Redskins: Three positions to avoid spending big on in free agency
By Ian Cummings
No. 3 – Wide Receiver
The 2019 free agent wide receiver class seems, at the very least, overvalued. And if not overvalued, then very uncertain.
Among the top names in the 2019 free agent wide receiver class, you’ll find Tyrell Williams, John Brown, Adam Humphries, Golden Tate, and the Redskins own Jamison Crowder. There are other names trickled throughout. Devin Funchess is another option, and veterans like Demaryius Thomas, Randall Cobb, and Pierre Garcon automatically garner modest interest.
The 2019 free agent wide receiver class is full of complimentary targets, but the Redskins have a need for dynamic talent on the offensive side of the ball, and for an affordable price. That’s a combination they won’t find in March this year, no matter how many zeroes they might write on a check to force the issue.
Per Spotrac, the value to be had in free agency pales in comparison to what might be found in the 2019 NFL Draft. Tyrell Williams’ expected market value hovers around $10 million, as does Adam Humphries’ and Golden Tate’s. Jamison Crowder is also rumored to be seeking that amount, and players like Funchess and Cobb aren’t far behind, with respective market values of $9 million and $8 million.
This isn’t to say that some players in free agency might exceed their monetary worth at their next destination. Williams has the size-speed combination to potentially excel in a premier role, and John Brown, a somewhat cheaper option with an estimated market value of around $6 million, has the speed and route running savvy to provide good returns.
All that said, the Redskins need a player who can elevate a unit, and banking on uncertain assets in free agency, at prices up to $10 million, might not be the safest way to use limited cap space. Especially with a very deep receiver class on the way in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Redskins might be better served to shop at the wide receiver bargain bin instead.