Five Redskins players who received votes of confidence in the draft

No. 3 – Redskins LT Trent Williams

Most mock drafts in the 2019 offseason had the Redskins selecting some kind of tackle. A developmental tackle, a swing tackle, a first-round tackle, you name it. Whatever the mocks said, the Redskins scoffed and looked away, and in the 2019 NFL Draft, they did not pick a single offensive tackle, opting for defensive depth in the later rounds.

This could also be considered a vote of confidence for Morgan Moses, but his job security was more concrete for 2019; although he had a bad season in 2018, the Redskins were never likely to mess with his role, and they’ll give him a chance to rebound. Rather, the Redskins player whose future was most implied by the Redskins draft preference is Trent Williams.

Williams, who comes off his seventh Pro Bowl bid in 2018, turns 31 years old later this offseason. He hasn’t played a full sixteen-game season since 2013, and over the past three seasons, he’s missed thirteen games. In 2017, he played on a knee injury that needed surgery. In 2018, he injured his ribs, and experienced a medical scare after the season as well.

At 31 years old, the cliff comes to mind when thinking of Williams. When he’s healthy, he’s dominant. But to ask for healthy Trent Williams is asking for a lot, in the present. Williams’ future outlook is uncertain, but the Redskins, by refusing to draft a tackle, must feel comfortable with how their best offensive player is prepping, and they must feel as if he can play for another year or two. Or three.