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Redskins: 3 quarterbacks to target on the free agent market in 2018

By Jacob Camenker

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Case Keenum #7 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Case Keenum #7 of the Minnesota Vikings looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 10: AJ McCarron #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 10: AJ McCarron #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws a pass against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

56. . Quarterback. Cincinnati Bengals. A.J. McCarron. 3. player

A.J. McCarron came into the league in 2014 as a third round pick for the Cincinnati Bengals. During his career, he has been limited to starting in place of an injured Andy Dalton, and riding the bench as a backup. However, he has an intriguing skill set and could be a good player.

McCarron doesn’t have the strongest arm out there, but he has good size at 6-foot-3 and a very accurate arm. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 854 yards, six touchdowns, and two picks for the Bengals in seven games (three starts) during the 2015 season. That sample size is very small, but over the course of a 16 game season, it’s fair to assume that he could have a chance to be a solid starter.

The only current question about McCarron, save for his relative lack of experience, is the fact that his status as a free agent is undermined. He is currently trying to argue in court that he should be an unrestricted free agent as opposed to a restricted free agent, and that dispute will be solved in February. If he is restricted, signing him will be much more difficult and probably not worth it.

For the Redskins, McCarron could end up being a similar player to Kirk Cousins. He is a prototypical passer with excellent accuracy. For the Cousins detractors out there, don’t panic. McCarron is different in the way that he doesn’t have as strong of an arm, but he has made fewer mistakes in limited action. He is more of a combination of Cousins and Alex Smith, which could allow him to effectively manage a team to the postseason.

And furthermore for the Cousins detractors, McCarron would probably come a lot cheaper. In the event that he is an unrestricted free agent, his relative lack of experience could cause a lukewarm market for him. He will draw interest from teams like the Cleveland Browns and maybe the Buffalo Bills, but it’s possible the Redskins could land him on a deal that would be less than half of what Cousins commands. For that reason, he is a player who well could be in the mix and deserves a look, considering that he doesn’t project as a major downgrade.

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