Washington Redskins way-too-early 2020 roster projection

Offense

QUARTERBACKS (2)

• Dwayne Haskins
• Kyle Allen

The obvious wild card here is Alex Smith. If he is healthy and effective, I suspect they end up keeping all three. But there are too many uncertainties surrounding Smith. There’s a good chance he simply will not be healthy, and even if he is, how many athletes past 35 in any sport are able to get back to where there were after serious injury?

RUNNING BACKS (5)

• Derrius Guice
• Adrian Peterson
• J. D. McKissic
• Bryce Love
• Antonio Gibson

I am counting draft pick Antonio Gibson as a running back, even though I anticipate he will actually be split out wide more often than not. If either Guice or Peterson suffers an injury, Peyton Barber makes the roster. He is very durable. But Guice and Peterson are significantly better runners, and I don’t see keeping all three of them. Rivera and Turner have both shown a fondness for using a fullback. With the recent success of players like Anthony Sherman in KC and Kyle Juszczyk in SF, the traditional lead back is a hot commodity. There is no one currently on the roster who can fit the bill, but when either Love or McKissic goes down (an unfortunately decent bet), I wouldn’t be surprised to see a bigger lead-blocking, pass-catching back join the roster.

WIDE RECEIVERS (6)

• Terry McLaurin
• Steven Sims, Jr.
• Cody Latimer
• Antonio Gandy-Golden
• Kelvin Harmon
• Trey Quinn

McLaurin and Sims are the only two absolute locks. I assume Latimer’s speed and experience will get him a spot. Gandy-Golden needs to beat out the other big receivers on the roster like Cam Sims and Jester Weah, and I suspect he will. I am still intrigued by his potential to move inside and contribute as a receiving tight end. Harmon backs up both X and Z spots, while Quinn backs up Sims in the slot.

TIGHT END (3)

• Jeremy Sprinkle
• Logan Thomas
• Hale Hentges

I suspect that free agent acquisition Richard Rodgers is currently penciled in for a spot. But he is an aging tight end who relied on good speed early in his career, and he is coming off multiple lower limb injuries. I think his best days are pretty far behind him. This may be the least exciting position group in the entire league, with only Thomas having significant upside. But I don’t imagine they will be asked to do very much – and that, they can handle. Given the group’s overall weakness, Thaddeus Moss stands the best chance of making the final roster as an undrafted free agent.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

• Brandon Scherff
• Morgan Moses
• Chase Roullier
• Saahdiq Charles
• Wes Martin
• Cornelius Lucas
• Geron Christian, Sr.
• Keith Ismael
• Wes Schweitzer

There is more uncertainty and turnover here than anywhere else, and that is a very scary prospect, especially given the inexperience at quarterback. Ereck Flowers played somewhat better than I anticipated at guard in 2019, but he still was nothing special, and certainly not worth paying big money. Martin should get the first crack at left guard, and Charles should get a good look at taking over at left tackle. But that is asking a lot of a rookie. I think you will see a lot of tinkering with that left side throughout the preseason, with Charles getting a look at guard, and both tackles – Lucas and Christian – having a chance to win the starting job. Ismael and Schweitzer look to me to be a little more athletic than Ross Pierschbacher and Jeremy Vujnovich as interior depth. And their names are easier to spell.