5 quick thoughts on the Washington Football Team
By Jonathan Eig
3. Washington needs to draft another OT next year
Did you notice that when starters Sam Cosmi and Tyler Larsen went out with injuries against Carolina, they were replaced by two players who were starters last season? In 2020, both Cornelius Lucas and Wes Schweitzer played very well at left tackle and left guard – and both were replaced by new players in 2022. Neither sulked – at least not publicly – though both clearly would like another chance at starting for someone. Lucas will be a free agent next year, and Schweitzer is signed through 2022.
Washington has done an outstanding job of finding serviceable linemen at reasonable prices, and then coaching them to an above-average level. Lucas and Schweitzer came in 2020. Ereck Flowers and Charles Leno, Jr. came this year. Next season, the Washington Football Team will have Flowers, Schweitzer and Chase Roullier manning the middle of the line, and Cosmi at one of the two tackles. Lucas, Leno, and Brandon Scherff are likely to move on.
Given that, Washington would seem to enter 2022 with a potential hole at one of the two tackle spots. It’s certainly possible they could address the issue through free agency, but they really need to do it through the draft. It has to do with the team’s salary structure.
This year, Washington is heavily invested in the interior of the line, with Scherff, Roullier and Flowers getting the most money. That is a difficult structure to maintain. It will be alleviated a fair amount when Scherff leaves, but they still need to find bargains at tackle in the short term. Leno was a godsend this year, but you can’t count on a solid vet dropping into your lap every year. Ideally, the Washington Football Team finds another tackle in the 2022 draft, then rides Cosmi and this new player at rookie contract levels for the several years.
With all the great work that John Matsko has done with the line, the one troubling area has been the development of rookies. Neither Saahdiq Charles nor Keith Ismael has shown they are long-term keepers. They very much need to continue adding to the offensive line through the draft and through signing undrafted free agents.