Washington Football Team: Five biggest studs from the 2020 season
4. OL Brandon Scherff
One of the most surprisingly solid areas for the Washington Football Team in 2020 was their offensive line. Thought to be a weakness coming into the season, the unit got better as the season went along and really gelled down the stretch.
That said, the right side of the line was the stronger side for Washington and that’s because of Brandon Scherff‘s performance there. The strong right guard was one of the best at his position and, accordingly, earned a first-team All-Pro nod, the first for a Washington Football Team player since Matt Turk in 1996.
Here’s what I said about why Scherff’s performance was deserving of that nod in a recent piece.
Washington Commanders
"On the year, Scherff played 857 snaps for Washington. He was whistled for just two penalties all year long and gave up just three sacks. Those numbers may not be the best marks of his career, but it’s an impressive achievement nonetheless considering the constant shuffling that was going on at the quarterback spot. And, it’s an improvement over his nine-penalty, one-sack performance from last year. This was an honor that Scherff definitely deserved. He has been among the NFL’s best guards when healthy, and he finally was on the field enough to warrant a selection in 2020. Sure, you could argue that some other players may have been equally as deserving as Scherff this year, but the four-time Pro Bowler was simply due for an All-Pro appearance."
Beyond the accolades, Scherff’s impact on the team’s running game was clear, as he bulldozed lanes for Antonio Gibson that helped the rookie runner find a lot of success before a turf toe injury hobbled him down the stretch. He also held up well in pass protection.
Scherff deserves credit for stabilizing the right side of the offensive line and turning it into a strength. It will be interesting to see what type of impact his season has on his contract situation as he heads into free agency.
Either way, Washington should make a big-time effort to bring Scherff back and pair him with Chase Roullier and Morgan Moses. He played very well for the team this year and was clearly a standout stud on a somewhat lackluster offense.