Coming off of a season where the Washington Redskins saw a great deal of production from their 2019 rookie class, it’s easy to assume that all 12 of the rookies that were just added to the roster over the last week will make a difference in 2020. However, we know that won’t be the case. At the very best, it’s safe to assume that two, maybe three players will even carve out significant roles for themselves over the course of the next few months, and the rest will be relegated to their place down the depth chart, or potentially on the practice squad for the next season.
But who might be one of those difference-makers, and just how much of a difference can they make? Let’s break it down into four categories: Day One Assets, Role Players, Roster Fillers, and Practice Squad Players.
Practice Squad Players
- QB Steven Montez
- DE Jonathan Smith Williams
- WR Jonathan Johnson
There’s nothing to say that any one of these players can’t have a solid career int he NFL, but I don’t think it will happen this season. Both Johnson and Montez were signed as undrafted free agents on Saturday evening, and Smith Williams was selected as the Redskins final pick in the draft. All three of them have one thing in common as well — they occupy a position where Washington is not currently looking for much help. If they can wait things out for a year and come back stronger in 2021, we will reassess things, but until then, I don’t have any of them making the 53-man roster in September.
Roster Fillers
- S Kamren Curl
- TE Thaddeus Moss
- C Keith Ismael
It wouldn’t shock me to see these three players make the squad this fall, but I definitely don’t think they will see much of the field unless something goes awry on the injury front. If I were to predict any of these three to jump up to the next tier in 2020, it would be Moss, but that’s mostly due to the lack of depth at the TE position, and his ability to be used as a solid blocker in the running game.
As players on the roster, though, all three will have to stay ready to jump in at a moment’s notice, and I believe they are well-equipped to do so. Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith made a point to draft athletes who are multi-faceted this year and ones who can play different positions. We saw Ismael line up at both right and left guard, as well as center in college, and Curl played all over the secondary at Arkansas. Whenever injuries do happen to pop up, these players are uniquely suited to step up to the plate.
Role Players
- LB Khaleke Hudson
- LT Saahdiq Charles
- WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
They might not crack the starting lineup, but I expect to see all three of these players see some decent minutes in 2020. If I were to rank from most impact to least, I would say that AGG has the highest upside, as the receiving unit needs some help in the depth department, and judging by his college highlights, he seems to have what it takes to make the jump to the next level and not miss a beat. It will also be interesting to see Charles battle for the starting LT spot, which he shouldn’t be counted out of. Even if he were to get the second or third spot on the depth chart, neither of the other LTs on the roster — Cornelius Lucas and Geron Christian — have established themselves as the clear-cut guy, so it’s likely to be a fluid situation. As for Hudson, he will most likely have to serve in a backup role, but I expect a lot of defensive rotations to get him onto the field a good amount in his first year.
Day One Assets
- DE Chase Young
- RB Antonio Gibson
I think the biggest shock here is that Chase Young isn’t alone on this list. But the addition of Antonio Gibson to the backfield has a chance to be key in Washington going forward. Let’s start with him.
Just by watching Gibson’s highlights from college, you can tell that he has something special. Not only is it his noted ability to catch passes out of the backfield and act as a receiver on some plays, but what impresses me even more than that is his drive every single play, and the difficulty with which defenders have taking him to the ground. If you were to open any highlight reel from Memphis in 2019, I guarantee you there’s at least a handful of plays where Gibson gets wrapped up, but somehow finds a way out of it, breaking a long run for a score. He won’t be listed as the starter, of course, but you know that OC Scott Turner is juiced at the addition of Gibson, and he’s already worked up a package specific for him.
Chase, on the other hand, well…what needs to be said? He is one of the most dominant college players we’ve seen come out of the draft in years, and his size and speed projects perfectly for the NFL. From jump street, Young will pencil in as the starting defensive end, one of the most important positions on the field, and he will likely excel greatly, working to make everyone around him better as well. Obviously Young is going to have the most impact on the Redskins in 2020 — he is the best player that has been drafted in Washington in a decade, if not more.
