4 Washington players whose stock is soaring after Week 17 loss

Much like the Week 15 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles, it was a tale of two halves for the Washington Football Team on Sunday.

After outscoring their longtime rivals 16-7 in the first half, Washington was blanked over the remaining 30 minutes en route to a 20-16 defeat that officially eliminated them from the playoff conversation.

If there’s a silver lining to the loss, it’s that it helped boost Washington’s position in the 2022 drat order.

If the club can hit on that first-round pick, add a new quarterback (maybe with that pick) and fill some other roster holes needs via free agency, there’s no reason to think this team couldn’t make a legitimate playoff push next season.

Before we dive head-first into the future outlook of this franchise, we still have a game to dissect. Since we already highlighted Sunday’s worst performers, let’s go ahead and heap praise on those who stood out in the defeat.

Full disclosure: Kendal Fuller isn’t on the list. Yes, he was outstanding in the game, but it’s universally understood that he’s one of the most gifted players on the roster. What more does he have to prove?

Anyway, without further ado…

Washington Football Team: 4 players whose stock is soaring

4. Joey Slye

It kind of gets annoying that performances in the NFL are critiqued on a week-to-week basis. We’re old enough to remember when some fans were questioning whether Brian Johnson could permanently supplant Joey Slye as Washington’s kicker following his 48-yard game-winner against the Raiders.

There’s no need to jump to reckless conclusions. In today’s day and age, all it takes is one clutch kick to forget all the stock Slye built before he landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury…that he suffered in a dead-sprint trying to tackle a Seahawks defender who scooped up his blocked FG.

How many kickers even try to make that tackle?

Nevertheless, Slye reminded everyone Sunday vs Philadelphia why he should be Washington’s kicker of the future when he nailed a 55-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half to give his team a 16-7 lead.

The Virginia Tech product is now a perfect 9-for-9 on field goals since signing for Washington after the Chris Blewitt nightmare. With a leg that gives the team a chance to put points on the board after crossing an opponent’s 40-yard line, Slye is the definition of a game-changer at the kicker position.

Reward the man with an extension.