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How The Washington Redskins Can Survive Their Own “March Madness”

By Ian Cummings

Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view of a Washington Redskins helmet and logo prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view of a Washington Redskins helmet and logo prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 24, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (11) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (11) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

How Have They Done This?

They responded to the loss of Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson by signing Terrelle Pryor, a younger, taller receiver with more athletic potential. The signing was relatively cheap, and it gives the Redskins a versatile weapon.

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The team has also started restocking the defense. The signings of Terrell McClain, Stacy McGee, and project player Phil Taylor have helped with this. While none of these players have truly proven themselves, they provide a blend of youth, potential, and depth to the defensive front. That is something the Redskins have not had in some time. They also provided what should be a boost to the leaky secondary by signing safety D.J. Swearinger. Swearinger brings tenacity, toughness, and coverage skills to the back end. With both Swearinger and Su’a Cravens serving as young, talented additions to the secondary, improvement from last year is almost guaranteed.

There’s something about these signings that is too methodical to suggest a franchise in disarray. One can only hope that the Redskins will remain steady through the remainder of free agency. Cap space is running low, but there are numerous candidates on the roster who could be released to free up cap space, including the recently released Ricky Jean-Francois. After releasing the players who are eating up too much space, the Redskins could scavenge the market for defensive depth.

But the free agency market can only give you so much. For the lucky few, such as the New York Giants, it provides players that legitimize the team and contribute immediately. For the majority, it provides merely a chance at simple fixes for franchises that need some patchwork. The NFL Draft is the place where franchises are truly built. After last year’s underwhelming draft class, the Redskins will need to do much better this year.

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