as Flowers was as a tackle (not fast or flexible enough), he’d been pretty good as a guard. Penn does his best with what he has, but his pro bowl years are clearly behind him.
I’d still rather build on Burrows than Haskins. And I like Haskins quite a bit too. It’s the difference between Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers/Ben Roethlisberger. I’d go for Aaron Rodgers every time. Generational talent as opposed to top starter.
I can’t imagine Cincinatti not picking Burrows after the CFP final so the conversation is moot. Joe Burrows is not available, even with the number two pick.