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Why the Redskins would be a good fit for HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 01: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes throws a pass down field against the Northwestern Wildcats in the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 01, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 01: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes throws a pass down field against the Northwestern Wildcats in the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 01, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The quarterback battle

The quarterback position is the most important position to any franchise in the NFL. There are only a handful of legitimate quarterback battles every year, and they often involve veterans and rookies. This year, the Redskins have one.

After selecting Dwayne Haskins with the 15th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, it’s clear what the team’s future is at quarterback. At some point, Haskins will be handed the keys to the franchise. It’s just a matter of when that might be.

It’s possible that Haskins could be the starter as a rookie. After all, he demonstrated great arm talent in college and throughout the draft process and has the traits of a solid starter at the NFL level. At the same time, he could stand to develop a little bit more. He was only a one-year starter at Ohio State, so transitioning to the NFL may take some time.

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That’s why the Redskins traded for Case Keenum and kept Colt McCoy around. They wanted to make sure that they have veteran options on the roster that could start if Haskins isn’t ready.

At the moment, Keenum would certainly be favored to start if Haskins needs time. Keenum can function as a starting quarterback at the NFL level as demonstrated by his performance in each of the past two seasons. He found a lot of success with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, showcasing a good arm and solid accuracy, but was replaced by Kirk Cousins. He then went to the Denver Broncos. He struggled a bit there — his supporting cast wasn’t very strong — but he also had issues with turnovers. The Broncos moved on from Keenum in favor of Joe Flacco and Drew Lock, and that’s how Keenum landed in Washington.

Keenum may not be able to take Washington to the playoffs because of the lack of offensive weaponry surrounding him, but he should be a stable option as a starter if Haskins doesn’t look quite up to the task in the offseason. He could then be the starter until Haskins is deemed ready, whenever that may be.

“Hard Knocks” would love to feed on a competition like this. Haskins could be cast as the potential-packed top pick who is trying to be a franchise savior. Meanwhile, Keenum would be the gritty underdog who two other teams have given up on too soon. A battle between those two would be great for the show, and that is one of the big things that makes them a good fit for the program.

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