The pieces are starting to be put into place for the Washington Redskins to actually find some success in 2020 and the years beyond. With a core of young and dynamic players on both offense and defense, plus a new coaching staff that will offer a fresh set of eyes to what can improve around the building, there is a reality in which the Redskins find themselves competing for a playoff spot in the near future.
The Redskins are set to start out the year with just under $40 million in salary-cap space, according to Over The Cap, but that number could rise a heck of a lot higher with some tweaking. All they have to do is make the right roster decisions, and that starts this offseason. In order to help provide a path forward, we decided to map out what would be a perfect offseason, in our eyes, hoping it leads to eventual Redskins’ success.
Cutting Players:
There are a handful of players that the Redskins will likely let go ahead of free agency this year, but two big-name players come to mind for us. Josh Norman and Paul Richardson Jr.
The writing has been on the wall for Norman, as he was benched at the end of the season in order to let practice squad players get a chance in front of him. At age 32, with a significant drop in production since becoming the highest-paid CB in the NFL with the Redskins, it’s time for Washington to rid of Norman’s contract and look to the younger players. According to OTC, the Redskins would save $12.5 million by cutting him this offseason, giving them over $50 million in available space.
Likewise, Richardson has spent two seasons now trying to stay healthy enough to live up to his $40 million contract that the Redskins gave him in 2018, but failing. In 2019, Richardson was passed up by three rookie wide receivers on the depth chart, which was the icing on the cake. If the Redskins were to part ways with Richardson this offseason, they would save $6.5 million in 2020, but with some of that becoming dead money, the cap space would only rise to $52 million.
Fix Relationship with Trent Williams
When healthy, Trent Williams is one of the best left tackles in all of the NFL. Of course, the last time Williams was healthy, he vowed to never play for the Redskins again, but a lot has changed since then, and rumors have swirled that the seven-time Pro Bowler has had a bit of a change of heart, and would consider playing for new coach Ron Rivera, now that Team President Bruce Allen and Head Trainer Larry Hess are out of the picture.
In order for the Redskins to bring Williams back into the building, they will absolutely have to give him a new contract, as his prior deal had run out of guaranteed money, which is risky for a player of his age to rely on. It’s no surprise that Williams desires to be paid as one of the top LTs in the NFL, and Washington will have to be willing to do so in order to hold onto him. A new contract, we’ve estimated, would look something like a 4-year/$58 million deal, adding a cap-hit around $14 million, bringing the cap-space down to just under $40 million once again.
It may seem expensive now, but adding one of the league’s best players to the second-most important position on the field should be a no-brainer.
Re-Sign Offensive Linemen:
When it comes to the right guard position, the Redskins have one of the most valuable players in all of the NFL set to hit the free agency market in Brandon Scherff. They need to ensure that he is there to stay in Washington, as he’s expressed his desire to be a Redskin for his entire career.
Scherff is coming off of his rookie deal with the Redskins, and he’s set to really get paid market value for the first time in his career. It’s understood in Washington that they would have to pay him top-dollar in order to get him to stay, but that’s something that Ron Rivera needs to be adamant about as he looks to build a culture that is centered around loyal players who have a team-first mentality.
We’ve estimated before that a new deal for Scherff could land in the realm of a five-year/$72 million contract, paying him among the NFL’s best RGs at over $14 million per year.
In addition to Scherff, we believe the Redskins should also look to re-sign left guard Ereck Flowers, who had a career season in 2019 in his first year with the team. Flowers had been labeled a bust after being drafted in the first round in 2015, but his move from LT to LG served him well in Washington. Now, as an unrestricted free agent, we believe Flowers has earned a new contract with the Redskins, which could pay him approximately $4-6 million per year.
When you factor these two signings into the cap-space, the Redskins take a hit down to about $20 million available, but they’ll be set on the offensive line for the near future.
Reach Settlement with Jordan Reed
When you allow emotion into this decision, it’s sad to say that Jordan Reed needs to go, but when you look at it logically, parting ways, be it by cut or retirement, is the way to go.
Ahead of the 2019 season, after having a stellar training camp, Reed suffered his seventh documented concussion in a preseason game, and he sat out for the rest of the season as he tried to recover.
The injury was not just detrimental to Reed’s career, but also the Redskins chances at success. Washington was in dire need of a valuable tight end to pair with rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins all season long, and had Reed been healthy and producing like he was during summer workouts, it would have been a perfect match for the young signal-caller.
Nonetheless, things didn’t shake out that way, and Reed spent yet another year on the Injured Reserve List. Whether Reed decides to hang up his cleats this year or not, it’s become pretty clear that the Redskins could better spend the $8.5 million set to go to the veteran tight end in 2020. Parting ways with Reed would bring the cap-space up to near $30 million once again.
Find a Backup QB:
The Redskins are set at the QB1 spot with Dwayne Haskins, but they will need a reliable backup option as they head into the 2020 season. We think it would make the most sense for Washington to look to re-sign Case Keenum, who played in 10 games for them in 2019, should he wish to stay.
It would be understandable for Keenum to try his luck vying for a QB1 spot elsewhere and has a free agent, he can go wherever he pleases. However, there is a solid crop of free-agent quarterbacks in 2020 that he would have to compete with, and it’s possible that a QB2 role, with Rivera’s desire for a QB1 competition, is the best place for him.
If the Redskins are able to retain Keenum, a quarterback who already knows the offense well and is comfortable with the roster personnel, Washington would get away with a solid veteran in the QB room for a cheap contract, likely something around $8-10 million per year. Factor that in, and we’re dealing with about $20 million in cap space.
Trade Ryan Kerrigan
Like the situation with Jordan Reed, this decision becomes a lot harder when you let emotions become involved. However, if you were to look strictly at the numbers, plus the fact that the Redskins will likely draft the best DE prospect to come out of college football in years, and the decision to trade away Kerrigan makes complete sense.
With Chase Young and Montez Sweat set to take over the edge-rushing duties in Washington, the team has less of a need for Kerrigan as he continues to age, and they could take the $11.7 million in cap space that would be saved and use it somewhere else to better fit their needs. At age 31, Kerrigan still has a few good years left in the tank, and he could undoubtedly help a contender shore up their defensive line and be part of a highly-successful pass rush.
Find a suitable team and let Kerrigan have a great final few years on a contender as he closes his great career on a high note. The Redskins could add the $11.7 million saved and have over $30 million to work with as they head into free agency.
Sign Offensive Players
Two of the main needs on offense for the Redskins are at the tight end and wide receiver positions. You all know the obvious name for the TE spot…
Greg Olsen. Sure, he may be getting a bit too long in the tooth to be counted on as the Redskins TE1 of the future, but they should still look to bring him in this offseason to help shore up the position in 2020 and add a veteran presence to the locker room that could help groom a young tight end that Washington drafts in April (more on that later.)
It would probably be hard for Olsen to pass up on this opportunity, as well. It’s been rumored that he may be considering retirement soon, if not this season, and what the future holds for the 34-year-old is unknown. It could be a TV career, or it could be in the coaching realm. If he were to stay in the game as a coach, what better place to start than in Washington with his longtime coaching staff working under Ron Rivera?
If the Redskins were to bring him in on a team-friendly deal that’s laden with incentives, say something around $5 million per year, it could go a long way in benefiting both parties,
As for the WR spot, how about a name you may not have thought of before? Demaryius Thomas. The five-time Pro Bowler is definitely on the back-nine of his career, and he’s struggled to find the right fit ever since being traded by the Denver Broncos in 2018. However, his veteran presence is exactly what the Redskins could use in the WR room as a young and talented group looks to find their footing in the NFL.
Thomas signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the New England Patriots in 2019, and the Redskins could get him on a similar deal in 2020. You take both of these veteran acquisitions, and Washington is left with about $20 million in cap space as they shift focus to the defense.
Sign Defensive Players:
Washington’s defense is set to be pretty good in 2020, but they still need help at a couple of positions — linebacker and cornerback. Let us throw out a couple of interesting names: Mychal Kendricks and Kendall Fuller.
Kendricks is a solid linebacker who has been a nice addition to the Seattle Seahawks defense in 2019, playing in 14 games and racking up over 70 total tackles. He played on a one-year contract in Seattle worth $4 million, and assuming that he’s willing to do something similar with the Redskins in 2020, they could get him for relatively cheap.
As for Fuller, Redskins fans know just what he can do when put into a position to succeed. He undoubtedly made himself some money in Super Bowl LIV by coming away with the game-sealing interception for the Kansas City Chiefs as he gets ready to become a free agent and hit the open market. A reunion with his old team in Washington would be a great fit. Before being shipped to KC as part of the deal that brought Alex Smith to the Redskins, Fuller was having a great start to his career. If the two were to agree on a reunion, Fuller could likely sign a deal worth $1-2 million per year.
If you were to add the cap hit from both Kendricks and Fuller to the Redskins salary obligations, that leaves them with approximately $10-12 million left unaccounted for. This is perfect, as it gives them a bit of wiggle room to work with when getting the players they want.
Draft DE Chase Young and TE Adam Trautman
You all know everything there is to know about Chase Young at this point. The Redskins selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick is almost a given, and it will be crucial to make sense of other offseason moves they make (like possibly trading away Ryan Kerrigan.)
Another player that we’re after, however, is Dayton’s TE Adam Trautman, who many believe is the top tight end prospect in the 2020 draft class. If the Redskins are able to snag the 6-5, 250 pound TE in the third round and have him learn under Olsen for his first year or two in the NFL, they could be set at the position for years to come. In his senior year at Dayton, he was able to catch 14 touchdowns in 11 games to go along with 31 touchdowns in 44 total college games.
It’s possible that someone grabs Trautman before the Redskins are able to get him with their third pick — remember they don’t have a second-round pick due to the Montez Sweat trade in 2019 — but regardless of who is available, the Redskins need to draft a young TE and look to mold him into their own going forward.
