Redskins HC Ron Rivera open to all options at No. 2, likes current talent

The 2020 NFL Draft is still over two months away, but speculation is already running rampant on who the Redskins might pick.

The overwhelming favorite at this juncture is Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young. Young is widely considered the best overall prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft, and given that the Bengals need a new franchise quarterback at No. 1, it’s very likely that Young is available for the Washington Redskins at No. 2.

Young is the favorite, and he should be, as the prolific edge defender sports a near-generational mix of motor, athletic traits, and size to fuel his weekly dominance. For defense-oriented coaches like Redskins head coach Ron Rivera and new Redskins defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, it seems like it should be all too easy of a decision.

But Rivera isn’t showing his hand just yet.

Rivera was invited onto the Pat McAfee show recently, and on the show, he was asked about his philosophy and mindset heading into draft season. More specifically, McAfee asked Rivera what he was thinking about doing with the “very valuable” No. 2 overall pick. Rivera had this to say in response:

“It’s gonna be interesting. Everything is on the table. I mean, we don’t know what we’re gonna do with the No. 2 pick. We don’t know what’s gonna happen in front of us; [the Cincinnati Bengals] have got to make a decision first… and then we’ll go from there. We’re gonna take a look at everybody. We’re gonna break it down, we’re gonna interview players, we’re gonna scout players, we’re gonna go to the pro days, we’re gonna go through the entire process, and weigh our options.

“Nothing is set. I mean, our roster isn’t set. But I do like who we have. We’ve got a lot of quality football players that we think, if we can add some more, get them to buy into the way we wanna do things, have them believe in the system, we have a chance.”

Rivera is noncommittal on the Redskins optimal course of action with the No. 2 pick, and that’s the right stance to have at this stage of the offseason. Chase Young is very good, but one player’s prowess is never enough to outweigh all other options. The Redskins could, as we’ve discussed in recent weeks, trade back from No. 2, and acquire a haul of picks while also having a chance to add a top talent in Round 1. There are also other blue-chip caliber prospects, like Jeffrey Okudah and Isaiah Simmons, who could command interest early on. Rivera and the rest of the scouting staff is bound to like Young, but there are always options that need to be considered.

In addition to the notes on the NFL Draft, Rivera noted that he likes a lot of the talent the Redskins have on the roster. Washington has garnered a reputation as a team that underachieves, relative to the amount of talent present, and Rivera could recognize that. A lot of players on the roster, such as defensive backs Fabian Moreau and Montae Nicholson, have the athletic traits to succeed, but need better coaching. Rivera’s words indicate that he might be willing to give them another chance, in an environment that better caters to their development.

Whatever the case, it’s shaping up to be an exciting offseason, and one that will be crucial for the long-term direction of this Redskins team.