The Washington Redskins have a handful of key free agents set to hit the market. Here’s a look at where they all might end up.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the Redskins are going to lose some of their top players in free agency. They don’t have a lot of cap space available and though they will likely make some releases to open up more, they still aren’t going to be able to break the bank repeatedly.
The Redskins are going to have to pick and choose their targets carefully all while keeping an eye toward the future. In recent years, the team has placed an increased emphasis on earning compensatory picks. While those are helpful long-term, there will be some short-term pain as they may have to let some talented players go.
This offseason is already markedly different than last year, as the team didn’t have the Kirk Cousins decision looming over them for a good chunk of the year. Of course, they still have issues at quarterback, but their trade for Case Keenum has added another veteran to the room, and that should help the team out a bit. Now, they can turn their attention to their top free agents and figure out which ones they really want — and can afford — to retain.
Here’s a snapshot of the five most important free agents on the Washington roster, and predictions for where they may end up playing next year.
Throughout the offseason, it has seemed like the Redskins will have a chance to bring back Adrian Peterson. A relationship between the two sides would make sense, as Peterson was solid as a fill-in starter last year and he also remained on the free agent market until August. So, a reunion seemed sensible.
However, nothing has come of that yet. There were some reports that Peterson could re-sign with the Redskins ahead of free agency, but he hasn’t yet inked a deal. For this reason, it seems likely that he will hit the open market this offseason.
In all likelihood, Peterson wants another chance to operate as a starter like he did last season in Washington. He wouldn’t get a chance to do that with the Redskins, as Derrius Guice seems likely to take over as the workhorse back. Peterson would be a great backup and mentor to Guice, but it’s possible that some team, needing a starter, could opt to use him as a one-year band-aid or make him part of a powerful one-two punch with a primary receiving back.
Washington Commanders
With that in mind, the question here is, will Peterson find a situation that’s to his liking? It’s unclear if any team will offer him a chance to work as a starter or at least operate in a prominent role. Lately, the Chicago Bears have been mentioned in connection with Peterson, so that could be a fit if Jordan Howard is traded. Other than that, the Philadelphia Eagles could end up having an interest in him as they lack a quality early-down runner on their roster.
The other issue will be Peterson’s compensation. If a team like the Bears views him as a temporary starter, the Redskins will have a tough time competing with them financially. The ‘Skins have minimal cap space and though they can create more, they can’t afford to sink a lot of resources into a backup running back. Even one as talented as Peterson. Backup running backs can be found fairly easily, as evidenced by the team signing Peterson off the street last August.
A reunion with Peterson remains possible, especially if few teams show interest in him as a starter, but it seems likely that there will be at least one that has a prominent role for AP. If that’s the case, it’s hard to imagine him returning to the Redskins in 2019.
Prediction: Signs with Bears for one year, $3.5-$4 million
Both of the initial free agents on this list are at least 33 years old. That said, bringing back Ty Nsekhe is very important to the Redskins and has an important role to play on the squad.
For the past few seasons, Nsekhe has served as one of the best swing tackles in the NFL. He has filled in for Trent Williams and Morgan Moses at times, and he has also manned the guard position as well. Thanks to his massive 6-8 frame, Nsekhe has the combination of length and strength that a lot of teams look for in starting tackles.
Because of the health issues on the Redskins’ line, keeping Nsekhe is critical. While they seem likely to add help to their interior line via the draft and possibly free agency, their potential to add at the tackle position is a little less certain. They drafted Geron Christian in the third round last year, and while he didn’t perform well in his first year, they’ll certainly keep him on as a developmental project. But still, he’s not ready to serve in the backup swing tackle yet.
More from Commanders Free Agency
- Were Commanders free-agent moves hindered by ownership saga?
- 3 players the Commanders were smart to avoid in 2023 free agency
- 3 Commanders position groups that improved most in 2023 free agency
- 4 biggest surprises of Commanders free agency so far in 2023
- 4 prominent former Commanders still on the free-agent scrap heap in 2023
For that reason, keeping Nsekhe will be critical for the Redskins. They don’t seem likely to invest in a tackle early in the draft unless they pick a combination tackle/guard in the first round or two. Even so, that player would likely be asked to start at left guard anyway, and cross-training a rookie at multiple positions while acclimating to the NFL could be difficult.
In short, keeping Nsekhe ensures that the Redskins won’t need to add another tackle. While he may hit the free agent market and some team could be interested in his services, the Redskins should do everything they can to bring him back. And if they offer him a solid deal, and one that may have longer-term options, they could end up retaining him.
Expect teams like the Cardinals, Vikings, Jets, and Texans to be interested in Nsekhe’s service. But at the end of the day, I think that the Redskins will figure out a way to keep him around. Also, teams may not be interested in paying a lot for a 33-year-old player that only has 16 career starts in the NFL even though he has the upside needed to be a solid starting tackle.
Prediction: Signs with Redskins for three years, $12 million
To retain Jamison Crowder, or not to retain Jamison Crowder. That is the question.
Actually, on second thought, it’s not much of a question. In all likelihood, the team is going to have a tough time keeping Crowder because of the amount of money he is set to make on the open market.
According to a report, Crowder is set to make $8-$10 million annually in free agency this season. In a recent story, I explained why that may not be a price that Washington is willing to pay.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
"Last year, Crowder struggled with injuries and logged only 29 catches for 388 yards and a couple of scores in nine games. And for the fourth consecutive year, his catch percentage dropped and he posted a career-low 59.2 percent in that area. Now, that figure may have been influenced by the quarterbacks he had to play with, but he also had four drops last season, tied for second-most on the team. His hands were also an issue at times in 2017, so this can’t be ignored. Crowder still has game-breaking ability, as evidenced by his 79-yard touchdown catch this year, and he is a good route runner as well. However, paying him that much money to be a slot option seems like a risk, especially since there are some comparable players that the team could target in the 2019 NFL Draft."
While Crowder certainly has some talent, it’s hard to justify using that much of the team’s cap to retain a player who has struggled with consistency and injuries in recent seasons. And, additionally, while the 2019 NFL Draft lacks top-end talent at the position, there is depth in the group. So, the Redskins could draft a couple of players and hope that they can adequately replace Crowder.
Crowder figures to garner significant interest on the open market, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a handful of AFC East target him. The Patriots, Dolphins, and Jets could all end up being good fits. But of all the fits out there, Crowder teaming up with Sam Darnold and Adam Gase seems like a good move, as he could really pair well with Robby Anderson and give Darnold a great target out of the slot.
Prediction: Signs with Jets for three years, $30 million
The landing spot of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will be difficult to figure out. It’s going to be a very crowded safety market, and it’s unclear exactly which players will set the market and who will have the most interest. But one thing is certain. Teams will have a lot of options about who to pay.
The Redskins should have a level of interest in playing Clinton-Dix. He wasn’t as good as many expected he’d be after being acquired in a mid-year swap with the Packers, but he still had flashes of very good play that was reminiscent of his early years with the Packers.
Clinton-Dix is generally good in coverage, and it’s possible that he needed time to adapt to the Redskins’ system. After all, mid-year trades are sometimes difficult to work out. And also, Clinton-Dix was still generally solid, and the truth is that he is far better than any talent the team currently has at the position.
The question with Clinton-Dix is about whether or not the team wants to pay him. He may have some interest on the open market, and Washington could opt to target a guy like Landon Collins instead while picking up a cheaper player as well or maybe a draft pick. But if Clinton-Dix wants to make, say, $8 million annually, the Redskins may opt to let someone else pay that while they try to get Collins. But, if they can’t get Collins, circling back to Clinton-Dix would make sense.
At the end of the day, Clinton-Dix is the true toss up of the Redskins’ important free agents. He could come back, and he could end up somewhere else. In a loaded safety market, it’s hard to know exactly where anyone will land. With that said, I think Clinton-Dix is going to leave at this point in time, so we’ll see where he ends up. A good landing spot for him could be Oakland, and the Raiders reportedly have interest in him.
Prediction: Signs with Raiders for four years, $32 million
At this point, it’s all but a foregone conclusion that Preston Smith will land elsewhere. Many of the top pass rushers in the NFL were slapped with the franchise tag, and Smith will capitalize on that via the open market.
While some may point to the franchise tags as benefitting the Redskins as there are fewer teams needing pass rushers now, the fact is that NFL teams are always looking to add pass rushing talent. And, they’re often willing to pay a premium to do that. So, all those franchise tag decisions actually hurt the Redskins’ chances of retaining Smith.
Smith and Trey Flowers are arguably the top two pass rushers currently available. Justin Houston can also be considered among the group, but Flowers and Smith are both just 26. Because of this, both are set to get big paydays. And with the Redskins lacking cap space, they simply won’t be able to keep up in the bidding war that will ensue for Smith.
There are a number of places that Smith could land, but it seems likely that a team armed with loads of cap space could target him. Two stand out in particular, and that’s the Jets and the Colts. Both teams need pass rushers and will be playoff contenders in the AFC. However, one is more ready to compete now, and that’s the team that I expect Smith to land on.