Redskins can get value if a quarterback drops to No. 15
By Ian Cummings
The Redskins have expressed their interest in the 2019 NFL Draft’s quarterbacks all offseason. But the cost to trade up to acquire one has always been too much to consider.
In the modern NFL, with the leverage non-quarterback needy teams hold in the top five, teams in need of a quarterback are required to give away massive amounts of assets to get into position to get their guy. The Washington Redskins know this situation well; in 2012, they traded three first-round picks to trade up from No. 16 to No. 2, where they picked Robert Griffin III.
This year, the Redskins’ roster is a bit more refined than that 2012 team, but still in need of a makeover, and it’s up to interpretation whether getting a new quarterback is truly the best thing for the team in 2019. But at the team level, the circumstances seem to favor the addition of a quarterback. Jay Gruden’s job is in danger, and Case Keenum doesn’t seem like the kind of player to save a coach’s job. Dan Snyder’s fan base is at an all-time low, in terms of interest, and so a quarterback would be the splash needed to artificially reinvigorate the masses.
But despite the sense of the move for the Redskins, there’s still the issue of trading up. For a time, it seemed as if three quarterbacks could go before the Redskins pick at No. 15, leaving Washington with the last of the litter. Consequently, the Redskins seem more likely to trade down than up in the 2019 NFL Draft.
But if a quarterback from the top three drops to No. 15, it all changes.
The Washington Redskins must seek value above all else in the NFL Draft, and if they could somehow get a potential franchise quarterback without having to trade up, it would be one of their most valuable options in Round 1. There have been rumors that Dwayne Haskins could drop to No. 15, and Drew Lock has enough flaws on tape to fall, if teams don’t fall in love with his upside.
Next. Sleepers for the Redskins to target in the NFL Draft. dark
Neither quarterback prospect mentioned is perfect, but if you spend time searching for the perfect quarterback prospect, you’re never going to find them. Haskins could win in the right situation, as could Lock, perhaps to a greater degree with his upside, and if the Redskins don’t have to pay anything but the No. 15 pick to get them, then it would be hard to say no. It’s all theoretical until Thursday. But important nonetheless.