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Redskins Position Battles: Colt McCoy vs. Kevin Hogan for backup QB

By Jacob Camenker

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 18: Colt McCoy #16 of the Washington Redskins looks on before a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2015 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 18: Colt McCoy #16 of the Washington Redskins looks on before a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2015 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 17: Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins looks on during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 17: Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins looks on during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Where the battle stands and implications on the future

Right now, the upper hand certainly belongs to McCoy. He has the experience needed to lead the offense in the event that Smith goes down. And while it’s possible that Hogan could eventually develop into a more talented player than McCoy, it’s unlikely that will happen during the course of the 2018 season.

But as always, there are a couple of alternate outcomes. The first is that Hogan could learn behind McCoy for a year and then eventually take over the starting job. McCoy’s contract is up following the 2018 campaign. In the event that the Redskins decide Hogan is the future at backup quarterback, they could let McCoy walk as his contract expires. So, that would render this season an important one for McCoy. He has to prove that he can win a backup role in case the Redskins decide to part ways with him in the near future.

Conversely, Hogan is a free agent after this season as well. So, it’s possible that the Redskins will look to carry him for the season and if he doesn’t show any development, they could look for a successor to Smith in the 2019 NFL Draft. In that case, they would likely want to re-sign McCoy and select a quarterback in the first two days of the draft.

There’s also the outcome where Hogan overtakes McCoy and the Skins have to figure out what to do with McCoy. This seems unlikely, but it’s probable that they would be able to land him for a conditional seventh rounder for a team needing a backup quarterback. The same cannot be said of Hogan, who would likely be cut and stashed on the practice squad if McCoy beats him out.

Next: Offensive expectations for the Redskins

It’s far too early to tell what will happen with this quarterback battle. Entering the offseason, McCoy will have the upper hand as he looks to lock down the backup position. But Hogan could be an underdog who surprises. We’ll keep you updated on how each player is progressing in the offseason, and during the preseason, we’ll get an excellent look at who will backup the Redskins franchise quarterback.

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