5 things the Redskins must avoid doing in the offseason of 2019
By Ian Cummings
Don’t… go all-in on a quarterback solution
Mark this point with an asterisk, because there’s still plenty of time before the 2019 NFL Draft, and things can change.
That said, as it stands, the 2019 quarterback crop is relatively weak, compared to years past. Justin Herbert seems to be the top signal caller in the class, possessing a promising combination of arm talent, athleticism, and smarts. To get Herbert, however, the Redskins would have to make a trade reminiscent of the RG3 deal. Following the aftermath of that affair, any such move seems unlikely.
That reality has its downsides, as the class drops in value substantially behind Herbert. Will Grier puts up nice stats, but he needs work on his progressions, and his arm talent isn’t first-round worthy. Drew Lock has a bit more natural talent, but his on-field mental traits are just as, if not more spotty. Dwayne Haskins has talent, but again, he’s very raw, and had inconsistent spells with accuracy. Daniel Jones has some traits that could elevate his stock, but he’s far from a sure thing as well.
The 2019 quarterback class is weak, but the demand for signal callers never diminishes, and as a result, the best quarterbacks in a weak class may naturally rise to the top. Teams will scout the position, and not the player, and the Redskins, who still have Alex Smith‘s contract on their books with an injury guarantee, can’t jump the gun and go all-in on finding a solution in 2019. If it takes a bridge year with Colt McCoy and a higher 2020 draft pick to find the team’s long-term quarterback solution, then so be it. It’s better than mortgaging a dinner plate of draft picks, for a team that may need to recharge its core fairly soon.