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The Combine is over and it gave us a look at most of the players that will get drafted next month. It also gave us plenty of rumors about the Redskins and pretty much every other team in the league. We know the Redskins were meeting with the top QBs, and plan to have them in for pre-draft visits. Dan Snyder met with Chase Young, and he reportedly won’t pass, on him, unless Ron Rivera takes a QB, or he trades down...
The Washington Redskins were terrible last season and now hold the #2 pick in the NFL for their awfulness. Chase Young is the consensus #1 player in this year’s draft, and he is also the consensus #2 pick going to the Redskins in most mock drafts. But the trade down and Tua options are still out there. What should the Redskins do?
Trades!
5. Washington (via trade with Miami) — Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah
Washington had one of the worst pass defenses in the league last year. (Unless it was playing against Jeff Driskel, anyway.) Now it trades down to fifth overall, picks up another first-round pick in the process and still manages to land the best cornerback in the draft. That’d be quite the haul.
18. Washington (via trade with Miami) — Clemson WR Tee Higgins
Washington traded back, still landed the No. 1 cornerback in the draft and now uses the extra first-round pick to add a top-flight receiver to complement Terry McLaurin. That’s pretty good!
6. Washington (trade with LAC): Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville. The behemoth left tackle was one of the most improved players in 2019, and his upward arc leads to a lofty talent ceiling. Trading back and landing Beckton also opens the door to trade Trent Williams for even more capital, should the new Skins regime choose...(Chargers trade #6 and 4th round pick, and 1st and 3rd in 2021)
Dolphins send No. 5, 26, 39, 2021 second-round pick to Redskins for No. 2, 2021 fourth-round pick
At the NFL Combine, there was growing buzz that the Washington Redskins are in on Tua Tagovailoa and that the Miami Dolphins may not like the Alabama quarterback as much as many thought they do. To me, both are smokescreens as Washington wants to try and milk a great trade and the Dolphins don’t want to be forced to do that.
Miami needs their franchise quarterback, however, and they succumb to the trade, moving up to take Tua. The quarterback’s medical report was all positive at this stage in his recovery and the Dolphins get an extremely accurate leader for their future.
#5 Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Jedrick Wills did not have the best Combine, especially as so many of his other peers shined. However, the last thing a team can afford to do is overthink testing, especially when it wasn’t necessarily poor, and overlook film. That’s the case with Wills and Washington, who now sits at No. 5 and may need a replacement for Trent Williams at tackle. At Alabama, Wills was a stalwart and I trust that more than a bad week in Indianapolis.
#26 Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
While Jeff Gladney was not an unreal athlete that many people thought he might be in terms of testing, he’s still plenty athletic when he’s on the field. Moreover, he’s an effective coverage player that has the potential to be a true No. 1 corner in the NFL. After letting Josh Norman go and having few answers at the position, Washington uses their newly acquired first-rounder to help out the secondary.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
BEFORE Y’ALL BURN ME AT THE STAKE, this is what happened. Before the draft commenced, the Redskins traded Dwayne Haskins to the Miami Dolphins for Picks 39, 145 and Josh Rosen. That way, Rosen can be the bridge for what could be an entire redshirt season for Tagovailoa. And, if they’d like to and Rosen plays well, they could trade him for even more draft capital during the next offseason. Or, you have a damn good backup. If he’s bad, you might still be in position to draft extremely high next year, which allows you to continue the team-building process around Tagovailoa (or maybe Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields. Just always trade your QB, maybe.) Tua, when healthy, is an incredibly gifted passer particularly with his quick processor and touch to all three levels of the field. He’s also very adept at navigating the pocket and avoiding pressure, which is something Haskins is not as strong with.
Plus, now y’all actually have a second-round pick.
If the NFL Draft were a straight forward venture then there would be no need for mock drafts. A year ago, the Cardinals selected Kyler Murray one year after drafting Josh Rosen in the top 10. If Washington comes to the conclusion that Tagovailoa is a better long-term option than Dwayne Haskins, why would they not take him and then deal Haskins for additional draft capital?
Besides the obvious health asterisk here, let me explain:
• Dwayne Haskins was not Ron Rivera’s guy, and the former personnel executive who drafted Haskins — Bruce Allen — is now gone.
• Haskins earned a 66.6 passing grade as a rookie and 84.9 his lone year as the starter at Ohio State. The grades aren’t the end all be all, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a stat or favorable evaluation of Haskins’ rookie season.
• Ask any Cardinals fan whether they’d rather have Josh Rosen and Nick Bosa or Kyler Murray.
Offseason needs: Offensive tackle, pass rusher, wide receiver, cornerback
You can’t dismiss the fact that Rivera was not part of the organization when it drafted Dwayne Haskins last year. And while Rivera said a team can win with Haskins, this seemed like much more of a damning quote.
“He’s not anointed, that’s for sure,” Rivera said during his media session. “I expect him to come in and compete and work, and we’ll see what happens.”
Burrow going first overall to the Bengals and Chase Young going second to the Washington Redskins has been a staple of the mock draft scene ever since the 2020 NFL Draft order has been set. Young is almost inarguably the most talented player in the 2020 NFL Draft class and would be an incredibly tempting selection for any team in the top five to make. However, nothing is more important for an NFL team than finding a franchise quarterback.
The Redskins took a shot on a franchise quarterback last year, taking Dwayne Haskins with the 15th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, Haskins struggled throughout his rookie season and it is fair to question whether he is the right guy to lead the Redskins to the promised land.
If Tua Tagovailoa did not come with any health risks, there would be two obvious franchise signal-callers in the 2020 NFL Draft class. Both him and Burrow are top-tier prospects at the all-important position, especially now that every report about Tua’s health is positive. Perhaps nobody had a better combine than Tua Tagovailoa, who answered many questions about the health of his hip with a strong medical check.
Tagovailoa already showed elite on-field production. Now, he is much healthier than we expected. There are still durability concerns here, but I would no longer be surprised to see the Redskins take a shot on his upside with the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Washington has a new coaching staff that is not emotionally connected to the selection of Haskins. Nothing is more important than finding the right franchise quarterback to build around and Tua undoubtedly has a chance to be the right guy.
Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
Likewise, Young is likely to remain No. 1 overall on my Big Board through the draft, and Washington is in a great spot to add an edge rusher with All-Pro potential. He has rare physical ability and outstanding production, two traits that aren’t always a guarantee at the top of the draft. Am I crazy to think the Redskins aren’t that far away from being a contender in the NFC East? They have some nice defensive pieces such as Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Landon Collins. If they can sort out their offensive line issues — bring back Trent Williams and re-sign Brandon Scherff — and get a Year 2 jump from Dwayne Haskins, Ron Rivera’s team should be much improved in 2020.
Washington is super happy it’s Cincinnati picking at No. 1. Any team not in obvious need of a quarterback would probably be running to the podium to draft Young first overall, but instead, the Redskins land him at No. 2. He’s the best player in the draft and one of the best pass-rushers I’ve ever scouted. Yes, the Redskins had 46 sacks last season (10th in the NFL), but they won’t pass up the opportunity to add a pass-rusher of this caliber. Young had 16.5 sacks to lead the nation despite missing two games, and he could take a middle-of-the-road passing defense to the next level.
From Todd McShay on possible trade of No. 2 pick and Young falling to Lions: "If you're looking for a percentage, it's a 10-15 % chance of it happening. Washington really loves Chase Young." I would agree with all of this.
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 3, 2020
more: “[Haskins] can be developed and he can be a solid starter. But I think Tua will wind up being a better quarterback. It’s the most important position in the game. If you [can] upgrade that position how do you not? Now, Chase Young is special. …No problem taking Chase at 2.”
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 3, 2020
The shocker here could be Washington giving away Dwayne Haskins after one year like the Cardinals did with Josh Rosen. Barring that move, Ron Rivera and Co. pick Young to attack opponents’ quarterbacks.
Round 3: Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
Wait, what? No Chase Young? Well, here’s what we know. The Redskins selected Mississippi State edge-rusher Montez Sweat with the 26th pick in the 2019 draft. Sweat could easily hit the second-year performance bump that edge defenders often see. Washington also has Ryan Kerrigan under contract through 2020 and the underrated Matt Ioannidis through 2022. It’s not as if new head coach Ron Rivera and new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio wouldn’t benefit from Chase Young on their defensive line, but there’s also the matter of the secondary to consider. Washington just released cornerback Josh Norman in a cost-cutting and performance-based move. Outside of Quinton Dunbar, there’s nobody at the position who inspires much confidence at all, and the Redskins appear to be playing hardball with Dunbar. Okudah would solve some of the cornerback problem quickly; the ongoing franchise dysfunction is another matter entirely.
Generally viewed as this draft’s most talented prospect, the Maryland native grew up a ‘Skins fan. Young’s physical gifts, mental makeup and intangibles all point to superstardom, so Washington – even if the team’s new brass favors Tagovailoa over last year’s Round 1 pick, QB Dwayne Haskins – would need to make quite a persuasive case internally to trade down or otherwise forgo the Buckeyes’ latest stud pass rusher. Young could immediately spark what has the makings of a burgeoning defense.
I wouldn’t rule out the potential that Washington could snag QB Tua Tagovailoa with this pick. However, Young would give the Redskins one of the most dominant defensive lines in the league.
The Redskins are in a situation similar to the one Arizona encountered one year ago. The Cardinals drafted Murray and traded Josh Rosen even though they had used a first-round pick (10th overall) for Rosen just a year earlier. This year, Washington could conceivably use the second overall pick for a quarterback despite having selected Dwayne Haskins 15th overall in 2019. One big difference between the Cardinals and Redskins: Washington’s new coach comes from the defensive side of the ball.
“Ron Rivera will be running to turn in the card for Chase Young,” a personnel director said. “He is sprinting and doing cartwheels.”
It shouldn’t matter to anyone that Chase Young didn’t work out at the Combine because he’s a stud and the greatest talent in this class. He’ll work out at his pro day and I expect him to run in the 4.5’s. The Redskins are lucky to get him here at No. 2 since the Bengals need a QB.
Young is a transcendent talent, he is an absolute monster off the edge indicative of his school-record 16.5 sacks. Young is a game wrecker that has the potential to be in the same class as the Von Millers and Khalil Macks of the world.
Chase Young and last year’s first-rounder Montez Sweat should strike fear in opponents coming off the edge for years to come.
Unless the Redskins get blown away by a trade offer, they’re taking Chase Young, who will have a Nick Bosa-type impact as a rookie.
The Redskins interviewed QBs at the combine, and they should. It’s a new regime and it’s the most important position on the field. Of course, that doesn’t mean there’s a QB available they believe is enough of an upgrade on Dwayne Haskins to pass on Chase Young.
With defensive-minded Ron Rivera hired as coach, assuming the Redskins also do not get a can’t-refuse offer to trade back, they should jump at the chance to get this cornerstone talent for the team’s defensive rebuild. Young (6-5, 264 pounds) is a game-changing disruptor who had 16.5 sacks in only 12 games as a junior. He can produce at an all-around level even higher than that of Nick Bosa, who went No. 2 from the Buckeyes to the 49ers and promptly dominated as SN’s Rookie of the Year.
Chase Young did not participate in a single athletic test this week, and that was the right choice. He’s standing on what he put out on tape, and that tape tells us he’s a top-three player — at worst. While in Indianapolis, we learned there might be some truth to the rumors of the Washington Redskins’ new coaching staff not being thrilled with Dwayne Haskins, but as of right now I still don’t see head coach Ron Rivera picking anyone other than Young.
As expected, the buzz at the combine is the Redskins are moving forward with Dwayne Haskins as the quarterback of the future in Washington. Could they receive a trade offer from a quarterback-needy team that is too good to pass up? Possibly. But the most likely scenario is they stay put and draft the difference-making pass rusher.
Round 3: Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
Last week, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Redskins would draft edge-rusher Chase Young from Ohio State, but that’s at least questionable after head coach Ron Rivera said during media availability that the team will bring in quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa for predraft workouts. Could Washington move on from last year’s first-rounder Dwayne Haskins? It’s possible, especially since Rivera wasn’t the man behind that draft choice.
For now, the smart money is still on Young being the selection, but this is a team and situation to watch very closely over the next two months. Young is the best prospect in the draft and compares very well to Myles Garrett when he was the No. 1 overall pick coming out of Texas A&M, but if the Redskins believe Tua gives them a better chance to win, he could be the pick here.
Round 3: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
I’ve had the Redskins trading down for the past several updates, but I’ve moved them back to the No. 2 overall pick in the wake of some news Charlie Campbell broke from the Combine. In the latest NFL Hot Press, Charlie wrote that the Redskins are unlikely to trade the No. 2 overall pick.
With that in mind, it’s obvious that the Redskins will select Chase Young. The dynamic edge rusher enjoyed a breakout season in the wake of Nick Bosa’s injury in 2018, and was very dominant this past year. He’s a very athletic edge player with great size (6-5, 265), and it will take a miracle for the Redskins to pass on him at No. 2 overall.
Round 2(#39): Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
The Redskins are looking for another receiver to pair with Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims Jr.
Tee Higgins is a matchup nightmare receiver with his incredible size (6-4, 200), but didn’t run at the combine because he thought he would test poorly.
Round 3: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
The Redskins are looking for another receiver to pair with Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims Jr.
Tee Higgins is a matchup nightmare receiver with his incredible size (6-4, 200), but didn’t run at the combine because he thought he would test poorly.
Round 4: Reggie Robinson, CB, Tulsa
The Redskins will be keeping the No. 2 pick, which means Jeff Okudah is off the table. Here’s the cornerback Washington desperately needs.
Reggie Robinson is a tall, athletic cornerback. He has loads of potential.
The Redskins take the best player in the 2020 NFL Draft and could form a legendary defensive line with Young, Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne and Montez Sweat. The problem will be retaining them all, but Washington could look to deal with that a few years from now.
Young (6-5, 264) dominated a lot of the opponents Ohio State played this season and missed two games with a suspension. He has some size to him to go along with speed and athleticism off the edge. With his superb first-step, pass-rushing moves, agility, and ability to close, Young looks like a future Pro Bowler who annually produces double-digit sacks. In 2019, Young had 16.5 sacks with 46 tackles, six forced fumbles, three passes batted and a blocked kick. With the way that Young dominated in 2019, he is the top prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft regardless of position.
With Nick Bosa injured for most of 2018, Young took advantage of the opportunity to have a breakout season. In 2018, he recorded 34 tackles with 15.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, five passes broken up and two forced fumbles. As a freshman, he totaled 19 tackles with 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
Round 3: Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Vernon Davis retired and Jordan Reed retired. The Redskins add a tight end weapon.
Moss was a mismatch receiving weapon for LSU in 2019, totaling 47 receptions for 570 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder has a solid build with quickness and athleticism. Moss could stand to improve his blocking for the NFL, but he could be a mismatch weapon as a F - receiving - tight end.
Poll
What should the Redskins do with the #2 pick?
This poll is closed
-
30%
Trade down!
(491 votes) -
8%
Draft Tua Tagovailoa
(139 votes) -
60%
Draft Chase Young
(980 votes) -
0%
Draft someone else
(7 votes)