The Washington Redskins could be in need of a quarterback in the event that Kirk Cousins moves on from the team in 2018. Here are their best options on the free agent market.
The Kirk Cousins saga should come to an end in the 2018 offseason. With the Redskins and Cousins officially at a crossroads, the team is going to have to make a decision about the future at the quarterback position. They could choose to stick with Cousins long term, or they could let him go.
If they choose the latter option, the team is going to have to find a potential starting quarterback to replace him. While Colt McCoy could quarterback the team for a year, it’s unlikely that he will lead them to much success. McCoy is a great backup, but as a starter, his fit is more questionable.
Because of this, the Redskins are going to have to take a long look at the free agents available at the position. This is a stronger free agent quarterback class than normal, so this could get interesting. Here’s a look at the top three options for the Redskins to examine.
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.
If the Redskins are looking to find a quarterback with upside on the free agent market, Teddy Bridgewater could end up being their guy. A former first round pick, Bridgewater was once a young player on the rise. However, a devastating injury suffered in practice would change the course of his career.
In August of 2016, Bridgewater was at practice when he suffered a devastating knee injury. The injury was reportedly gruesome, as it came on a non-contact hit and he tore his ACL. That wasn’t the worst part though. He dislocated his knee joint as well and that would further delay his recovery. There were even some questions about whether or not he would ever play again.
Nevertheless, Bridgewater pushed through his rehab and he returned to the Vikings to serve as the backup midway through the 2017 season. It was a huge achievement for Bridgewater and when entered a blowout midway through the year, he got a standing ovation from the crowd. He only threw two passes, and one was picked off, but the stats don’t matter. The fact that he came back was the only important thing.
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The last time Bridgewater functioned as a full-time starter was 2015. During that year, he quarterbacked the Vikings to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. He completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,231 yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine picks. He looked like an average quarterback with the potential to be above average. Now three years removed from that, it’s unclear whether or not he’s the same player. Still, he could get a shot.
Bridgewater won’t turn 26 until midway through the 2018 season, so he still has a lot of time to improve. He could get back to that 2015 level, provided that he can stay healthy, and the Redskins could be interested in adding a player of his caliber.
If Cousins leaves, the Redskins will need to add young talent at quarterback one way or another. While it’s unclear if Bridgewater will be ready to start again, he will come at a much cheaper rate than Cousins and he could challenge Colt McCoy for the starting job. That would allow the Redskins to target different areas in the draft and avoid taking a quarterback. For that reason, Bridgewater could be an appealing option for the team, especially if there’s a lackluster market for the former Louisville product.
There’s no quarterback on the free agent market who is more interesting that Case Keenum. Well, save for Kirk Cousins. Keenum is coming off a great season for the Vikings that saw him lead the team to the NFC Championship game. Now, he might hit the free agent market for yet another year.
Over the course of his career, Keenum had been considered a decent backup at best. Prior to 2017, he sported a 9-15 career record and the Rams let him go as they cleaned house following the Jeff Fisher era. He signed a cheap deal to serve as a backup in Minnesota, and that worked out well.
As I pointed out in my free agents to watch piece from early in the postseason, Keenum was a big surprise in 2017 and had a great year.
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"Keenum is in the midst of what is by far the best season of his career. Originally signed to backup Sam Bradford until Teddy Bridgewater was healthy, Keenum took over the starting job and put up an 11-3 record throwing for career highs in passing yards (3,547) and touchdowns (22). He has looked very good and should get a chance to start in 2018."
Since then, Keenum’s Vikings have been eliminated after he and the team struggled against the tough Eagles defense in the NFC Championship game. Realistically, that was Keenum’s first mediocre performance of the year, and it’s possible that he could keep playing well in the right system. He could be a one-year wonder too, but that’s just a risk a quarterback needy team will have to take.
The Vikings’ decision on Keenum will be telling. If they franchise tag him, it’s obvious that he may be worth a big deal on the market. If they choose to let him walk, that could scare off potential suitors on the market, though the New York Giants and former offensive coordinator turned head coach Pat Shurmur will have interest.
Next: Predicting the results of the 2018 quarterback carousel
In the event that Keenum is available and Cousins walks, the team has to at least look into Keenum. He could be an ideal stopgap for a few years as a bridge to a young quarterback. Some may say that Colt McCoy would be a better option, but Keenum still has more upside. And Keenum, because of his lack of consistent play over his career, will command less than Cousins and could, with a strong supporting cast, get back to the postseason. So, in short, he needs to be considered.