Redemption of Redskins OT Morgan Moses an underrated storyline
By Ian Cummings
It seems to be a foregone conclusion that the Redskins will soon be employing the services of a different starting right tackle. But what if Morgan Moses rebounds in 2020?
The Washington Redskins offensive line, in an oxymoronic reality, has been consistently volatile for almost half a decade by now. Injuries ravaged the unit in 2016 and 2017, and a lingering hole at left guard eroded at the interior. Ereck Flowers helped solve the left guard problem, albeit temporarily, in 2019, but Trent Williams’ holdout complicated matters further.
Even the steady constants haven’t always been steady. Chase Roullier has been fairly consistent at center, but aside from him, the Redskins offensive line has seen its fair share of turmoil. Even right tackle Morgan Moses is not immune, as he’s coming off of one of his worst professional seasons to date.
Previously in his career, Moses was a longtime starter for the Redskins, and a competent blocker on the right side. Since being drafted in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Moses has played in 88 games, and started 81. He hasn’t missed a game since his rookie season, and has started all 16 games at right tackle for five straight years.
Normally, a player with Moses’ track record would be celebrated, but Moses regressed in 2019. In 858 offensive snaps, Moses allowed five sacks, and was called for 11 penalties, and had only an average Pro Football Focus grade of 65.2. He did deal with injury at certain points, but his play was the subject of much scrutiny in the lead-up to free agency and the NFL Draft.
By the conclusion of the 2020 player acquisition phase, the Redskins signed only swing tackle Cornelius Lucas to beef up the right side, implying that Moses will be given a good chance to start once again in 2020. There’s a chance Lucas could beat out Moses, but it seems small, given Moses’ far superior track record of starting experience.
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Fans will be understandably tepid toward the prospect of Moses starting again in 2020, but Moses is only 29 years old, and he’ll have time to get healthy and potentially cut down on weight before the start of the 2020 season. He’s still under contract until 2023, and for now, it seems as if the Redskins are giving him a chance to keep the role he’s manned admirably amidst dysfunction for half a decade.