Washington Redskins post-NFL Draft 53-man roster projection

Quarterback

Roster Projection: Alex Smith, Kevin Hogan

Roster Locks: Alex Smith

Offseason Sleepers: N/A

Alex Smith is the only true lock on the roster at quarterback; after trading elite slot cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick in exchange for the tenured signal caller, there’s no reason to discuss a possible departure.

Kevin Hogan and Colt McCoy, however, are more expendable, although it’s possible that the Washington Redskins could keep both along with Alex Smith. The team has, in recent years, shown a tendency to keep three quarterbacks, more often than not.

For several years, they rolled with Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, and Robert Griffin III. In 2016, they kept Cousins, McCoy, and Nate Sudfeld. 2017 was an outlier, in this regard. The team cut Sudfeld after preseason and went with two, instead.

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It’s anyone’s guess what the Washington Redskins do with their last two quarterbacks. Both Kevin Hogan and Colt McCoy are on the final year of their respective contracts, and neither will incur much dead cap if cut. Furthermore, the Washington Redskins barely gave up anything to acquire Hogan. All it took was a sixth-round pick swap with the Cleveland Browns.

Colt McCoy has far more experience in the system than Hogan does, but with a quarterback like Alex Smith, who will soon be 34 years old, it would be smart for the team to err on the side of the younger quarterback, if they’re forced to choose one or the other.

Hogan has his flaws; he needs to work on his throwing motion, and he doesn’t have as much experience as McCoy. But if the difference between McCoy and Hogan is minimal, and the team feels the need to open up a roster spot to reinforce another position, Hogan should be the choice, and the reason is simple; he has more of his career arc left to play out.

With his mobility, Hogan is a good fit for Gruden’s offense, and Gruden, a respected quarterback developer, can help Hogan work on his throwing motion. He proved to be a solid spot starter in Cleveland last year. There’s no need to give up on him so quickly. If comparable, in terms of camp and preseason performance, Hogan should get the edge over McCoy. And McCoy should get a chance to prove himself somewhere else, before his time runs out. It’s a chance he’s always wanted.