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Top five backup quarterbacks for Redskins to target in 2020 free agency

By Jacob Camenker

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Chase Daniel of Chicago Bears in action during the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Chase Daniel of Chicago Bears in action during the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 08: Nate Sudfeld #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass in the first quarter during a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Lincoln Financial Field on August 8, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 08: Nate Sudfeld #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass in the first quarter during a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Lincoln Financial Field on August 8, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

. Quarterback. Philadelphia Eagles. Nate Sudfeld. 5. player. 54

The options on this list aren’t exactly going to be encouraging. Case and point, the fifth-ranked option for the Redskins is a guy that they waived a couple of years ago just a year and a half after being a sixth-round draft pick.

Nate Sudfeld has only played in three games for the Eagles during his career. He has completed 20 of 25 passes and has logged a total of 156 passing yards and a touchdown. Those numbers are fairly solid for a backup, but they come in a limited sample size. And they reflect much of what the team saw in his preseason run with the squad.

Sudfeld demonstrated good accuracy during his run with the Redskins and completed a lot of passes in preseason action. However, he simply struggled to get the ball downfield. He doesn’t have great arm strength and often settled for short to intermediate passes. As a result, the offenses he has worked for have struggled to move the ball. And that was made abundantly clear in his most meaningful NFL action.

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Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 of the 2017 season, Sudfeld played most of the game while then-starter and eventually Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles rested up for the playoffs. The Eagles lost the game 6-0 despite Sudfeld completing 82.6 percent of his passes. He simply was looking to avoid mistakes and never took shot plays. That can work in some offenses, but lacking a downfield playmaker at quarterback can limit the upside of teams.

Still, Sudfeld has positive traits. He’s accurate. He doesn’t make mistakes. And he’s been a part of a Super Bowl run — albeit as a backup — where he witnessed the success of a winner up-close. Sudfeld is still just 26 so he could improve a bit and get better taking chances. So, bringing him on board as a developmental backup would work.

The Redskins are familiar with Sudfeld and that could ease the process of scouting him. And if they believe Smith will be ready to start the season, Sudfeld could be nice competition for him and solid insurance in case he can’t go. If Sudfeld comes cheaply enough, perhaps he could find his calling as a backup for the team that initially drafted him.

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