Going back a few weeks, I wrote about some offseason needs the Redskins should consider next spring. Injuries, uncertainty at certain positions, and one acquisition at the trade deadline have slightly changed those perceived needs.
Below is my list of needs for the team moving forward, and two potential scenarios that could help fill those.
Quarterback - It’s still a need, but I don’t think it should be addressed until the 2020 NFL Draft...UNLESS a prospect unexpectedly falls into the Redskins lap’s (cough, cough, Jonathan Allen), or we decide to take a developmental prospect somewhere after the third round.
The BIG THREE:
Wide Receiver(s) - Yes, we may need more than one! The current starting unit would not strike fear into the hearts of the Eastern Michigan Eagles! No current wide receiver, and I mean NO ONE, is a mismatch for any decent NFL cornerback. The ONLY one that even comes close is Josh Doctson, and that’s only because he’s 6’2” and has a 42” vertical (not that he plays like that...). Aside from Doctson’s unique athletic ability (which is rarely on display), and Jamison Crowder’s cat-like quickness (which has been negated by injury this season - and he’s a 2019 free agent), none of the others would be starting anywhere else in the league. This is a rag-tag group for sure, and easily a bottom five unit in the league. We need to extract a go-to wide receiver from the 2019 NFL draft with a higher pick, and maybe even supplement that with another pick a few rounds later. If not for Alex Smith next year, consider it for our new QB in 2020; with a year of seasoning under their belt!
EDGE - Preston Smith has been VERY quiet this season (which we have seen in the past), and is a pending 2019 free agent. Ryan Kerrigan will turn 31 before next season, and although he’s far from done, his replacement will need to be something that’s on the staff’s minds moving forward. The 2019 NFL Draft is setting up to have a deep class of EDGE rushers, and the Redskins would be wise to take advantage.
Cornerback - The injury to Quinton Dunbar has hurt us more than most realize. Before his leg flared up with a nerve issue, he was the Skins best corner. Yes, I’ll say that again - HE WAS OUR BEST CORNER! His injury has forced rookies Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson to play a lot more than most would like to see, and the results have been very mixed. There are a few reasons why corner is not higher on this list, and depth and experience by the young guys heading into 2019 is the biggest one, but having a true number one with the ability to run with a teams top receiver could only help for 2019 and beyond.
Still a Concern...
Inside Linebacker - This is now a top need, and that has been extrapolated over the past few weeks with what I consider to be sub-par play from both Mason Foster and Zach Brown. Brown, especially, has not played up to his ability this season. He doesn’t look 100 percent, and his reads seem off. Both men struggle in coverage, and a replacement that can stay on the field all three downs, and excel in coverage, would be a welcome addition. I do have some hope for Josh Harvey-Clemons and Shaun Dion Hamilton, which is why I have listed this position a little further down on our needs list.
A Little Further Down Now:
Guard: This is going to piss a lot of people off...but I really don’t care. The injury to Lauvao may have actually been a blessing in disguise, as we have seen the Redskins bring in former first round pick Jonathan Cooper at left guard. As you all know, I was one who championed signing Cooper this past offseason, and even after he was released by the 49ers at final cut-down.
Aside from the penalties, Cooper played very well against the Buccaneers, and at just 28, he’s got some solid football ahead of him. The Redskins should also have Arie Kouandjio back from a quad injury, if they so choose to keep him around, and this is why I feel left guard has dropped significantly down the list of needs. Now, I do think we should draft an interior offensive linemen in the 2019 NFL Draft; just no longer with a higher pick.
Off the List:
Safety - The trade for HaHa Clinton-Dix and the exceptional play of D.J. Swearinger pushed safety off the needs list for 2019. We now have both starting quality players, and solid depth at the position. I’m still a bit ticked off we passed up on Derwin James, but that is a story for another time.
2019 Early-Round Mock Draft:
1st Round: A.J. Brown WR Ole Miss 6’1” 230
2nd Round: Joe Jackson EDGE Miami 6’5” 258
3rd Round: Blace Brown CB Troy 6’0” 185
3rd Round: T.J. Edwards ILB Wisc. 6’1” 242
Alternate strategy (and this is one that is really starting to grow on me):
*Redskins trade out of the first round, and receive a 2019 second, and 2020 first.
2nd round: Montez Sweat EDGE Miss St. 6’6” 250
2nd round: Parris Campbell WR Ohio St. 6’1” 210
3rd round: Shaquille Quarterman ILB Miami 6’1” 240
3rd round: Iman Marshall CB USC 6’1” 205
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