Despite having a second-year quarterback in the building, working tirelessly to get better and improve on his rookie season, the Washington Redskins are likely to find a second signal-caller to add to the roster this offseason, be it in free agency or the NFL Draft.
That doesn’t mean that the Redskins are going to look to replace Dwayne Haskins as the QB1, but they absolutely will find someone that can compete with him for the starting job, while coming on a relatively team-friendly contract. Head coach Ron Rivera has been clear about that much; he mentioned the desire to bring in a veteran quarterback in his introductory press conference, and he harked at the combine that there will be a “very competitive” competition in the QB room this offseason.
So who might the Redskins be looking at? Who are a few players that check both of those boxes, and aren’t above a trip to Washington to compete with a young gun who could potentially leave them riding the pine? Back by popular demand, it’s our handicapping breakdown. For sports gamblers, you know the deal. Should you need a refresher on how the odds work, you can find one here.
NOTE: The goal of this exercise is to consider the realistic options that are on the table for the Redskins — realistic being the operative word. Washington isn’t looking to sign a star quarterback that is going to demand $20 million or more per season, so we can removed names like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, Ryan Tannehill, and Dak Prescott.
Jacoby Brissett — Indianapolis Colts (+225)
The Colts made great use of Jacoby Brissett in 2019 after they were forced to ask him to step in for the recently retired Andrew Luck and lead their highly-competent roster with little notice. While he did a great job to keep the Colts in playoff contention deep into the season, his statistics didn’t jump out at you — he averaged less than 200 passing yards per game, with just 18 total touchdowns and six interceptions.
His ability to lead the locker room was what the franchise most admired about him, but they may not have as big of a need for that going forward, depending on what happens in free agency, or the draft. The Colts are believed to be major players when it comes to some of the top FA QBs, like Rivers, Brady, or Tannehill. There are also some expectations for Indianapolis to look at drafting a QB should they come up short in free agency.
A move to Washington could be in the cards for Brissett. We know that he has the skillset to be a competent starting QB in the NFL, and he would undoubtedly push Haskins in a competition once camp rolls around. If we were to compare his 2019 form to Haskins’ 2019 form, it would be easy to crown Brissett the QB1 right now, but should we see some anticipated growth from the Redskins’ rookie this offseason, that would be a great battle for the top spot on the depth chart.
With (+225) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $225 in profit.
Marcus Mariota — Tennessee Titans (+275)
Mariota is an interesting test case in the NFL. It’s hard to argue against his talent, but most of the football world is split as to why he’s struggled to find success in the big leagues. After winning a Heisman Trophy with the Oregon Ducks in college, many believed he would become one of the next great QBs in the NFL, but that hasn’t happened yet, and we’re five years into his career. Be it due to instability at the coaching position — Mariota has had four offensive coordinators and five different play-callers so far in his career — or a legitimate bust label, success has yet to find the college superstar.
That doesn’t mean that he can’t find it going forward, though. After being replaced by Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, Mariota will be looking for a new home this offseason, and he will have to earn his spot on the depth charge in training camp. Of all the battles you could pit against Haskins, this one might be the most electric, and it could best uncover some holes in Haskins’ game, seeing as Mariota is a highly explosive running QB, and the rookie showed little sign of being able to do that in 2019. On the flip side, Haskins probably has a leg up when it comes to arm talent, and he could likely rifle a few passes that Mariota might struggle to make. Like with Brissett, this would be a true competition that would make the Redskins offense better, no matter who came out on top.
With (+275) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $275 in profit.
Case Keenum — Washington Redskins (+150)
Case Keenum sticking around this offseason seems like the most likely outcome for me, but it is undoubtedly the most boring. After being sidelined due to injury in 2019, Keenum saw his starting job be taken over by a rookie quicker than expected, and Washington suffered dearly for it. Haskins was forced to play before he was ready, and it was painfully obvious. Nonetheless, Keenum was a solid backup option, playing well when called upon early in the season and offering a great veteran voice in the QB room.
Why not keep that going? Keenum’s contract is up, so it would be understandable to see him try to find a gig where he has a solid chance to become a starting QB, but looking around the NFL free agency market at the position, that may be hard to do. His best bet at seeing the field is by injury at this point, and in Washington, he would at least get a chance to compete for the top spot. Not to mention, he already knows the playbook, as well as the culture in the Nation’s capital.
With (+150) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $150 in profit.
Chase Daniel — Chicago Bears (+300)
The Bears have an interesting situation at the QB spot; they are less-than-thrilled with their starter, who was drafted way too early in 2017, and they’re rumored to be looking for a big name in the free agency market this season. No matter what happens, Chase Daniel likely isn’t part of the equation.
However, Daniel is seen as one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, and he’s proven to be pretty effective when called upon. In three games during 2019, Daniel completed 45 of 64 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns.
While he’s spent most of his career as a backup, Daniel has been paid handsomely for his services, which might put him a bit out of the Redskins price range. In 2019, he was paid $5 million in Chicago, and he’s likely to receive another lucrative QB2 deal due to his ability to keep a team afloat when something goes wrong in the starting lineup.
With (+300) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $300 in profit.
Brett Hundley — Arizona Cardinals (+350)
The Cardinals have seemingly found their franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray, so it’s unlikely that Hundley will be able to compete for a starting spot any time soon in his current situation. While the Cardinals may wish to keep a veteran backup in the lockerroom for emergency’s sake, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Hundley test the open market to try and find a better path to the starting spot.
Hundley was a solid prospect coming out of UCLA in 2015, and he served as the backup for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay during the 2017 season where Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone. The results weren’t great, but that’s why he’s a backup.
In Arizona, Hundley served as a valued member of the QB room behind Murray, and he is said to have helped in the former Heisman-winner’s growth over the 2019 season. He also looked like a serviceable option in the single game that he played in place of Murray this past season, throwing for 49 yards with 35 more on the ground.
If the Redskins were able to convince Hundley to come to Washington, he would undoubtedly be able to help spur on the growth of Haskins, and he could also get the team out of a jam if called upon.
With (+350) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $350 in profit.
Nate Sudfeld — Philadelphia Eagles (+450)
The Redskins are familiar with Sudfeld, as they waived him a couple of years ago just a year removed from drafting him with their sixth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Sudfeld was a part of the 2017 Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles team, and he took over for the team in their Week 17 bout with the Dallas Cowboys — a 6-0 defeat — while then starter Nick Foles rested up for the playoffs. Sudfeld played well in the game despite having no numbers to show for it.
While there are definitely more talented options that the Redskins could choose to go with, their previous knowledge of Sudfeld might aid in the scouting process. They watched him play in the preseason for them in 2016, and they may feel comfortable bringing him back in on a cheap contract.
With (+450) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $450 in profit.
Blake Bortles — Los Angeles Rams (+500)
A little bit like Marcus Mariota in a sense, Blake Bortles has an extremely high ceiling as a backup quarterback option, but his floor as a starter is well-known.
After taking the Jacksonville Jaguars to an AFC Championship game, Bortles was cut loose from his position under Gus Bradley. The Rams smartly picked him up to sit behind Jared Goff, should anything go poorly, which made him one of the most talented backups in the NFL. Now, as he looks to hit the open market once again, the Redskins could take a look at bringing him in. He absolutely has the talent to supplant Haskins as the starter, should everything go right, but we’ve seen Bortle’s litany of struggles before. It would be an extremely fun competition to watch, though.
With (+500) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $500 in profit.
Taysom Hill — New Orleans Saints (+600)
As quite possibly the most intriguing player in the NFL, Taysom Hill will be an interesting case to watch over the next few weeks. Due to his ability to excel at virtually every position on the field, the Saints are reportedly high on keeping him, and they’ve placed a first-round tender on him entering free agency. That doesn’t guarantee his stay in New Orleans, though.
Though we’ve only seen brief glimpses of it, Hill’s arm talent looks to be strong. However, he’s thrown just 13 passes in his career. It’s his rushing ability, though, along with everything else, that makes him an intriguing prospect. Rivera has expressed his love for players that can do multiple things and play a number of position; that fits Hill to a T.
With (+600) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $600 in profit.
Jameis Winston — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+775)
The ultimate ‘high-ceiling, low-floor’ player in the NFL, Jameis Winston is going to drastically change the future of whichever team he lands with this offseason, for better or for worse. Due to his high ceiling, though, he is likely to sign a large contract somewhere, which will price him out of the Redskins’ range.
That might be a good thing too. His 33 touchdowns in 2019 were encouraging, but that number was detracted by his 30 interceptions, making him the first player in NFL history to join the 30/30 club. Congratulations? If Winston were to sign with the Redskins, I could see him easily winning the starting job, and then throwing eight interceptions in the first three games, leaving Rivera and the coaching staff questioning when it’s time for Haskins to take over. That’s a dance that I don’t want to partake in. Next.
With (+775) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $775 in profit.
Teddy Bridgewater — New Orleans Saints (+1000)
A once-promising career that was derailed by a gruesome knee injury, Teddy Bridgewater is another interesting test case. After spending some valuable time in New Orleans backing up Drew Brees, Bridgewater is one of the more sought after names on the free agency market this season, and many teams believe that he could be solid QB once again.
Unfortunately for the Redskins, he is likely to be priced out of their range, as some teams like the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, or Los Angeles Chargers look to make him their QB1.
With (+1000) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $1000 in profit.
Cam Newton — Carolina Panthers (+1500)
We’ve all seen Ron Rivera’s propensity to keep his Carolina Panthers ties close, so it would make sense for the Redskins to kick the tires on Newton, who is to likely find a new team this season as Carolina continues with their rebuild.
However, I feel comfortable in saying that Newton will not be a part of the Redskins’ roster in 2020. After dealing with multiple shoulder surgeries, the former Heisman winner has struggled to stay on the field as of late, and his high ceiling makes him too expensive to pay what he wants up-front. I don’t care that Rivera made it to the Super Bowl with him in 2015, he doesn’t fit the current build of Washington’s roster, and he won’t be part of the team in the near future, although he is a fun player to think about.
With (+1500) odds, if you wagered $100, you would win $1500 in profit.
