Leading up to the NFL draft, rumors swirled that the Washington Redskins were considering quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 2 pick. The franchise batted away trade interest for that selection, taking Chase Young out of Ohio State.
Last season’s first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins heard the rumblings. However, he wasn’t too worried about the team drafting a replacement for him, as he had faith in the franchise and his new head coach, Ron Rivera.
“Throughout the whole process Ron was just telling me to trust him,” Haskins said (as JP Finley of NBC Sports relays). “I did so it worked out.”
Haskins didn’t have the best rookie year. Seven touchdowns with seven interceptions; 56.8 completion percentage and 6.7 Yards/attempt. That was under the old regime and Rivera believes he can get the most out of Haskins.
“I feel really confident having guys that believe in me,” Haskins said. “I think I’m going to have a good year this year.”
Evaluating Washington’s Offseason Signings
Other than a failed attempted to pry Amari Cooper, the Redskins have been low key with their free-agent signings. The organization will roll over its cap to allow itself to be major players during the 2021 offseason.
The defensive side of the ball saw change this offseason. The franchise revamped its secondary, bringing Kendall Fuller back to town while adding Ronald Darby on a one-year deal. Darby spent the past three seasons in Philadelphia where he won a Super Bowl with the club. He showcased the ability to play at a high level, though injuries ultimately headlined his tenure with the Eagles.
Washington cut ties with Josh Norman this offseason and shipped Quinton Dunbar to Seattle. The decision to move on from Dunbar was a curious one. Yes, he was looking for a new contract, but the cornerback had a fantastic 2019 season, as Richard Sherman was the only player at the position to have a better campaign, per Pro Football Focus. The University of Florida product played 347 snaps last year, allowing just two touchdowns, and he allowed just 17 first downs across his 52 targets, which is the 10th best rate in the league.
Remembering Alex Smith’s Time in Washington
Smith, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, brought the Redskins to a level of competence. The team was 6-3 heading into the game against the Houston Texans where Smith broke his leg.
The QB had racked up wins over the Packers, Cowboys, and still-in-his-prime Cam Newton prior to the injury and the team notched just one more win down the stretch without Smith. The Seattle-native tossed 10 touchdowns vs. just five picks and accumulated 2180 passing yards during the 2018 season.
In his career, which includes long stints in San Francisco and Kansas City in addition to Washington, Smith has thrown for 193 touchdowns and just 101 interceptions. He has a record of 96-66-1 (yes, a tie).
Washington is still paying the quarterback. The Skins inked Smith, who had one year left on his contract at the time of the trade, to an extension worth $94 million over four years back in 2018. Of that amount, $27 million was the signing bonus, as Spotrac relays.
The Redskins have a potential out in 2021, as they could release Smith and it would count toward $10,800,000 in dead money on their cap, according to Spotrac. That seems like the more logical route given the 35-year-old’s injury woes.
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