Redskins have added speed this offseason; will it help?

Tight End

This is apparently a huge hole given the loss of Jordan Reed, who had all the potential in the world but never fulfilled. Many of these tight ends on this roster have the potential to be a reliable starter if not a star.

But all have question marks. Will the Redskins enter next season with a go-to tight end? One thing they do have is two of the league’s faster tight ends.

Jordan Reed has good speed. He ran a 4.72. He had all the intangibles to make a star football player, but he could not avoid concussions or stay healthy. For his own sake, the Redskins did the right thing and granted his release.

Washington Commanders

Logan Thomas, the fastest quarterback at the 2014 NFL combine, posted a 4.61. Moving to tight end kept Thomas from falling out of the league. Thomas has yet to produce results for a whole season but he’s still learning the position. Will he put it together this season?

Richard Rodgers is a veteran who is somewhat slow, posting a 4.87. Rodgers has produced in the past but he has dealt with injury issues the past two seasons. It remains to be seen if his best playing days are behind him.

Jeremy Sprinkle also, apparently, has good speed, posting a 4.69. Yet, Sprinkle needs to produce or might not be on the roster. It’s a make or break year for him.

Caleb Wilson, made “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2019 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, is a speedster who, late last season, the Redskins plucked from the Cardinals practice squad. Wilson led tight ends at the 2019 NFL Combine as he posted a smoking 4.56. He’s not much of a blocker, but could this late-season add-on become a surprise starter Week 1?

Hale Hentges is slow, having posted a 5.04. Marcus Baugh posted a 4.81.

Without a proven star, the Redskins brain trust is taking a serious gamble at the tight end position unless they know something the numbers have not shown. On paper, the Redskins have little to rely on at this time, but perhaps they’ll change that in the 2020 draft.