Washington Football Team: 15 key roster decisions team will soon make

Unrestricted free agents

Of the fifteen or so UFAs this off-season, there are six who require decisions. Far and away, the two most important are Brendan Scherff and Chase Roullier. Along with tackle Morgan Moses, Scherff and Roullier have formed a very sound right side of the offensive line this season.

Keeping both is unlikely. Losing both could be disastrous.

I still maintain what I have said for the past year. Re-signing Scherff is crucial. The main reason the team did not attempt to lock him up before now was his injury history. Though he did miss a couple of games this season, he has mostly been healthy and has performed very well.

With glaring needs on the left side of the line, it would be almost impossible to replace Scherff while simultaneously building the left side. Barring a late-season injury, he needs to be re-signed.

Washington Commanders

Roullier has quietly developed into a very good center. He has steadily improved throughout his career and Washington would love to keep him. But they drafted Keith Ismael last year in part to hedge against Roullier’s departure. So if it comes down to a decision between Scherrf and Roullier, I think you have to go with the guard.

There are three defensive players hitting free agency this off-season. Two are new to the team. The other, Ryan Kerrigan, is an institution.

It has been marvelous having Kerrigan around this season to mentor Sweat and Young and provide bursts of energy in limited action. But this is almost certainly the end of the line for the franchise’s career sack leader. Unless he wants to come back at a team-friendly number, Kerrigan is probably gone.

But linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis and cornerback Ronald Darby have earned extensions. KPL is Washington’s best coverage linebacker. Since he is not a liability against the run, he can be on the field every down. He may not have the upside of Cole Holcomb, but together, they provide speed and athleticism that can thrive provided Washington addresses its weaknesses at middle linebacker and safety.

Darby had a bad game against Dallas on Thanksgiving but he has been very good overall this year. He defends the runs and tackles in addition to being a solid cover corner. Darby’s issues in the past have almost always arisen from his proclivity for injuries. This season, he has remained healthy and the results have been evident.

The final difficult free-agent decision concerns kicker Dustin Hopkins. I’ll admit I am baffled by this one. That is nothing new, as NFL kickers are among the most baffling of all athletes. Hopkins has been reliable for most of his tenure in Washington, but he has struggled quite a bit this season. The team needs to determine how much of that is due to injury before deciding whether to go in another direction.

I’d like to believe whatever is currently bothering him can be resolved this off-season and he can re-sign.