Washington Redskins Free Agents: What Will It Take to Keep Key Redskins?

The futures of the Washington Redskins key free agents are likely to hinge on the team's attempts to shake up the front office and the coaching staff. Specifically, the pending deal to bring in Scot McCloughan as general manager, per Mike Jones and Mark Maske of The Washington Post, will affect how the franchise approaches some of its more contentious contracts.

McCloughan will already have his own ideas about the primary free agents Washington will want to keep. The value he places on a pass-rusher is likely to influence any deal offered to Brian Orakpo, for instance.

Speaking of Orakpo, it's not just McCloughan's potential arrival that could impact his status. The proposed bid to hire Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator could prove hugely significant.

Phillips runs the kind of 3-4 scheme that places a premium on talented edge-rushers. He may view Orakpo as one more outside blitzer who can enjoy a breakout year in his system.

If Phillips gets the job, he'll be the decisive factor in whether the team's primary defensive free agents stay or go.

Here's what it's going to take to keep Washington's key people around.

Introducing the Key Men

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Washington's key free agents comprise two solid members of the defensive front seven, along with a pair of skill position playmakers and a quarterback who is set to compete for the starting job.

Beginning first with the defense, Orakpo is joined by defensive end Jarvis Jenkins as key figures the Redskins may want to retain. Orakpo's troubles staying on the field are beyond dispute. But so are his talent and impact as a game-wrecking pass-rusher.

As for Jenkins, his inability to develop as a pass-rusher could seal his fate if Phillips arrives. A position change might be the only thing that saves him.

Offensively, the team needs Niles Paul, but how much? That will depend on how highly McCloughan rates the brittle but gifted Jordan Reed.

Paul is in a decent negotiating position after having a career year in 2014. However, the Redskins are unlikely to enter any bidding war for his services.

The same is true of versatile running back Roy Helu Jr. If head coach Jay Gruden doesn't believe this talented backfield receiver is the third-down weapon he wants, then the team will only offer him modest terms to stay.

Colt McCoy's contract could be the trickiest to determine. He was solid in relief of both Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III during the season.

McCoy has played himself into a competition that Gruden has already declared to be open. But with his status as either starter, backup or third-string QB unclear, McCoy's new deal won't contain many zeroes.

Jarvis Jenkins, DE

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Jarvis Jenkins has a problem. He's not a skilled pass-rusher, as evidenced by having just two sacks in three pro seasons.

Normally, that's a not a problem for 3-4 linemen. Usually, a 3-4 end is expected to absorb blockers and occupy double-teams. He's only there to make life easier for the linebackers.

But the expectations for D-linemen in D.C. will change if Phillips is hired. His one-gap scheme demands linemen split gaps and attack the backfield. They aren't tasked with challenging blockers but beating them.

Jenkins may soon be overlooked in the new scheme. Players such as Jason Hatcher, Chris Baker and Frank Kearse already offer more pressure.

There's also a veteran like Stephen Bowen to consider. The 30-year-old is effective when he's healthy and offers ample experience in Phillips's defense from his days with the Dallas Cowboys.

However, Bowen will carry a cap hit totaling more than $8 million for 2015, per Spotrac.com. But Phillips may be tempted to ask the team to explore restructuring the deal.

Jenkins' best bet to stay on the team may be to convince coaches he can make a permanent switch to nose tackle. At 6'4" and 315 pounds, he may not be the biggest for the position. Yet that won't bother Phillips, who has rarely insisted on overwhelming size over center.

Playing on the nose would suit Jenkins' talent for locking up blockers and playing the run. Those aren't exactly niche skills in today's NFL, so the Redskins are unlikely to find much competition for the services of 2011's second-round pick.

Jenkins accounted for $1,492,667 against the cap in 2014. He'll have a hard time convincing people he's played his way to a better deal.

Roy Helu Jr., RB

Roy Helu Jr. has the production and flexible blend of skills to be an asset in Washington's offense. Of course, that's assuming he'll be used enough to prove it.

The fourth-round pick in 2011 was actually on pace for a productive season before he missed two of the final three games with a toe injury. Helu finished 2014 with 40 carries and 42 catches, totaling 693 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Those are solid numbers with a real window to get better. The question is: How highly do Gruden and offensive coordinator Sean McVay value Helu's talents?

In the video above, Bleacher Report's Chris Simms suggests Gruden may want a more explosive option. This makes sense given Simms' reference to Washington's interest in Darren Sproles last season.

It's also worth noting Gruden used a sixth-round pick to select speedy and shifty Lache Seastrunk in 2014. That particular move didn't work out, but it was an indication Gruden is open to new ideas at running back.

However, Gruden is unlikely to find a new option on this year's free-agency market. There's no Sproles in this group.

The best bet is to retain Helu and give him more of the ball in 2015. Of course, that's assuming the one-time Nebraska ace sees a complementary role as his immediate future.

Helu hasn't sounded as though he's averse to finding a new team this offseason, per Zac Boyer of The Washington Times: "I’m very excited, because it’s the first time I’ve gone into an offseason where I guess I get to see what else is out there and I’m not restricted to a rookie pay scale. There are great possibilities out there that I’ll probably look into for the benefit of my family’s future."

Perhaps the Cleveland Browns, where ex-Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan calls the plays, might offer Helu more in terms of both money and role. The future of former Washington head coach Mike Shanahan, the man who traded for Helu in 2011, could also have an impact on his future.

But this is a player worth keeping. A three-year contract at $2 million per year should convince Helu to stay in D.C., particularly if Gruden offers assurances he'll get the catch tally up to the 55-65 mark, as well as provide a few more carries.

Niles Paul, TE

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Niles Paul presents a mild dilemma for Washington's front office. He's somebody the team should keep after he established a niche as a productive "Joker-style" tight end in 2014. Paul also offers value as an experienced member of the special teams.

But if he decides to take his career-best 39 receptions and 507 yards onto the open market, Paul could command interest from a few parties. Unlike Jenkins, whose core skills won't attract a lot of attention, Paul's ability to create matchup problems from various alignments is something offensive play-callers value highly.

If Gruden and McVay feel the same, and 2014 indicates they do, Paul should at least double his $645,000 base salary from last season. That's a particularly worthy investment when Jordan Reed, a player who should be a budding star, still has issues.

Reed's problem is his inability to stay healthy. He's missed 12 games and made just six starts in two seasons.

Perhaps more worrying, Reed had the look of a player who had given up during 2014's latter stages. The inconsistency in his play at that time helps support this view.

This offense needs a player like Paul. Ideally, it needs both Paul and Reed challenging coverage from various positions.

While question marks persist about the latter, Paul has earned a new three-year deal paying around $1.3 million per season.

Brian Orakpo, OLB

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When he missed nine games in 2014, Orakpo's fate appeared to be sealed. He had been slapped with the franchise tag following 10 sacks in 2013. But with the chance to earn major money, the 28-year-old notched half a sack through seven games before succumbing to yet another pectoral injury.

But even in this context, dumping Orakpo isn't quite as clear cut as it might appear. The decision hinges on whether Phillips is on the sideline calling the defense in 2015 or not.

If he is, Orakpo could still have a future in D.C. In fact, there's a strong case to say he will.

For one thing, Orakpo can terrorize quarterbacks when he's healthy, as his 40 career sacks show. He has the speed, power and range Phillips loves out on the edge.

With Phillips on board, Orakpo would be playing in a scheme that sends the outside linebackers on the blitz on the vast majority of snaps. That's sure to improve his production.

He also has the advantage of a lack of game-changing talent at his position on the roster. Second-rounder Trent Murphy has potential, but overall he rated as a disappointment after being the first player selected by Washington in 2014's draft.

Meanwhile, rookie free agent Jackson Jeffcoat flashed some playmaking skill toward the end of the season, but he remains a raw and unproven commodity.

There are options in free agency, but any money spent on the market would be better used on the offensive line and secondary. It's a similar story in this year's draft, where the fifth overall pick can be used more wisely.

Ultimately, the Redskins may decide to bank on Phillips and his aggressive scheme being able to bring out the best in Orakpo. After all, he has Pro Bowl-level talent, and no losing team should be eager to jettison that.

Of course, all of this depends on Phillips actually earning and taking the job. But if he does, it may be smart for Washington to re-franchise Orakpo, keep him around for another year and give him one last chance to play his way into a bumper deal.

Colt McCoy, QB

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Colt McCoy did himself a few favors in 2014. He entered the season third on the depth chart but ended an injury short of taking and keeping the starting job from Robert Griffin III.

Had McCoy not gone down with neck problems against the New York Giants in Week 15, he'd be in a very strong negotiating position now. But the injury naturally clouds his status in uncertainty.

Gruden has indicated McCoy will join Griffin and Cousins in a three-way battle for the quarterback job, per ESPN.com's John Keim: "I anticipate us having a competition at a lot of spots, and quarterback is no different next year."

Again, McCloughan's input is likely to be significant. ESPN 980 reporter Kevin Sheehan has already indicated that the team's prospective new shot-caller is uncertain about the options under center: 

"

I asked him what he thought of the QB situation....he said "he's not sure yet". #Redskins @ESPNRadio980

— Kevin Sheehan (@kevins980) January 6, 2015"

That's hardly a vote of confidence for a pending free agent like McCoy. Of course, he does have familiarity with Gruden's offense in his favor.

Ultimately, how hard Gruden is prepared to push to keep McCoy around will be the decisive factor in what sort of deal is offered to the ex-Cleveland Browns starter.

What could weaken Washington's position is the fact so many NFL teams need a quarterback. McCoy might not have played his way into the starting role with the Redskins, but he might have done enough to convince another signal-caller-shy team to take a punt.

However, it's still safer to bet McCoy continues to be viewed as a backup by many around the league. In this context, increasing his 2014 $730,000 base salary to $800-850,000 for two years would be a sensible move.

The Redskins are fortunate in the sense that losing any of their pending free agents wouldn't represent a crippling blow. The players on this list are the key figures, but they could easily be replaced, many by in-house solutions.

So the new-look front office should have the advantage at the negotiating table. Smart deals can be struck that leave money free to upgrade where it's needed.

All contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com.