You’re going to read the word “barometer” a lot in this article.
It’s easy to see why. Right now, the forecast for the Washington Redskins 2018 season is relatively unclear. Of all the teams in the NFL, the Redskins have a wider range than most.
Preseason is only one step toward figuring out how the Redskins might do, and it’s far from a reliable one, but the Redskins would do well to make the most of the opportunity they have. With two relatively easy games up front in the regular season, the Redskins could very well start 2-0, and carry that momentum into a Week 3 matchup against Green Bay.
Of course, it couldn’t hurt to start the streak a couple weeks early. In preseason.
The Redskins start their 2018 preseason schedule against the New England Patriots on Thursday. Plenty of first-year players will get their first NFL action in the books, and other roster hopefuls will start their quests to compete. Here are five matchups to focus on, amidst all the ensuing chaos. Ladies and gentlemen, football is back.
No. 5 – Redskins WR Trey Quinn vs. Patriots CB Duke Dawson
In reality, all of the Redskins’ depth receivers deserve attention this coming Thursday, but if I had to choose one to zoom in on this week, it would be the newcomer: Seventh-round rookie Trey Quinn (No, it’s not because he’s my favorite player. Don’t know where you heard that).
Simmie Cobbs, Cam Sims, Shay Fields, and Darvin Kidsy all fall in the category of “newcomer” as well, but Trey Quinn is the only one who managed to get drafted this spring, albeit just one pick away from free agency. Quinn’s skill set also best fits the Redskins’ personnel, and there’s a very real chance he could have a decent workload from day one.
Upon analysis of his college film, it’s clear that there isn’t a glaring weakness in Quinn’s game. He’s a precise route runner with quick cutting ability and solid body control. He has hands of steel, and he knows how to use his leverage and high point the ball. At the same time, he doesn’t have any dominant traits. At 6-foot-0, 200, he’s average size for a wide receiver. But his traits provide for both NFL readiness and positional versatility.
Quinn can legitimately be a solid target for Alex Smith this season, but even for the NCAA’s 2017 receptions leader, the NFL is a different game, and requires a period of acclimation. Some rookies are more ready than others, and Thursday will give us a glimpse at how pro-ready Trey Quinn truly is. This test will be a good one to ease him into the grind; Duke Dawson is a fellow rookie from Florida with an affinity for the slot. If Quinn does well in his first NFL contest, then it’s safe to say he’ll be a solid rotational option moving forward.
No. 4 – Redskins QB Kevin Hogan vs. Patriots defense
Kevin Hogan‘s destiny with the Redskins is in his own hands. And he will start writing that tale later this week, against the New England Patriots.
Hogan’s roster status has been in doubt ever since he was acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns earlier in the offseason. Hogan has legitimate potential as a solid backup, and even a spot starter, but he’s still a bit of a project.
It was once believed that, with his youth and his arm, he would challenge Colt McCoy for the team’s backup job. But those suspicions were nullified when the Redskins awarded McCoy with a conditional contract extension on the first day of training camp.
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McCoy still isn’t a surefire roster lock, as the contract allows for the Redskins to void the agreement, if certain criteria are met. But in all likelihood, the extension means that McCoy is fairly safe. Thus, Hogan is only playing for one job, and that’s the No. 3 slot. He has to prove he’s worth it for the Redskins, who could instead keep a skill player at a deep position instead of Hogan.
The Patriots defense, well-rounded and well-coached, will be a good test for Hogan, who will likely get plenty of action in his first game with the Redskins. His performance will be a good barometer for the development he’s undergone this offseason. Jay Gruden is known for his work with quarterbacks, and Hogan is smart. If he can apply what he’s learned to the field, in full-speed action, he can make a compelling case.
The Patriots’ game isn’t a must-show for Hogan, but making a good first impression will go a long way. There’s only one cut day now, after Week 4 of preseason, so Hogan will have at least the majority of three games to prove his worth. Nevertheless, he can’t get lazy. The Patriots offer him not only a great test, but a chance to learn, adapt, and make necessary changes in the coming weeks. As a player on the roster fringe, Hogan needs to take advantage of this opportunity.
No. 3 – Redskins LB Josh Harvey-Clemons vs. Patriots TEs
Until training camp, little was known about the Redskins’ pecking order at linebacker. Zach Brown and Mason Foster are the unquestioned starters, but after them, the depth chart is a bit murky.
Or at least it was.
Organized team activities provided some hints toward the eventual order, and now training camp has been even more revealing. Zach Brown took some time off early on with a minor injury, and whenever he or Foster came out, one player came in right behind them as the first backup off the bench.
On some days, players like Shaun Dion Hamilton, Martrell Spaight, and Zach Vigil worked their ways into the first rotation, but it’s clear that the Redskins see Harvey-Clemons as their primary backup. He’s a versatile player who the team has moved around, and although he’s still a bit thin for the position, he’s shown a willingness to stop the run in early practices.
From the moment he was drafted in Round 7 last year, it was clear that Harvey-Clemons had potential, as a 6-foot-4 safety convert with solid length and speed. While his status in training camp is a promising sign, only preseason will give concrete answers as to how far Harvey-Clemons has come in his first full offseason with the Redskins.
If he develops quicker than expected, he could be a valuable chess piece on the Redskins’ defense; he can help the Redskins’ linebackers in coverage, something the backups, mainly Martrell Spaight, struggled with last year. Tight ends, in particular, had their way with the Redskins’ linebackers in 2017. Harvey-Clemons can stop that.
The Patriots have an intriguing cast of tight ends to pit against Harvey-Clemons. Harvey-Clemons likely won’t see much of the ever-affluent Rob Gronkowski, but everyone else behind him is fair game. Dwayne Allen is an athlete who still has yet to polish his game on a consistent basis. Will Tye is a decent backup who produced with the Giants earlier in his career. Jacob Hollister is an ascending receiving threat with the height and toughness to compete, and Ryan Izzo also fits that profile as a rookie.
Harvey-Clemons won’t necessarily be playing up to his competition, but like so many other matchups across the board, this assignment will be a good barometer for assessing Harvey-Clemons’ growth in the offseason of 2018, and his readiness for an increased, hybrid-type role in the 2018 regular season.
No. 2 – Redskins OLBs vs. Patriots LT Isaiah Wynn
The New England Patriots will only have one first-round pick heathy for their Week 1 preseason matchup against the Redskins. Luckily, Isaiah Wynn will provide a great test for the team’s edge rushing depth.
Behind Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith, the Redskins have a bit of a mix and match going on at edge rusher. Pernell McPhee and Ryan Anderson are both strength players who set the edge in run defense better than on passing downs. Pete Robertson is a mere camp standout at this point, and Alex McCalister, while he possesses stellar measurables, has yet to separate himself at a position of weaker depth.
Preseason will provide these players respective opportunities to showcase their individual talents, and this Week 1 matchup against Isaiah Wynn will be unique; can the aforementioned players use their combined traits and experience to get the best of a highly-touted rookie? If not, there are still three weeks left to be played. But if a player manages to accomplish that feat, it could go a long way toward making a case for a roster spot.
No. 1 – Redskins HC Jay Gruden vs. Patriots HC Bill Belichick
No matter what Jay Gruden has or hasn’t accomplished in his tenure, one thing is certain: He and his teams need to start faster than they have in the past.
One knock on Gruden is that, in four years as the Redskins’ head coach, he hasn’t yet won a season-opening game. Now, that’s hardly all on Gruden, but fact remains that Gruden’s Redskins teams have yet to win in Week 1, and with better preparation, they just might.
Having an easier matchup in 2018 will help as well, but the Patriots game will be a good barometer (there’s that word again) for Gruden as football kicks off once again. Bill Belichick is the best in the business. If Gruden’s Redskins match up well, then they’ll be off to a good start.
Fast-paced football is almost back; on Thursday, the Redskins will face off against the New England Patriots. Be sure to take a look back at our game preview, and stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag throughout the week, as we’ll keep churning out pregame content!