It’s already July, and with the arrival of 2020’s second half comes the next edition of the Riggo’s Rag Mailbag, answering your Redskins-related questions!
Last week, I asked you guys to submit some Washington Redskins-specific questions for our July Riggo’s Rag Mailbag. It’s the height of the offseason, so there’s not a whole lot of football-related content to talk about, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare.
On top of updates regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and the discussion surrounding the Redskins team name, we can also speculate a bit about the Redskins roster and what the battle in August might look like. You guys asked a lot of great questions this week. Let’s get into the mailbag!
Alex Smith
Hogskins: Hi, Ian. I want to know if there is a real chance that Alex Smith plays for The Skins again?
Ian: Hey, Hogskins! Good question.
I’ll break this question into two parts. Part one: Is there a real chance Alex Smith plays football in general again? A year ago, I might’ve said no, but after seeing how much progress he’s made since the injury in his documentary a couple months ago, I think he does have a chance.
Smith was seen running near full-speed on his injured leg at the end of the documentary, as well as going through passing drills. He’s made an unbelievable amount of progress to this point, and he’s made the impossible look possible. With everything we’ve seen, I don’t think you can count out a return.
That said, just because Smith showed a ton of progress, doesn’t mean he’s there yet. His leg will have to be very strong in order to withstand the constant contact of the NFL, and even then, he still may have trouble putting weight on it when he’s planting his back foot to pass the ball. Coming back to the game is already a huge risk for Smith, who’s spent a year and a half rehabbing. But he’s set on trying, at the very least, and after how far he’s come, no one can say he can’t do it.
That said, there is another part to this question: Is there a chance Smith plays for the Redskins specifically again? For this question, I’d say the chances are lower.
I’m admittedly bullish on Dwayne Haskins this season. Haskins showed promising growth down the stretch in 2019, and he’s been working very hard this offseason, not only to learn the scheme and connect with his coaches and teammates, but also to lose bad weight and get himself into shape. He’s motivated to take a big leap in 2020, and I think he will.
That, of course, would cloud the outlook surrounding Smith. Smith has said before that his path does not conflict with Haskins’, but if Haskins runs away with the quarterback job this season, that will obviously put a wrench in Smith’s plan to come back to football.
Maybe Smith is fine with being a backup. Maybe that’s the best role for him after his injury. But at that point, the tough discussions surrounding Smith’s contract would take place, and the Redskins would ponder spending over $25 million annually on a backup quarterback until 2022. In 2021, the dead cap to cut him drops from $32.2 million to $10.8 million, and in 2022, it falls to $5.4 million.
The Redskins would probably love to keep Smith around; he’s been an invaluable mentor to Haskins and an inspiration for the entire team. But if he’s set on playing again, as opposed to becoming a front office executive or a coach, and if Haskins develops as planned, he may have to resume his redemption story somewhere else.
Roster Longshots
Jacob Camenker: Who is your favorite roster long shot this offseason?
Ian: This guy’s trouble. But I’ll answer anyway (L.O.L.)
We’ve talked about this a bit after podcasts, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually gone through my favorite roster long shots, so this is a good question.
My favorite roster longshot is actually an easier pick than I thought it would be. There are a few guys who intrigue me, but my favorite longshot, especially after the unfortunate injury suffered by Emanuel Hall, is third-year receiver Darvin Kidsy.
Kidsy was a part of my Unheralded Players series last offseason, and in the process of researching for that piece, I learned how explosive of an athlete he is. At his pro day, Kidsy, who measured at 6-foot-0, 183, logged a 4.46 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical, and a 127-inch broad jump.
I’m a sucker for guys with elite athleticism, and much like Emanuel Hall, who was a fan favorite to make the roster at wide receiver before his injury, Kidsy has it in spades. Kidsy has shown flashes in preseason in his two years with the Redskins, but he hasn’t yet been able to solidify a role. Now, with another spot opened up in the wide receiver room, I think Kidsy could use his athleticism to force his way into the conversation, and rise above the monotony of the group.
Other guys who I considered include Timon Parris and Cameron Malveaux. Parris has quietly shown promise at tackle in preseason appearances, and I’d almost rather have him than Geron Christian. Malveaux, meanwhile, is a player who can contribute both on the edge and on the interior, and his versatility could be valued by the new coaching staff.
COVID-19
Valen and razorblade: What I want to know is will the season be started? And if the season is held or at least started, what type of limitations will there be on seating? Also, will weekly COVID-19 testing be required of all players, coaches and fans?
Ian: This is something that’ll no doubt keep developing over the course of the coming weeks and months. Before this second wave of sorts, I would have said with confidence that there will be a 2020 NFL season. I’m a little less sure now, with numbers flaring up again across the country.
For now, the NFL has revealed no plans to move the start date of training camp from the end of July. In an article by Mike Jones of USA Today, the NFL’s chief medical officer spoke on the risks facing the NFL right now.
"The NFLPA and NFL are in the same exact place, where we want whatever makes for the safest possible environments for all our constituents, whether they be players, coaches, trainers, medical staff — anyone in that team environment. We’re going to work very hard together to educate everyone about the steps that we feel collectively are the most effective in reducing risks for everyone."
It looks like everyone wants to at least make an effort toward putting together a 2020 season. There are no guarantees at this point, but unless things take a turn for the absolute worst, football should be back in some capacity. But there will be major changes.
First and foremost, it seems likely that seating would be, at the very least, restricted, and at most, prohibited to fans. Two football teams in an empty stadium can at least somewhat maintain a controlled environment, but the presence of a crowd numbering in the thousands not only compounds the risk of the players, but also ensures that the virus may spread through the crowd itself as well. There hasn’t been a lot said on this specifically, but I think most audiences will be watching from home, if football occurs in 2020.
As for testing, players and coaches would certainly need to undergo frequent monitoring. If one player tests positive for the virus, he could then spread it to his coaches and teammates, effectively jeopardizing the safety and state of his team. If a player was not tested and then spread the virus to his teammates, game cancellations could occur from that turn of events, further complicating the NFL’s ability to play through the pandemic.
As mentioned in the USA Today article mentioned above, there are also some concerns surrounding the accuracy of said tests, as well as ongoing sanitation, space management inside facilities, and control of player health at home.
If nothing else, there’s a lot to think about. And a lot currently still in flux.
Coaching Activities
razorblade: What kind of daily activities are the coaches having? Are they at the facility or at home?
Ian: Hope you’re doing well, razor!
Most of the coaches returned to the Redskins facility to settle in and get to work in early June. They’ve been resuming Zoom meetings with players on a regular basis, but a face-to-face meeting has yet to commence, due to the restrictions and risks related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It’s just coaches at the team facilities for now — kind of like a home base.
Zoom meetings constitute the majority of the coaching activities taking place right now. But even virtually, there’s a lot to be done. Coaches must consult with one another to ensure they’re all on the same page. Position coaches must consult with their specific players, to lay a foundation for the limited preseason work that will take place. And Rivera has to maintain the cohesion, amidst a considerable amount of movement and roster turnover.
Additionally, the coordinators have a big task on their hands with scheme modulations on both sides of the ball. Jack Del Rio’s switch to the 4-3 will present many players in the front seven with different roles, and Scott Turner’s offense will feature more motion, more efficiency, and an entirely different game script. It’s up to the coaches to integrate their schemes into the locker room, in order to ensure that the players know what they’re doing when it’s time to hit the field.
By all accounts (although accounts themselves are somewhat limited), players have responded positively to the virtual meetings that have been taking place. With so much uncertainty, teams might be on a more level playing field come September, and that’s something for the coaches to capitalize on.
The Redskins Name
Marc Lande: Ian, here is my question: do you believe the name is racist and offensive and needs to be changed? Thanks, Marc!
Ian: Hey, Marc. Good to see you again.
This is a loaded question. And it’s a subject that a lot of onlookers have been understandably apprehensive talking about. We’ve written a few articles about how the current social climate is impacting the Redskins, and how it might impact the team name, but the implications of a name change won’t truly sink in until those events are put into motion.
Some readers don’t want us to write about that kind of stuff, and I get it. That’s why I try to stay out of it as often as possible. But if there’s an update that might bear some weight, in regards to the name’s future, you guys deserve to know. It’s your team’s future.
As for my opinion about the name, I’m not quite sure. I’m not really in a position to be offended by the name, and I don’t know a lot of people who would be personally offended. That’s no excuse for me to say it’s not offensive. It’s important to try and put yourself in the shoes of those you don’t understand or relate to, as opposed to making assumptions. That’s a problem that plagues the country today: A lack of general understanding and empathy. The constant dehumanization of adversaries.
My perception is somewhat limited in this area, and so I defer to the resources at my disposal. I’m always information gathering. I’d rather keep learning and listening, than speak before I should. I’m not in a position to say whether the name is offensive. I’ve heard arguments for both sides, but I don’t want to speak on it personally yet. I’m still learning and evaluating.