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FanSided

Simulating the Washington Redskins’ free agency, NFL draft, entire 2020 offseason

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 30: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass before the start of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 30: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass before the start of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers reacts against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers reacts against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

Coaching Staff

In recent years at this point in the offseason, the Redskins would be considering parting ways with Jay Gruden or members of his staff. This year, things have been different.

After firing Gruden early in the season, the Redskins worked quickly to bring Ron Rivera in as the head coach. The former Carolina Panthers head coach had been fired after losing to the Redskins in Week 13, but he was one of the more proven coaching options on the market.

A motivator of men, Rivera should be able to connect to his players and get the Redskins to play hard. And that was something that was sorely lacking under Gruden’s watch.

Rivera being hired so quickly afforded him the opportunity to quickly build a staff. Jack Del Rio is on board as the team’s next defensive coordinator and he will help the squad transition to a 4-3 defense. Similar to Rivera, Del Rio has a reputation as a great defensive mind but is also regarded as a great person.

It’s less clear what Rivera’s plans are with Kevin O’Connell, the team’s offensive coordinator from last season. O’Connell has worked well to help Dwayne Haskins improve and the two seemingly have a strong rapport. So, we’ll project O’Connell being the OC hire here for now, but a guy like Scott Turner, Rivera’s OC in Carolina, will get consideration as well.

Overall, the coaching staff hires look excellent. Rivera would have been on our shortlist of candidates to hire in this simulation, so it appears that the team has made a solid decision that should help their team to improve moving forward.

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