Riggo's Rag
FanSided

Redskins: Stealing one player from every NFC East opponent

By Jacob Camenker

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 22: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs onto the field prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 22: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs onto the field prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEPTEMBER 29: Tyron Smith #77 of the Dallas Cowboys in action during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on September 29, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEPTEMBER 29: Tyron Smith #77 of the Dallas Cowboys in action during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on September 29, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Dallas Cowboys: OT Tyron Smith

The Redskins have long had one of the better left tackle situations in the NFL. For most of the last decade, save for his 2019 holdout, Trent Williams was the starter for the Redskins. He was one of the best tackles in the league and made seven consecutive Pro Bowls and an All-Pro second team.

Before Williams, the team had Chris Samuels hold down the fort and he was one of the steadiest tackles in the league as well.

But in ’19 amid Williams’ holdout, the team got their first taste of having a middling starter at the position in Donald Penn. The then-37-year-old veteran wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t near the top of the league like Williams and Samuels were.

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Heading into this season, the triumvirate of free-agent signee Cornelius Lucas, fourth-round rookie Saahdiq Charles, and 2018 third-round pick Geron Christian figures to battle for the starting spot. Outside of Charles, that’s not too inspiring a group, at least long-term.

If the Redskins were able to poach one Cowboy without consequence, grabbing Tyron Smith would probably be the most sensible decision. Smith has long been one of the better starting left tackles in the NFL. Like Williams, he has made seven Pro Bowls but Smith has been named an All-Pro first-teamer twice.

Though he has been in the league since 2011, Smith is still just 29 and won’t turn 30 until December. He came into the NFL young but progressed quickly and is still one of the best blindside blockers in the league. He would be a safe, consistent option and would afford Lucas and Charles and chance to push Morgan Moses for a spot at right tackle. And Charles could factor into the left guard battle as well or fight for a chance to be a swing should Lucas win the right tackle job.

In short, Smith would give the team better protection on the offensive line and would upgrade the depth in one fell swoop. He’d be more proven than anything else the team has and while he has dealt with injury issues — he has missed exactly three games per season the past four years — he would still be a massive upgrade, especially if he can stay on the field.

A case could be made that it may make more sense for the Redskins to target Amari Cooper in this scenario. Cooper is entering his age 26 season and has been very productive for the Cowboys. He may better fit the timeline for the Redskins, and the team did show an interest in him during free agency.

But I think that having a quality left tackle like Smith would do more to upgrade the Redskins offense than Cooper would. So, we’ll give him the slight edge here.

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