Why the rumors connecting Redskins to QB may be a smokescreen
The Washington Redskins selected Dwayne Haskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. But the latest rumors suggest they are considering picking another quarterback in the first round come April.
Coming into the 2020 NFL offseason, there were few that thought the Redskins would be in the quarterback market. Sure, they may need a veteran backup to replace Case Keenum and Colt McCoy if the two leave in free agency and Alex Smith isn’t healthy, but Dwayne Haskins was always favored to be the starter, right?
Not so fast.
The latest rumors coming from the NFL Scouting Combine are suggesting that the Redskins may be considering taking a quarterback with the second overall pick. NFL Network’s Michael Silver pointed that out on Twitter and said that the team selecting a quarterback is a “very real possibility.”
I also stated on @nflnetwork that Ron Rivera and Washington owner Dan Snyder has conversations about Dwayne Haskins, and the QBs in this draft, long before Rivera was officially hired. Drafting a QB at 2 is a very real possibility, especially if Tua is deemed healthy.
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) February 28, 2020
Perhaps what Silver is saying is true. After all, Rivera has had a number of chances to commit to Haskins as the starting quarterback in 2020 but he has declined to do so. Instead, he has spoken of there being an open competition for the quarterback starting job.
Many assumed that was just a way to light a fire under Haskins, but maybe Rivera really isn’t sold on him being the starter. If that’s the case, then the new regime in charge in Washington could be inclined to take their own quarterback, which in this case would likely be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, with the second pick.
Of course, there is another explanation for these rumors and it seems like the far more likely one. The Redskins may be feigning interest in a quarterback to drive up the price of their No. 2 overall pick. The goal of that would be to get the best offers on the board for them so they can at least have an alternative to taking edge rusher Chase Young with the second pick. And if they get blown away, they could take the trade, stockpile picks, and try to rapidly rebuild the weakest parts of the team (cornerback, linebacker, tight end, etc.).
We’ll take these rumors surrounding the Redskins with a grain of salt for the time being. They’ve been heavily tied to Young during the draft process and though he hasn’t committed to Haskins as the starter, Rivera has spoken well of Haskins’ potential.
It would be a surprise if they elect to part ways with him after one season but stranger things have happened. Just look at the Arizona Cardinals, who moved on from Josh Rosen for the price of a late second-round pick last year after making him a top-10 pick in 2018. Anything is possible.
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But for now, this all seems like smoke. If that changes at any point in the coming weeks, we’ll adjust accordingly, but this seems like a savvy business decision to elevate the price of the No. 2 pick should they end up wanting to trade it.