While the Washington Redskins surprised by staying put and grabbing Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 NFL draft, perhaps the biggest shocker was the front office’s decision to move back into the first round and take Mississippi State edge defender Montez Sweat.
Speaking to the media after the pick, head coach Jay Gruden made it clear why they executed the trade, according to the Washington Post’s Les Carpenter:
“High. Very high, yes. Very, very high,” Gruden said.
Carpenter’s writeup goes on to explain that Sweat says he was diagnosed with the heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy two years ago. Gruden added that Redskins team doctors don’t think it will be a problem.
Clearly, the Redskins aren’t worried and view Sweat as an immediate upgrade opposite Ryan Kerrigan in the wake of Preston Smith leaving in free agency.
As it turns out, the Redskins did make a massive trade on the first night of the 2019 draft — but it was for Sweat, not Haskins, and the edge rusher might end up having a bigger instant impact, too.
