Redskins Saturday Spotlight: Finding the next developmental quarterback
By Ian Cummings
There exists in football a fascinating dichotomy.
Football is a team sport in every way. From both a broad scope, and a narrow one. The offense needs the defense to play well, so that they don’t get caught in a shootout. The defense needs the offense to play well so that they have time to rest and recuperate. The Redskins know this.
Between players on identical units, this symbiotic relationship rings true as well. Each player works so that the other may do his job more effectively, and one loose cog in the machine can send the operation tumbling into the dust before it takes flight.
Football is the fundamental team affair, but despite this, there is a widely-accepted truth that, in this perfectly subjugated sport, one position takes precedence over all the rest.
Quarterback.
In today’s NFL, the entire construction process of a team revolves around its quarterback. Teams can compete by paying their quarterbacks by the current scale, but the best-built, most sustainable teams are put together around a cheap, value quarterback.
With Alex Smith in tow as a potential mentor, the Washington Redskins have the makings of a solid long-term formula in place. Sometime in the next three years, it would be wise for Washington to get a young quarterback with potential and put him under Smith’s wing, much like Andy Reid did with Patrick Mahomes. The results will not be as dramatic, or immediate, from a quarterback taken in the middle rounds, but the premise is similar: Quarterback development could save this team serious money.
With that being said, what if the Redskins decide to draft a quarterback in the middle rounds this year, and groom him? There are plenty of intriguing options, and while no player in that range is a guarantee, there are several draft prospects with traits that could project them as eventual starters, in the right environment. The team could also wait until the first round of 2020, but we’re impatient. So, let’s take a look at some quarterbacks who could entice the Redskins front office, and become a crucial part of their future plans.