Three NFL trade deadline targets Redskins could try to buy low on
player. 36. . Running Back. Seattle Seahawks. Rashaad Penny. 2
This one may seem like a weird fit, but hear me out. The Seahawks seem to be shopping Penny just two years after making him a first-round pick. That means that they’re willing to sell low on Penny, who was likely overdrafted but still has talent.
So far during his career, Penny has averaged an even 5.0 yards per carry. He has only touched the ball a grand total of 127 times in two seasons, but his performance has been solid.
The Redskins could use more between-the-tackles talent at running back. Adrian Peterson is 34 and while he has played well at times this year, he doesn’t have a lot of time left in the NFL. And at the very least, he doesn’t factor into the Redskins’ long-term plans.
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
Elsewhere, Chris Thompson is a free agent following the season, and he may end up leaving the team. He has been injured frequently during his tenure and while he can be an explosive playmaker, it may just be time for him to move on.
The Redskins will have Derrius Guice and Bryce Love around as their primary backs next season no matter what. That said, both have injury concerns. Guice has only carried the ball 10 times in two NFL seasons due to injuries while Love is working his way back from an ACL injury and will miss his rookie season. Both have the upside to be great and could be a nice tandem, but having more young talent that could complete that rotation would be ideal.
If acquired, Penny would become the 1B option for the ‘Skins behind Peterson for the rest of the year and would give Bill Callahan a chance to run the ball as much as he wants to (which is a lot). The rest of the year could be a test-run of sorts for Penny and the team can assess how he would fit in the running back rotation moving forward. And if he plays well but they don’t have a spot for him, they could always offload him in another trade.
If Penny is around at the cost of an early Day 3 pick, the ‘Skins should consider it. They wouldn’t have to do anything at running back for the next few seasons if Penny pans out. That said, the team could still view RB as a position of strength once Love and Guice return, so perhaps this trade wouldn’t be worth it. But it is worth considering as a possibility at the very least.