Redskins: What is the realistic range of this team in 2019?

This is always how it goes.

The Washington Redskins put together a solid draft. Their picks help put together some hype-inducing practice clips. And all of a sudden, every other person is calling them a playoff sleeper.

The record predictions come next, and those taken by the wave of excitement proudly display their case for 12-4. Others, forever taken aback by the Redskins front office dysfunction and the endless losing cycle, retreat to the opposite pole as a reactionary move. Consequently, we have clashing predictions. 12-4, versus 4-12.

I’m here to tell you, it’s not that simple.

Record predictions are an unavoidable byproduct of the NFL offseason. But there’s a right way to do it: To acknowledge the subjectivity and potential ingrained bias of every prediction, and to acknowledge the vast range of possibilities from which every prediction should be derived.

We’re not making record predictions today. Not yet. Instead, we’re laying a stable foundation for record predictions later on. How good can this Redskins team be? How bad can this Redskins team be? You may feel inclined to entrench yourself in the 4-12 corner, or stand proudly on that 12-4 hill, as if you didn’t last year. But in truth, there is no right answer yet.

All we can do is narrow down the options.