The Washington Redskins have had a lot of new talent join the roster. As a result, they have some very intriguing position battles to watch.
Every year, NFL teams bring in a lot of new talent to their respective rosters. And the 2019 offseason was no different for the Washington Redskins.
The team has brought in more than 20 rookies to join the team. They also have three new quarterbacks on the roster, a big-money free agent signing, and countless players returning from injuries. The 90-man roster is full, and it is loaded with potential-packed players that could have an impact on the squad.
But first, there has to be a cut to 53. And before that happens, roster favorites have to establish themselves. That’s what minicamp, training camp, and the preseason is for.
The other big thing that happens during this time is position battles. And this year, the Redskins could be in for some fierce ones, especially given the unsettled state of their offense. Here’s a look at the five position battles that appear to be the most important ones as the offseason drags on.
Honorable Mention: Cornerback depth (Greg Stroman vs. Jimmy Moreland vs. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs. Danny Johnson vs. Adonis Alexander)
5. Fourth tackle: Ereck Flowers vs. Tyler Catalina vs. Timon Parris
Normally, a position battle for the fourth offensive line spot on a roster wouldn’t make many headlines. But, in the wake of the Trent Williams holdout, this battle could be critical.
If Williams is serious about not returning to the Redskins, the team’s fourth tackle would become the swing tackle. And with Geron Christian banged up at the moment, a Williams holdout into the season would launch one of these players into the starting role.
It’s not ideal, at all. It’s also a worst-case scenario that isn’t likely to unfold. But, it should be tracked, nonetheless.
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
Coming into the offseason, there was no “favorite” to take on the fourth tackle position. Right now, there are three option. Ereck Flowers is one, but the former Giants and Jaguars tackle has not looked good at minicamp. The ‘Skins wanted to move him inside, but being short at tackle has forced their hand. Still, it appears that he is a human turnstile at that position still, so unless he can improve in camp, he may find himself behind in the race.
Elsewhere, Catalina and Parris are both young and have spent time with the Redskins. Parris was on the practice squad and active roster as an undrafted rookie last year while Catalina made the team’s 53-man roster in 2017 and has been on and off the unit as offensive line depth ever since.
Catalina has supposedly been outplaying Flowers at tackle. That’s not overwhelming praise, given how bad Flowers has been at tackle, but it’s still a good sign in Catalina’s development. So, at the moment, it appears that he might be emerging as the top option because of his familiarity and positional versatility.
That said, Parris is an intriguing candidate with upside, and if the 6-foot-6 Stony Brook product can continue to improve, he could fight for a roster spot. Either way, tackle depth will become very important as long as the Williams holdout is in effect.
4. Starting Running Back: Derrius Guice vs. Adrian Peterson
This may not seem like a battle to some, but it remains possible that these two could jockey for depth chart positioning throughout the season. While Guice has a lot of upside, he is coming off an injury and Peterson did have a 1,000-yard season. So, it’s not a given that Guice will immediately emerge as a starter.
Guice will be a full year removed from an ACL tear during the preseason. And coming into the league, there was a lot of reason for excitement about him as a player. Guice has good balance and is a well-rounded back who could really make a difference in the Washington running game.
However, Guice only ever has seen action in the NFL preseason. So, relying on him to be the full-time starter out of the gate is risky, unless he really shows well during the offseason. Peterson could be mixed in to start the year and in an ideal world, the two will split carries.
Washington Commanders
That said, there still is a chance that the Redskins may want to give Guice a little extra time to rehab and may really ease him into the role. If that happens, Peterson could end up being the primary starter early in the season while Guice eventually gets a bigger workload. It all depends on how the two look during the preseason.
Also, another name to keep an eye on here as a dark horse is Samaje Perine. The third-year back has been praised profusely by Jay Gruden this offseason. While that may be an attempt to drive up his trade value, he could force his way into the backfield rotation if he performs well in the preseason. Perine has upside and should have been given an opportunity to get work last season, Instead, Gruden chose to go with guys like Byron Marshall late in the year when he really should have seen what Perine was capable of doing in his second NFL season.
This isn’t really a traditional position battle, as both Guice and Peterson seem likely to have big roles with the Redskins. But, it’s worth keeping an eye on, especially to see how much Guice has been able to progress this offseason.
3. Starting Middle Linebacker: Jon Bostic vs. Mason Foster
Reuben Foster and Shaun Dion Hamilton were supposed to be the starters at the linebacker position this year. That changed when Foster suffered a torn ACL. He will now miss the season, and that will leave the Redskins searching for a replacement at linebacker.
The team is likely going to have to use a committee approach at linebacker, but they may also want experience next to the relatively green Hamilton. That leaves Bostic and Mason Foster as the top options.
Of the two, Foster is the more known commodity in Washington. He’s a solid two-down linebacker whose coverage skills have regressed in the past couple of years. He’s still a good tackler and had some very good games last year, but he really shouldn’t be on the field in obvious passing situation. One plus with him is that he did start next to Hamilton in four games last season after Hamilton moved into the lineup over Zach Brown.
As for Bostic, he was a late addition to the roster (signed in the wake of Reuben Foster‘s injury) but he has been a solid tackler the past couple of seasons, and he had 73 stops and 2.5 sacks last season for Pittsburgh. Even more importantly, he has looked good in minicamp and could give the defense a bit of a jolt. That said, he is a journeyman (four teams in the last five years) so trusting him in a big role could be a risk.
For now, Bostic seemingly has a slight advantage on Foster solely because he’s a bit younger and more athletic. But anything could happen in the lead up to the season. That’s what will make this the best defensive position battle to watch.
Cole Holcomb or Josh Harvey-Clemons could also factor into this race, but I think it’s more likely that those two will end up battling for the coverage linebacker role.
2. Receiving Corps: Virtually all starting jobs
This group is very uncertain. It seems that there are a group of guys is establishing themselves as the likely roster candidates, but outside of that, there is no pecking order.
The six receivers, you ask? They are probably going to be, in no particular order, Josh Doctson, Trey Quinn, Kelvin Harmon, Paul Richardson, Terry McLaurin, and Cam Sims. And realistically, anything could happen as the team looks for their best combination of offensive weapons.
The two holdover starters from last year, Doctson and Richardson, both seem to have the advantage to start from day one. Richardson inked a big free agent deal during the 2018 offseason. One injury-plagued season won’t be enough to move on from him. Meanwhile, Doctson mostly is favored for familiarity now, but if he finally does make the long-awaited leap, he could be a solid possession receiver.
More from Commanders News
- 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
The slot is up for grabs. Quinn has looked good this offseason, so he would probably get the first crack at it. But if either McLaurin or Harmon shows the ability to play there, they could have a shot to play there as well.
Meanwhile, Sims looked great last preseason and has flashed in minicamp. He’s a sleeper that could ultimately unseat Doctson as an outside receiver, as he is a strong, big-bodied receiver. It will be interesting to see how he does when training camp rolls around.
While there are current favorites for specific roles here, they are all jockeying for position. Camp and the preseason will do a lot to establish the pecking order at the team’s most uncertain position.
1. Starting Quarterback: Dwayne Haskins vs. Case Keenum vs. Colt McCoy
This position battle is obviously the big draw this offseason. Any time there is an unsettled quarterback situation on an NFL team, it ends up being in the spotlight. And that won’t change this year for the Redskins.
Haskins was the team’s first-round pick. Keenum was acquired cheap in a savvy late-round swap to potentially start for the team. And McCoy is entering his sixth season with the Redskins and has familiarity with the system. All three can offer something to the team, and it will be interesting to see what player comes out on top.
At the moment, it seems that Haskins and Keenum are the co-favorites for the job, as McCoy is still recovering from the leg injury he suffered last season. While Haskins is almost certainly going to be the long-term starter, he may not be ready to start the season as he was only a one-year starter at Ohio State. If Keenum outplays him in camp and in the preseason, the team could opt to give Keenum the job and let Haskins develop behind him.
Conversely, Haskins could impress off the bat and the Redskins could opt to roll with him in hopes of the rookie sparking what was a lackluster offensive attack last season. Either way, the Redskins have a decision to make at quarterback and it will take a while for the team to properly answer the question.
This battle will certainly dominate the headlines as the offseason goes along. It will be interesting to see which quarterback can get the first leg-up in the competition as major offseason events occur.