Redskins hailed as playoff team by analysts, anonymous league source

The Redskins have quietly been building a contender this offseason. Others are beginning to take notice.

Scared to embrace the offseason hype surrounding the Washington Redskins? You’re not alone.

The nature of the Redskins has been clear in the Dan Snyder era. For much of the past two decades, Washington has been a basement dweller, occasionally clawing back to relevance for brief spells before returning to the wallowing depths of the NFL.

But lost in the lack of playoff success over Jay Gruden’s tenure is the fact that the Redskins have won seven games or more in each of the last three seasons, something they hadn’t done since 2002. In 2015 and 2016, the Redskins achieved back-to-back winning seasons, something that hadn’t been accomplished by the burgundy and gold since 1997.

It appears as though Washington is out of the cellar, with the doors locked behind them. But many onlookers still live in the past, insisting that the Redskins are doomed to disappoint. For all of the permanent detractors, who take pleasure in dismissing the team, however, there are some prominent figures in the sports world who have recognized the Redskins for what they are in 2018: A contender.

For now, the Redskins hype is still confined in a limited space. It’s a team with potential, but it hasn’t yet earned the trust of the entire NFL community. Nor has it done enough to do so. Even Alex Smith is still an unproven commodity with Washington, even if his past success suggests he’ll be a stable constant.

Until the season starts, potential is all the Redskins will have. But refusing to acknowledge that potential is something many may end up regretting as the season moves along. It’s the same trap many fell into with the Eagles in 2017. I’m not saying the Redskins will win the Super Bowl. Far from it. But the team deserves more recognition than it has received this offseason. They have the potential to be a playoff team.

Washington isn’t the only NFL team being dismissed by the vast NFL populace. The Bears are a team with all the pieces coming together. The 49ers offense can be electric this year, and their defense isn’t anything to scoff at, with players like DeForest Buckner and Rueben Foster gracing the ranks. Everyone likes to pull a Ben McAdoo and say “the Browns are just the Browns”, but they could be more than the Browns in 2018.

The Redskins, in a sense, fall in the same category as these teams. They are unproven. But they have the potential to be one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in 2018, and there is legitimate cause to believe. Most turn away, turning to the past to discredit the present’s potential. But some reasonable people believe in the burgundy and gold. Maybe it’s enough for us to believe, too.