Redskins: Five reasons for fans to hold out hope for the future
By Ian Cummings
No. 3 – There are bright spots in the Redskins front office
Just as there are bright spots on a somewhat speckled football roster, the Redskins also have some hidden gems in their front office.
These hidden gems find it hard to shine at times, as the hazy veil concocted by Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen can be hard to pierce. But make no mistake: There are people in that building who know what they’re doing.
Perhaps the most popular name in this hidden group is Kyle Smith, the Director of College Scouting. Smith, over the past two years, has seen an increase in responsibility, and with that, we’ve seen an increase in immediate returns over the past two NFL drafts. He won’t be promoted to general manager as long as Bruce Allen is here, but Snyder will continue to let Smith oversee the draft. He can’t afford not to.
All 18 players drafted by the Redskins over the past two years are still with the organization. In 2017, Smith managed to luck into grabbing Jonathan Allen at pick No. 17, and in the middle rounds, he consistent contributors such as Montae Nicholson (status rightfully pending amid assault charges), Jeremy Sprinkle, Chase Roullier, and Josh Harvey-Clemons.
In 2018, Smith upheld his reputation, finding promising projects such as Tim Settle, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Greg Stroman, and Trey Quinn in the later rounds. All four of those players could have bigger roles in 2019. Hamilton could wind up being a starter, and a good one.
The Smith hype is real; even with the taint of Snyder and Allen in the building, Smith’s promise has managed to shine through, and the Redskins roster is better because of it. Pair Smith with Eric Schaffer, a relatively young executive who’s widely tabbed as a cap guru.
Per Chris Lingenbach, Schaffer was, as of December 17, being considered by at least one team as a president candidate. Bruce Allen’s missteps cloud Schaffer’s success, but the executive is recognized outside Ashburn as a gem. If he stays in Washington after the latest debacle with Brian Lafemina, he could stay long enough to sap Allen’s role from his own destabilizing self. It’s certainly wishful thinking. But there’s a chance common sense wins out, even in the darkest corner of the NFL.