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Redskins Training Camp Profile 2019: QB Colt McCoy

By Jacob Camenker

FOXBOROUGH, MA - AUGUST 9 : Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins makes a pass during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - AUGUST 9 : Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins makes a pass during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 22: Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 22, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 22: Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 22, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

What McCoy must show at training camp

McCoy doesn’t have to show a lot in terms of skill to prove himself at Redskins training camp. At this point in his career, he is a known commodity as one of the league’s best backup quarterbacks and spot starters. Now, the question is, can he stave off competition to become the starter at least at the beginning of the season?

McCoy’s biggest advantage in the quarterback battle is his experience with the Redskins system. McCoy has been in the nation’s capital for six years now (also read, the entirety of the Jay Gruden era). That gives him a leg up in knowing the offensive system, so if the team’s other quarterbacks struggle to pick that up, McCoy should have an advantage there.

Aside from that, McCoy just needs to show that he is steady, poised, and calm in the battle. If he can show well in training camp and perform as an accurate distributor with enough downfield playmaking ability in the preseason, he will at least give the coaches something to think about. And if he can cut down on the unnecessary risks that resulted in turnovers last year, that would be a positive for him as well.

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Of course, another element that will be important for McCoy is proving that he can stay healthy. He has been banged up at times during the course of his career, but the injury he suffered last year proved to be one of the most tricky ones he has dealt with so far.

McCoy has needed multiple surgeries to fix the fractured fibula he suffered last season. Fans have pointed to this as a problem compounded by the fact that the team thought McCoy could come back for a potential playoff run if the ‘Skins could stay afloat, but it’s unclear if that was the root cause of the problem.

Either way, McCoy will need to prove that his leg is healthy in order to be relied on as a backup. The good news is that Gruden expects him to be back on the field for training camp, so he should at least have a chance to prove himself. And if the leg looks good, he could factor into the quarterback race.

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