Five most important free-agent Redskins of the 2021 offseason
58. . Right Guard. Washington Commanders. Brandon Scherff. 1. player
If the Redskins don’t extend Brandon Scherff before the start of the 2020 season, they’ll have a big decision to make about the former top-five pick in 2021 free agency.
Scherff is entering his sixth year in Washington. The right guard has routinely qualified as one of the better options at his position during his career. He has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, missing a total of 15 games in the past three years, and 2019 was probably his worst campaign.
That said, Scherff was both feeling the effects of a nagging elbow injury and recovering from a torn pec the previous season while also playing next to a beat-up, less effective Morgan Moses at right tackle. If both are healthier in 2020, could they find success similar to what they had in Scherff’s first three years with the club? It’s certainly possible.
But either way, the decision on Scherff will come soon. When healthy, he’s a Pro Bowl talent. But can he stay healthy for the first time since 2016? That’s the big question.
If Scherff does stay healthy, the ‘Skins may be comfortable giving him a deal that pays him as a top-five guard. After all, they’re comfortable giving him a franchise tender that makes him the league’s highest-paid guard, and while that’s short-term, it should say something about how they view him.
If Scherff can’t stay on the field, that may make this decision a bit harder. It would then have to be an incentive-based deal or the team would have to be comfortable handing the keys to someone else at right guard. Wes Martin, a 2019 fourth-round pick, could get some run at the position if he 1) doesn’t win the left guard job or 2) if Scherff misses time. So, Martin could be an option. But if not him, the Redskins will have to look for a new starter in 2021.
Next. Five 2021 free agents Redskins must keep an eye on. dark
Should Scherff not receive an extension, his 2020 campaign will be fascinating to watch. And he’s easily the biggest free agent that Washington has to worry about in 2021, especially considering how important offensive line play is in the modern NFL.