Back in 2012, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen rolled the dice on a massive trade up in the draft to acquire Robert Griffin.
The Redskins packaged four picks — three of them first-round selections — and shipped them to the then-St. Louis Rams for the draft’s second overall pick.
Fast forward to present day. A mere hours before the 2019 NFL draft, RGIII and Kirk Cousins are gone, Alex Smith and Colt McCoy are hurt and Case Keenum is tops on the depth chart. Fresh off the heels of an offseason where Allen seemed to seize more power within the front office, reports have suggested the Redskins want to jump into the top five.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo has since suggested Snyder and Allen are in control of what unfolds in the first round:
It is interesting to hear head coach Jay Gruden might be fourth on the list of those in the know. But given his track record at developing young passers like he did in Cincinnati with Andy Dalton, those in the front office will clearly trust him to do something similar if a big move occurs.
That big move to get in front of the New York Giants at No. 6 could be even more expensive than the one pulled off in 2012.
For the Redskins, who reportedly really like Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, this might be considered a do-or-die situation given fan backlash last offseason, dwindling attendance numbers and only having Keenum under center.
Provided the Redskins are confident in the strong running game and defense, Snyder and Allen might view a massive move as a one-two punch that helps with fans and improves their chances at winning now and into the future.
