It’s time for a Riggo’s Rag Mailbag! We took some questions on Twitter and here’s the answers to all of those.
The offseason has officially hit the late-June lull that all NFL fans know too well. With minimal news coming out about the upcoming season, we’re all left to analyze and speculate on what will happen once training camp begins. Thus comes the term that I have always used to describe this time of year. Speculation season.
With this time of year in full swing, we decided to listen to our readers and find some questions that they want to answer. And of course, the big questions reared their heads. So, we will be talking about the Redskins red zone offense, their record, and a lot more in the Riggo’s Rag Mailbag!
Mark: Are we looking better with the red zone offense? It’s not going to be another year of field goals, is it?
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There’s certainly reason for optimism with the Redskins red zone offense. For one, Kirk Cousins is gone and Alex Smith is in town. Last year, Cousins had a 17-to-3 TD-INT ratio in the red zone while Smith had 13 touchdowns and no picks. Cousins’ three picks were tied for the second-most in the league (behind only DeShone Kizer). So, there should be more scoring opportunities and less interceptions at the very least.
In addition to Smith, the Redskins have Josh Doctson with another year of season and added Paul Richardson to the team. Richardson could end up playing more of a role than most think because of his speed, quickness, and ability to contort to make crazy catches. Meanwhile, Doctson should have more jump-ball ability, especially if he got stronger.
Also helping will be Jordan Reed (if healthy) and a couple of undrafted rookies in Cam Sims and Simmie Cobbs who could make the roster as red zone specialists. They stands 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-3 respectively, so that could have an underrated impact if either is able to make the squad.
In short, the Redskins have the upgraded weaponry to improve. It’s just a matter of whether or not Jay Gruden can unlock the potential of the unit.
Ernest B.: Sent it to Keim but he will be out of the net, with Training Camp around the corner cuts and Practice Squad will be the end result. There are new rules to PS eligibility with up to 4 players with no more than 2 accrued seasons eligible. Bibbs outplayed Kelley but RK would be good insurance for example.
The new practice squad rules were instituted in 2016. The modification allows teams to keep more experienced players on the unit, as they can carry up to four players with two accrued seasons. Previously, that number had just been two players. And for those wondering, an accrued season occurs when a player spends at least six games on the team’s active roster.
In short, this means that more veteran players are able to stay on the practice squad that previously wouldn’t be able to. This could have an impact on the Redskins, as they have several players with two seasons of accrued experience that they might like to keep.
Among them would be Rob Kelley and Maurice Harris (though the latter’s eligibility for a third accrued season on the practice squad is a bit unclear). If either player were to clear waivers, they could be stashed as an insurance policy on the practice squad and get called up immediately in the wake of an injury. However, it seems unlikely that either player would agree to that, as they would have a better shot of landing on the 53-man roster of a team if they stay on the free agent market.
While the new practice squad rules are a bit liberating, it still might not be enough to get either Kelley or Harris on the squad were they to be waived. It just seems that somebody might try to claim either player. And those are virtually the only players with two years of accrued experience that might be practice squad candidates.
Matt L.: Which cornerbacks make the roster and which corners have a chance in becoming impact players?
It seems probable that the Redskins will carry six cornerbacks and four safeties as they did for most of the 2017 season. They have solid but unproven talent at the corner position, but it’s shaping up to be a fun year for the position group.
The six corners I think the Redskins are going to carry are as follows. Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, Orlando Scandrick, Joshua Holsey, and Greg Stroman. The first three are locks. Scandrick was signed to provide veteran depth and may end up being the starting nickel back. So, he’s probably a lock too.
As for Holsey and Stroman, both figure to make the roster. Holsey is a favorite of the coaching staff and is regarded as a smart, hard-working player. Meanwhile, Stroman is coming off a very good college career and was recruited to Virginia Tech by current Redskins defensive backs coach Torrian Gray. That connection, plus his abilities as a punt returner, will earn him a roster spot.
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In terms of impact players, the Redskins have one in Norman. He’s coming off a down year, but he dealt with a nasty rib/lung injury that ensured he wasn’t 100 percent for most of the season. When fully healthy, he should continue to be solid in coverage and provide a big, physical defensive back for the squad.
The other two who could emerge as big impact guys are Dunbar and Moreau. I’m high on Dunbar, as the former receiver has improved in each of his seasons at the corner position. He could become a strong No. 2 corner and be an upgrade over Bashaud Breeland. He also has good size, length, and speed, so he could grow into the role and become a really good corner.
As for Moreau, he is an excellent athlete with great speed and ball skills. That should give him a chance to become a starter on the outside or make him a good nickel. With a good second season, he could force the Redskins to move on from Norman and take over the starting role from the veteran. That would likely be a financially motivated decision, but it’s still possible.
Even the potential practice squaders, undrafted free agents Danny Johnson and Ranthony Texada, are good players. If the Redskins weren’t so loaded up on young talent at corner, either of those guys would be in the mix to make the roster, though I have Johnson ranked slightly ahead of Texada right now.
Rawlings82: Looking at the roster as it sits right now, what position groups do you feel the Redskins should focus on in the first round in next years draft?
This question is tough to answer solely because it’s unknown how the Redskins young players progress and what the team does in free agency. So, let’s dive into a number of possibilities.
As it stands, the biggest glaring hole on the Redskins roster is at left guard. That said, it seems unlikely that the Redskins will spend a first round pick on guard again, as they already invested in Brandon Scherff and the interior offensive line class in 2019 looks merely decent at this time. That said, they could go after a tackle/guard hybrid like Wisconsin’s Michael Dieter, but it still seems that they would focus on a Day 2 or Day 3 option at the position.
The other position that could become a need is rush linebacker. The Redskins are set to see both Preston Smith and Pernell McPhee hit free agency. And if they lose both, and in particular, Smith, they will need to add some help on the edge. Even if Ryan Anderson improves enough to be trusted as a starter, they will have virtually no depth and Ryan Kerrigan will be heading into his age 31 season.
FanSided
Thankfully, the pass rushing talent in the 2019 draft is excellent, so they might have a shot at landing a potential starter. If they are picking in the late teens/early 20s, as most fans hope, a guy like Montez Sweat out of Mississippi State would be a sensible target, but it’s possible he could be off the board by then. The early selections may be dominated by defensive linemen/edge rushers, so counting on a top talent to be there for the Redskins is a bit risky. But there is plenty of talent and depth at the position to be sure.
Some more under-the-radar needs are corner, wide receiver, and quarterback. Corner could be addressed if none of the young players live up to their hype and the team releases Josh Norman due to his huge cap number. Similarly, if Josh Doctson fails to live up to his potential, the Redskins may elect to part with him and could lose Jamison Crowder. In that case, grabbing a guy to pair with Paul Richardson and Trey Quinn seems like a strong option.
Quarterback is always the position to watch on an Alex Smith led team. While Smith still has a few years left in him, the Redskins could fall in love with a quarterback prospect and groom him as Smith’s replacement. It would probably be better to wait until the loaded 2020 draft to target a first round quarterback, but if Colt McCoy leaves in free agency, it’s something that can’t be counted out.
The Redskins have many options in the draft right now. As player values and roster needs get more established on both sides, it will become clearer. But to maximize value, based on where they’re picking, an edge rusher makes the most sense at this point in time.
Josh V.: What do you predict the Redskins win-loss record is, which games do they win/lose?
This is an age old question that every offseason is very difficult to predict. Because of the physical nature of the NFL, injuries can take a toll on teams early, as the Redskins saw last season, and really derail progress. But if the roster stays healthy, there’s reason to believe this Redskins squad should be good. But they also have to face a fairly tough schedule.
The Redskins really need to get going early in the season to start on the right foot. They have winnable games against the Cardinals and the Colts, and they can’t afford to lose either of those games, as they should have superior roster. And with the Packers on the docket for Week 3, they really need to win those games to head into their very early bye with a winning record.
Following the bye, the Redskins have seven games against teams that made the playoffs in 2017. Additionally, they will play all six of their divisional games, so those will be tough. That said, I’m optimistic that the Redskins have the talent to beat just about anybody on their schedule, at least with the paper roster.
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My early projection will be a 10-6 record for the Redskins. And here’s a look at the win-loss breakdown that gets them there.
WINS: Cardinals, Colts, Panthers, Cowboys (home), Giants (twice), Buccaneers, Texans, Jaguars, Titans
LOSSES: Packers, Saints, Falcons, Cowboys (away), Eagles (twice)
This is subject to change, and you could argue for any combination of wins and losses. But for now, this is how I see it shaking out.
Next: Redskins offensive stat predictions for 2018
Thanks for all your questions Redskins fans! Feel free to comment below with more questions or use the #RiggosRagMailbag on Twitter to get in questions for the next mailbag!