Through two weeks of the 2019 season, the Washington Redskins have been left in front of the drawing board, searching for a new answer to something that will work out on the field.
The defense has let up on average 31.5 ppg and over 900 total yards in two contests, and they look to be far from the level of dominance that many predicted ahead of the year. Though star defensive lineman, Jonathan Allen, was missing for this past week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, it is maybe more concerning that one of Washington’s expected young stars has stayed relatively out of the spotlight through the first two weeks.
Montez Sweat has been a virtual non-factor for the Redskins so far.
Washington drafted him late in the first round, and all throughout the offseason they spouted rhetoric about his size and speed on the edge and predicted profound dominance on the front line, starting right away. Through two games, Sweat has nine tackles and zero quarterback hits. Of course, a larger issue is that the Redskins as a team have zero QB hits, but part of the problem so far has been Sweat.
The rookie played 51 snaps (73%) against the Cowboys, so if you were thinking that he isn’t getting the opportunity to succeed, try again. There is still a lot of football left this season, and it’s very possible for Sweat — and the entire defensive line — to turn things around. It’s way too early to call him a bust, or say that he wasn’t worth the draft pick. However, the question begs to be asked; what’s going on with Montez Sweat?
