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3 harsh realities for Washington fans before offseason heats up

By Jerry Trotta

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 22: Linebacker Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Redskins reacts after a sack in the first half of an NFL preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 22: Linebacker Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Redskins reacts after a sack in the first half of an NFL preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

This offseason is going to be huge for the Washington Football Team and we don’t know whether to be excited or nervous beyond belief.

Truth be told, we probably fall somewhere in the middle. The name reveal, which is somehow just days away, is going to split opinions regardless of what’s chosen. The quarterback search is going to be agonizing until it’s resolved.

What about free agency? Will most of Washington’s cap space be used on new additions or possible extensions/re-signings to maintain roster continuity, which is something Ron Rivera has preached since he took the job?

We could rattle off several more questions, but you get the point. The good news is the fan base has time to compose itself before we get into the nitty gritty of the offseason. With that in mind, we thought it’d be a good idea to warn fans about some harsh realities before we go full steam ahead into the offseason.

3 harsh realities for Washington Football Team fans

3. Making a big splash on a WR is unlikely

As much as we’d like Washington to sign a big-ticket wide receiver to give Terry McLaurin a proper sidekick, it just isn’t feasible.

They invested a ton in Curtis Samuel last offseason, and Ron Rivera isn’t going to kick him to the curb after one down year. Yes, it was a very down year, but Samuel has a $12.9 million cap hit for 2022. Assuming McLaurin signs an extension, his cap hit, which currently sits at a measly $1.2 million, will increase ten fold.

Can Washington really afford to have three WRs making big-time money? Probably not, so you can all but rule out the front office splurging on a star free agent. It’s a tough pill to swallow because the 2022 class is stacked, but the more likely scenario is that Washington drafts someone in the first or second round.

Don’t let your reservations about Samuel after his injury-plagued 2021 cloud your judgment here, folks. When healthy, he’s as dynamic as any offensive player in the NFL. He was signed to be the No. 2 opposite McLaurin and a fluke year hampered by a nagging groin injury isn’t going to change how the front office views him.

That isn’t to say Samuel doesn’t have a ton of pressure on his shoulders, but he’ll get at least one more season to prove he’s a WR2.

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