Washington Redskins Free Agency Simulation:

Using Manage the Cap I took a look at how the Redskins free agency plan could go. You can see the summary breakdown here:

Cuts:

QB Robert Griffin III: $16 million savings

WR Pierre Garcon: $8 million savings

FS Dashon Goldson: $8 million savings

ILB Perry Riley: $4 million savings

WR Andre Roberts: $3 million savings

Notes:

Griffin is the obvious cut here. Garcon and Goldson I guess could be brought back for less, but really that is a massive savings between those two, and that money level is well above the solid production they bring. Riley is replaceable and not worth the money. Roberts has been a bust and it's clearly time to cut ties.

As for the some others on the fence like Hatcher, Lauvao and Lichtensteiger, they are definitely possible cuts, but prior to the draft I'm not sure they are certain cuts.

Re-Signings:

Mason Foster: 3 years $9 million, 2016 Cap hit: $2.25 million

Will Blackmon: 3 years $11.25 million, 2016 Cap hit: $2.812 million

Notes:

Foster and Blackmon were both cheap signings last year, but both played their way into more significant extensions. I don't see either getting big money or years so these types of smallish deals make sense. Neither one of these are major investments and if either ended up significantly regressing they would be easy deals to get out of.

Signings

QB Luke McCown: 2 years $5.5 million, 2016 Cap hit: $2.4 million

RB Bilal Powell: 3 years $12 million, 2016 Cap hit: $3.2 million

WR Brian Quick: 3 years $11.25 million, 2016 Cap hit: $2.812 million

S Reggie Nelson: 3 years $29.25 million, 2016 Cap hit: $6.937 million

Notes:

First let me address the big signing and that is FS Reggie Nelson. I'm sure some fans are cringing, either due to the cost or Nelson's age (he'll be 33 in September), but hear me out. Yes Nelson is older, but that is why you are only offering him a 3 year deal as opposed to a 5 or 6 year deal like some of the other top safeties. While the price is high, it's for a good reason. Nelson has been one of the better free safeties in the league the last couple of years and led the league in INTs last year with 8. Now if the Redskins weren't contending for the division I wouldn't push to sign a guy like Nelson, but they are in the mix and I think he would be a really strong addition to the back-end of this defense.

I get the feeling that Colt McCoy will move on in free agency meaning the Redskins need to find a veteran back-up. There are a couple of options out there, but I think Luke McCown is a decent 2 year signing. He's shown that if you need him to fill in for a game or two he can be solid, and he's not going to command as much as some of the other options.

Powell is a nice replacement option for Alfred Morris, and while the Redskins could spend more money on a bigger name, Powell is a decent fall back. He's a solid part-time runner and a good receiver out of the backfield. He'd be a nice complementary back to Matt Jones and he also wouldn't limit their options going forward with a burdensome contract.

I'm sure there are plenty of concerns with replacing Pierre Garcon with Brian Quick, but I think it would be a shrewd move for the Redskins. Quick is clearly far cheaper as the $8 million in cap savings this year pays for over 70% of Quick's entire contract. Really it is even more than that, because this is likely a "pay as you go" contract for Quick. There is likely to be very little guaranteed money beyond the first year in this deal, so if it doesn't work out the Redskins can get out of years 2 and 3 with almost no dead money.

Quick is a very intriguing receiver on the market this year as he's 6'3" 215+ and could be the big receiver the Redskins have been lacking. He's a former 2nd round pick who showed some flashes in 2013 and 2014 before missing the 2nd half of 2014 due to injury. He didn't do much in his return last year, but if he checks out medically he's an interesting option.

Finally the thing you will notice with this simulation is I left over $14 million in room under the cap. This money could be used towards a Jordan Reed and or a Kirk Cousins extension. Even if the money isn't actually used this year, it can be rolled over to next year to help pay for these things.