What the Washington Football Team learned in the Divisional Round

Despite not playing this weekend the Washington Football Team had a revealing truth about its team shown during the Divisional Round of the Playoffs.

I hear what you are thinking. The Washington Football Team was eliminated last week. So how could they have learned anything this weekend? Well, I am sure Ron Rivera and others watched the NFL action this weekend and gathered some takeaways from it. So here is what they learned: To truly compete, a game-changing quarterback is needed.

Take a look at the quarterbacks that are advancing to the Conference Championship Round: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. Each one of them are game changers. They are elite quarterbacks.

I say this to say that while this defense can be elite, none of it will matter without a quarterback. This is not a very bold statement.

More from Riggo's Rag

• Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
• 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
• 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
• Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
• Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus 

Look at the Los Angeles Rams. They have one of the best defenses in football, headlined by the best defensive player in football, Aaron Donald, and the best corner in football, Jalen Ramsey. They also have a capable running attack, a quality receiving core, and a great coaching staff headlined by offensive guru Sean McVay.

However, there is one problem. Jared Goff has never developed into that truly elite quarterback that he was taken No. 1 overall to be.

The Rams are good. Until they meet an elite quarterback, as they did with the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers. It’s over after that. Yeah, Jared Goff was playing with a broken thumb, but either way, I don’t think it would have mattered. They simply couldn’t contain or keep pace with the Packers offense.

Against the Buccaneers, the Saints met that fate too. Drew Brees is no longer an elite quarterback, so despite the fact that the rest of his team (and coaching staff) looks championship-caliber, Brees made far too many mistakes for the Saints to overcome.

The elite quarterback will most of the time prevail. Unless you’re Nick Foles or Joe Flacco and happen to catch fire at the right time. That’s the way the NFL is in 2021. It is an offensive league with rules catered to the offense, and especially to the quarterback. Look no further than some of the roughing the passer calls this year. If you have an elite quarterback, you always have a chance to win.

Because of this trend, Washington cannot settle at the quarterback position. They will most likely bring in a new quarterback, but they cannot sign a Cam Newton or Tyrod Taylor and not draft a rookie for the team to groom.

You cannot trade for someone like Derek Carr — if he becomes available — and expect him to be the answer at quarterback. He is right in that range of the Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins of quarterbacks. All three are good quarterbacks, but unless the perfect storm occurs, you most likely won’t hoist the Lombardi Trophy with any of those players at the helm.

That is not to say that signing someone like Cam Newton or trading for a Derek Carr is a bad idea. It just needs to be known that it’s not the true answer. It’s settling for a stopgap.

So, what should the Washington Football Team do?

They need to swing big. They need to offer the Robert Griffin III trade package for Deshaun Watson, if he does request a trade. Even more, if it takes that. With a quarterback like that, Washington would be a Super Bowl contender — provided that they can keep their young core intact.

If Matthew Stafford becomes available via trade, Washington needs to call. My first offer would be a second-round pick coupled with a few Day 3 selections. However, if the asking price becomes contingent on sending Washington’s first-round pick, Washington should make the trade. Stafford, with a few more pieces added, makes Washington a dangerous team. And his cap hit is more than reasonable for a starting quarterback.

And if the Washington Football Team finds a quarterback in the pre-draft process that they think moves the needle but a trade-up is needed to get him, they need to pull the trigger. If it doesn’t require a trade-up, even better.

The Chiefs traded up 17 spots with the Bills for Patrick Mahomes, for two firsts and a third-round pick. Kansas City definitely does not regret that decision. To trade up for Josh Allen, the Bills swapped firsts with Tampa Bay and gave up two additional seconds.

Both teams gave up valuable assets sure but none are as valuable as Mahomes and Allen are to their respective teams.

Yes, sometimes the quarterback you traded up for is a complete whiff. Washington has a great example of that in RG3. Even so, you have to try. You cannot settle or you will enter quarterback purgatory, like the Bears did when they stuck with Mitchell Trubisky.

Just to note, I think Dak Prescott re-signing with the Cowboys is a formality. And I think both Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz will be retained by the new coaching staffs. However, if made available, I would attempt to trade for or attempt to sign any of those three.

As everyone saw this weekend. You really are not a contending team unless your quarterback is really good or elite. That’s true no matter how good the surroundings of the quarterback are.

So, go out and solve your quarterback problem, Washington Football Team. Find the quarterback that takes your team to the next level and don’t be afraid to spend a lot of resources to do so.