The Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera spoke to the media at the NFL Combine on Wednesday afternoon, and he delved into a litany of topics.
Among them, the most notable were regarding the team’s plan for Dwayne Haskins, what brough Rivera to Washington in the first place, and how they plan to fill out their roster going forward.
These are our five biggest takeaways from what Rivera had to say regarding:
Dwayne Haskins/QB Room
Since becoming the head coach of the Redskins, Rivera has been pretty married to the idea that Haskins, who was a rookie in 2019, would have to earn his role as the starting quarterback in 2020. He played in nine games during his first season and showed so much needed growth down the stretch, but that doesn’t mean that he will be handed the QB1 spot once again.
It’s no surprise that Rivera is holding onto this idea, as he should. In his time with the team, Haskins hasn’t had the chance to show what he can really do, and he won’t get that chance until the practices start up this summer. However, Dwayne can get a head start on this by spending as much time as possible in the facilities and working to better craft his game, which Rivera noted he’s been doing already this offseason.
Outside of Haskins, the Redskins will continue to keep their options open when it comes to finding a signal-caller. Along with the veterans that will get a look, according to Rivera, some other draft prospects have been talked to as well.
You can look at this as one of two ways; either the Redskins have legitimate aspirations to bring in a young signal-caller and supplant Haskins as the QB1, or they want the NFL world to be on edge when it comes to the draft, and signal that if a team wants to trade up for Tua Tagovailoa, they’ll have to come for the No. 2 spot, rather than No. 3.
Young Talent in Washington
The Redskins were one of the most talented teams in 2019 when it came to production from young players. A stacked 2019 draft class saw players like Terry McLaurin, Cole Holcomb, Montez Sweat, Dwayne Haskins, and Kelvin Harmon get a footing in the league. They also were able to add Steven Sims Jr. as an undrafted free agent, and there is a load of other young players who have started to find their way as well.
This is what helped draw Rivera to Washington.
With much of their production coming from a very small percentage of the salary cap, the Redskins will be able to be major players in the free agency market this season, and the roster could shape up very nicely over the next couple of seasons, should all go according to plan. This was undoubtedly a driving factor in Rivera’s decision to take over a tumultuous program like the Redskins, but he may just be the person to help turn things around.
Flexible Players
A lot of players on the roster will be asked to do some new things this season in Washington, especially when it comes to the defense. As the team transitions to a new 4-3 scheme under defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, there are a number of players who will have to expand their roles and utilize a different aspect of their skill set. These players are the most valuable to Rivera.
Cole Holcomb is a great example, as his speed in the second level allowed him to be a great asset to the defense in his rookie season, and his youth will allow him to be molded into exactly what the Redskins need of him. He’s still a young dog capable of learning some new tricks.
This statement also could be taken as a major hint to the upcoming Ryan Kerrigan situation. Should the Redskins draft Chase Young with the No. 2 pick, Kerrigan might be removed from his starting edge rushing role, and be asked to flex into a situational role that has him rushing the QB on a limited basis. If Kerrigan is to stick around in Washington, Rivera will undoubtedly wish to see some flexibility from him.
Cornerbacks
The Redskins don’t really know what they’re doing at the cornerback position for the 2020 season, and there are still several things that need to shake out before they can have confidence at that spot going forward. Quinton Dunbar may or may not wish to be traded, and there are a number of young players who might have a future at the position in Washington. On Wednesday, Rivera was rather guarded when asked about the prospects to cover receivers.
Even if Washington chooses to stick with a lot of the young CBs they have on the roster, don’t be surprised if they try to land a big fish at the position in the free agency market.
Trust in the Building
Of all the things that needed to be addressed in Washington in order for the team to find success, trust and culture were the most important. The number one culprit of breaking the trust was the team’s medical staff, who have been widely blamed for the lack of stability in the roster, with a number of players openly calling them out for incompetence and negligence. I don’t need to remind you of the Trent Williams situation.
For Rivera, this is a crucial part of the culture that he hopes to build in Washington, and it starts in the training room.
If Rivera can shore up the trust and start to build a winning culture in the locker room, then winning on the field should hopefully come with it.
