The Redskins will have an opportunity to improve on their efforts against Cleveland on Thursday.
They’ll stay in the AFC North, but the tour will now take the Washington Redskins back home to Ashburn, where they’ll host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 of the 2019 preseason session.
The Bengals had a similar Week 1 to the Redskins; they were walloped by a team that was clearly better. Last Saturday saw the Bengals lose to the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 36-17. Now, after a short week of preparation, the Bengals will come to D.C., in hopes of improving on their first contest.
For the Redskins, however, this isn’t about winning. If they win, it’s a nice bonus. But the main purpose of preseason is to get younger players more reps, help them develop, and decide position battles by giving opportunities to roster hopefuls. It’s an environment that demands attention for its players, and in the coming slides, we’ll give you five players to watch in Week 2.
No. 5 – Redskins ILB Josh Harvey-Clemons
It was a toss-up between Josh Harvey-Clemons and Cole Holcomb for this slot, but I felt as if Harvey-Clemons showed a bit more on Thursday, in terms of consistency and skill set. Both players were fast, but Harvey-Clemons looked bigger and longer, and he made a couple key stops in limited action.
Harvey-Clemons, 25, has always had three-down linebacker upside, but he just needed to add more weight to his athletic frame. With 35.6-inch arms, Harvey-Clemons’ wingspan rivals that of some linemen, and with that frame, he can be incredibly disruptive, both as a pursuing tackler and as a pass defender.
Harvey-Clemons showed some of that upside in Week 1 of preseason, and in Week 2, Harvey-Clemons could get a rare starting opportunity; Shaun Dion Hamilton suffered a chest injury in Week 1, and his status is unclear to this point. It was a minor injury; that much is known. But the team could hold Hamilton out, and give Harvey-Clemons a chance to show more of his exciting traits.
Harvey-Clemons is essentially a roster lock; the linebacker position doesn’t have much depth, and Harvey-Clemons at least provides that. He also has upside and the ability to play special teams. But if he takes this opportunity and runs with it, he could find himself in a more meaningful rotation, come September and October.
No. 4 – Redskins OT Timon Parris
The Redskins have no more time to add outside options at tackle; they’re stuck with what they got, for better or worse, and in the coming weeks, we’ll be able to see how the team’s backup offensive line progresses from the preseason debut, an uninspiring showing overall.
One player who’s worth watching, given the players’ own traits and the corresponding situation, is offensive tackle Timon Parris. Parris was often caught in a bad light on Thursday, as he was seen on numerous plays where the quarterback got hit. But on one notable occasion, the fault was not Parris’, and he showcased his upside more often than people gave him credit for.
In a recent podcast, which was very informative, OL expert Robbie Duncan spoke at length about Parris, and he spoke about how Parris had shown promise in his Week 1 performance. Duncan lauded Parris’ pass set, explaining how Parris’ fundamentals in pass protection were very solid for his career state. Duncan mentioned that Parris still needs to do a better job measuring his kick out of his stance, but when asked if he expected Parris to make the roster, Duncan said he did.
Parris came into the league as a raw player with good athletic upside, and now, he has an opportunity to capitalize on. Trent Williams is gone, and the Redskins need players to provide depth at tackle. Parris has the traits to file into a top backup role, and if he continues to develop, he could lock down that role sooner rather than later.
No. 3 – Redskins WR Darvin Kidsy
As of now, Darvin Kidsy is likely the No. 7 wide receiver on the team, behind Terry McLaurin, Trey Quinn, Paul Richardson, Josh Doctson, Cam Sims, and Kelvin Harmon. The team could theoretically make room for Kidsy by doing something with Doctson, but an underwhelming first-round receiver in a contract year isn’t likely to fetch much in a trade, and cutting him seems to be out of the field of options for the Redskins.
More likely than not, Kidsy is fighting to break into the top six, and a spot won’t just magically open up for him. Kelvin Harmon hasn’t played much as a receiver, but he’s an aggressive special teamer and run blocker, and soon, we should see his skills as a receiver in action. Sims hasn’t done much yet in preseason either, but he was making plays throughout training camp, and his traits bode well for him in his sophomore season.
Kidsy got off to a good start with this battle in Week 1, amassing 86 yards on five catches. But he needs to keep his foot on the pedal, if he wants to either earn the No. 6 spot, or convince the Redskins to keep seven. Kidsy has the elite athleticism and high-pointing ability to warrant a true NFL opportunity, and while he was listed as the Redskins backup slot receiver in the first depth chart release, but he played all over the field in Week 1, displaying valuable versatility.
It’s important to talk about ways Kidsy, or Robert Davis, can make the roster, but none of it matters if Kidsy doesn’t capitalize on his opportunities. More likely than not, both he and Davis will be allowed plenty of chances in Week 2. If he can build on his strong start, then this battle will keep building and building.
No. 2 – Redskins EDGE Montez Sweat
Montez Sweat had a minor health issue earlier in the offseason, causing him to sit out the Redskins first preseason game. It’s unclear how close he is to being ready to get back on the field, but there’s a chance he suits up against the Bengals on Thursday.
If that’s the case, then be on the lookout for Sweat in uniform. Of course, it shouldn’t take you long to find the Mississippi State product; he’s 6-foot-6, 260, and onlookers have often remarked that Sweat looms over his NFL counterparts. Our own contributors Conor Forrest and Matt Hines said as much when they went to training camp to see him a few weeks ago, and it’s unlikely he got any smaller.
As big as Sweat is, he’s also fast. He logged 4.4 speed in the 2019 NFL Combine, displaying insane speed for his size. While straight-line speed isn’t as important for a defensive lineman like Sweat, he has the burst and length to be a very disruptive force off the edge.
For now, Ryan Anderson is penciled in as the starter opposite Ryan Kerrigan, but once Sweat hits the field, he can change that in a hurry, with his natural upside. If that happens this week, against Cincinnati, then the Redskins game will truly be a must-watch contest.
No. 1 – Redskins QBs Dwayne Haskins and Case Keenum
The Redskins quarterback battle is always must-watch football, and this week, it might be a lot more focused on Dwayne Haskins and Case Keenum. Colt McCoy didn’t play in Week 1 because he was the assumed starter. Now, it seems as if he’s being held out for different reasons.
McCoy recently had an off practice, and afterward, Gruden said that McCoy was sore and not quite one-hundred percent with his leg, deeming him questionable for Thursday’s game. With McCoy unable to prove he can start, this game now becomes all the more important for Haskins and Keenum; if one can separate from the other, this battle gets a lot more interesting. If one of them truly earns it, it’s hard to see the Redskins keeping McCoy at the top.
Haskins figures to be the starter eventually, but as of now, the Redskins seem to favor a system where Haskins sits to McCoy or Keenum for at least a few weeks, to help him get his feet under him. That said, Haskins looked good last Thursday; although he threw two interceptions, he showed great promise with eye-catching arm talent, surprising mobility, and encouraging mental development.
With his up-and-down performance, Haskins didn’t do much for his stock in the battle, other than set a foundation. But Keenum didn’t do much for his stock either. Aside from his touchdown pass, which was a layup to a wide open receiver downfield, he clearly generated less velocity than Haskins, and while both responded well to pressure at times, neither could consistently withstand it.
In Week 2, the Redskins quarterbacks should have an easier time; few defensive fronts are as deep and imposing as the Browns’ unit. And in this second game, we’ll get to monitor progression from these two quarterbacks, and work toward the inevitable decision: Is Haskins ready to take the reins? Or should he be eased in further? Figuring that out is a process, and the process continues Thursday night.