Best Moves Washington Redskins Can Make in 2018 Offseason
Nose tackle, inside linebacker and free safety must be among the Washington Redskins' recruitment policies this offseason. Adding talent at all three positions will further boost a defense with the potential to be among the NFL's elite in the next few years.
The Redskins can't afford to ignore their offense, though. Specifically, the Burgundy and Gold need to add a standout wide receiver in 2018 free agency to supplement the development of Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson.
Help is also needed to complete the regeneration of an offensive line capable of dominance with all its marquee players available. Signing a standout guard to support bookend tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses, as well as interior mauler Brandon Scherff, would give the Redskins a front five primed for dominance next season.
Of course, none of the moves this team make on offense will count for much if the Redskins don't bring Kirk Cousins back. He has his faults, but No. 8 is still one of the more capable passers in today's game.
The new talent will make for an exciting roster, but it's a group a new head coach and new defensive coordinator should get to work with.
Read on for a specific breakdown of the best moves Washington can make this offseason.
Bring Back 3 Key Free Agents
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There are three key free agents the Redskins should ensure they bring back this offseason. They are cornerback Bashaud Breeland, inside linebacker Zach Brown and wide receiver Ryan Grant.
Brown's value is obvious as the leading tackler in football this season. He has been everywhere, showcasing the full range of skills every competent defense boasts at inside linebacker.
Not only has Brown been a magnet for the ball in the running game, he has also been effective on inside blitzes, as well as useful in coverage.
In short, Brown has proved a bargain on the one-year deal he signed in 2017. Now it's time for the Redskins to make sure arguably their most important player along the front seven doesn't get away.
Brown continuing for the Burgundy and Gold will maintain the strength of the front seven. Similarly, re-signing Breeland will help keep cornerback a position of strength.
Breeland doesn't generate the buzz or headlines of fellow starter Josh Norman, but he is as capable a second corner as there is in the league. It's in the best interests of Washington's defense to keep him in the fold, despite the emergence of Kendall Fuller this season.
Fuller has been outstanding in the slot, which is where he should stay for now. Slot corner is no longer a niche position in the NFL's pass-first modern era. Instead, it's a key spot for every defense, one where the Redskins now have a true playmaker thanks to Fuller.
Moving him to the outside would waste Fuller's skills, while keeping Breeland and Norman on the edges would ensure the Redskins still boast an enviable amount of talent at the position in 2018.
There isn't an enviable amount of talent at wide receiver, but Grant's emergence has been one positive this year. He's caught a career-high 31 passes in his fourth season.
More than his numbers, Grant has shown an intriguing mix of possession skills and the ability to stretch defenses deep. He proved the latter quality when he reeled in a 40-yard touchdown catch two weeks ago against the New Orleans Saints.
Having Grant alongside Crowder would give the Redskins a pair of quarterback-friendly, sure-handed targets adept at keeping the chains moving. Their ability to win underneath would provide the ideal complement to Doctson's flair for going vertical.
Sign/Draft a Partner for Brown
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One of the notable things about Brown's strong first season with the Redskins is how he's managed to be so productive without a standout partner on the inside.
Mason Foster was playing solid but not spectacular football before going on injured reserve, while Will Compton did about the same. Martrell Spaight did what he could in nickel sets, but the Redskins haven't been able to find another middle linebacker with Brown's versatile and dynamic set of skills.
Finding a playmaker for the inside should be a top priority for Washington this offseason. Fortunately, both the 2018 NFL draft and free-agency classes offer intriguing possible solutions.
The draft probably provides the best bounty thanks to the presence of Alabama tackling machine Rashaan Evans. He's a player Bleacher Report's Matt Miller sent to the Oakland Raiders in his latest mock draft.
Miller describes Evans as a "fantastic three-down player," in other words, exactly what the Redskins need. The rest of Miller's assessment of Evans only strengthens the case for Washington to have him high on the draft board: "He has the range and instincts to attack against the run or drop into coverage."
Alabama has a proud recent history of producing versatile linebackers who can make defenses tick, with Dont'a Hightower of the New England Patriots being the prime example. Linebackers from the Tide are flexible and well-coached, qualities the Redskins need alongside Brown.
Alternatively, Washington could try the veteran market and hope for the same success signing Brown yielded. Demario Davis and Kelvin Sheppard are big hitters, natural enforcers against the run, but Preston Brown possesses more range in coverage.
The latter partnered Brown in the middle of the Buffalo Bills' defense in 2016. Reuniting this partnership would finally give the Redskins the strength in the middle they need to make their 3-4 scheme work.
Add a Nose Tackle
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The moves Washington made to fortify the defensive line this year have paid off. Jonathan Allen looked well worth the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft before he went on IR, while Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain have shown flashes since arriving in free agency.
Their performances, along with the emergence of Matt Ioannidis, mean the Redskins now have genuine strength in depth up front. However, there is still one thing missing from the team's first line of defense, namely a standout nose tackle.
Putting a truly dominant 0-technique between, say, Allen and McGee, would give Washington's D the ability to dominate the trenches in 2018. Just like at inside linebacker, the team has quality options to consider in both free agency and the draft.
An early look at the draft class reveals the presence of Clemson's Christian Wilkins. He's versatile and gifted enough to anchor a pro defensive front, according to Bucky Brooks of the league's official website: "Ultra-athletic defender with the capacity to play anywhere from nose tackle to stand-up defensive end. Wilkins is a rare find, as a 300-pound defender with exceptional balance, body control and strength."
Clemson has a well-deserved reputation for producing NFL-ready defensive linemen in recent years; Grady Jarrett of the Atlanta Falcons is an obvious example.
Free agency will offer bigger, more natural nose guards. Bennie Logan could leave the Kansas City Chiefs after one season, while Dontari Poe could also enter free agency after a single year with the Atlanta Falcons.
Star Lotulelei of the Carolina Panthers is also worth consideration at 6'2" and 315 pounds.
The Redskins shouldn't be able to end the offseason without having added an obvious focal point for their front three.
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Invest Heavily in a Safety
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Whatever level of investment the Redskins are planning for other positions, they need to set aside ample dollars and cents to sign a quality safety.
It has been way too long since this franchise had elite-level talent at the position. Since 2010, it seems as though the Redskins have been chasing bargain-bucket solutions to a problem requiring serious money.
This offseason has to be the year Washington's penny-pinching at safety ends. There can be no Brandon Meriweather, Ryan Clark, Duke Ihenacho or even D.J. Swearinger. Instead, 2018 must be the year the Redskins land a true star safety.
There will be little excuse for not doing it when a player as good as Eric Reid could be on the free-agent market. Still just 25, he is the kind of all-rounder every team covets at safety.
He can play both the free and strong positions, as well as even being able to move outside to corner in certain looks. In this sense, Reid is similar to New England Patriots ace Devin McCourty.
Reid would lend the kind of flexibility to Washington's defense, in terms of showing different looks and successfully disguising coverages, only units with standout safeties possess.
Recruit Help at Guard
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Left guard is probably the obvious weak point along the Redskins' offensive line, depending on how you feel about Spencer Long playing center. Recruiting some help for the former position will go a long way to giving Washington a line capable of being among the league's best in 2018.
Shawn Lauvao has had his injury problems, but he's also been far from dominant when healthy, so it makes sense for adding a left guard to be a priority. Taking a guard off the board in the 2018 draft is something Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports believes the Redskins should do.
Trapasso named Notre Dame's Quenton Nelson as Washington's guard of choice:
"Somewhat quietly, the Redskins have gotten awesome return on investment from first-round guard Brandon Scherff. Unfortunately for Washington, its other guard spot needs work. That's where Nelson would step in. With Scherff and Nelson on the interior, the Redskins would be much better equipped to face the trio of dynamic pass-rushes in their division."
His reference to the pass-rushers Washington has to deal with in the NFC East is telling. While the division boasts gifted game-wreckers on the edge, such as New York Giants duo Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul, along with Brandon Graham of the Philadelphia Eagles, it's the burly D-tackles who should concern the Redskins more.
The Philadelphia Eagles are bossing the trenches this season thanks to Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan's strength on the inside. New York's defense is tough whenever monster 0-technique Damon Harrison gets moving.
What the Redskins need to counter these behemoths is more beef along the interior. A player such as man-mountain Oakland Raiders blocker Gabe Jackson would provide it.
He's 6'3", 335 pounds and likely to be the big-ticket item among guards once free agency opens. Jackson would be expensive and would need to move over to the left side, but he'd be worth the investment as a nasty road-grader who is surprisingly mobile for his size.
Sign Jarvis Landry
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As detailed earlier this week, Jarvis Landry represents the ideal fit for the Redskins when free agency opens in 2018. He's a quality mix of possession-style wide receiver and deceptive big-play threat.
Landry's got the quicks and the moves in open space to consistently turn short passes into yards after the catch. The 25-year-old has also caught at least 84 passes in each of his three seasons before this one and is on pace to make it four in a row, since he has 75 receptions in 2017.
Those catch totals are all the more impressive when you consider the uncertain state of the Miami Dolphins' quarterback position since Landry has been in town. Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore and Jay Cutler have each taken a turn under center, but all have leaned on Landry as their most reliable target.
Reliability is something the Redskins need at receiver after a season in which Terrelle Pryor Sr. has dropped passes, not finished routes and undergone ankle surgery. For all his progress, Doctson has also struggled with drops.
Landry doesn't let many passes get away, much in the manner of Crowder. Together, they would be coverage beaters sure to prove nightmares for defenses on option routes and make Cousins' job easier.
Give Cousins a New Deal
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Enough is enough. It's time for the Redskins to cough up the cash and pay Kirk Cousins the way a credible starting pro quarterback should be paid.
The 29-year-old has had two years as a starter and both produced winning seasons. He led the franchise to only its third NFC East title since 1991 in 2015, breaking numerous franchise records in the process.
Last season saw Cousins earn a spot in the Pro Bowl after another winning season, although there was no entry to the playoffs. Even so, his 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns came during a year when he played under the franchise tag.
Cousins has been playing under the tag for a second year this season. While the Redskins are 5-6, he has still topped the 3,000-yard mark and thrown 19 touchdowns compared with just six interceptions.
Those who would scoff at his production should remember Cousins has posted those numbers while throwing to a patchwork group of receivers, behind a line ravaged by injuries and without the support of a credible and consistent running game.
Cousins hasn't had 1,000-yard receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon to throw to this season. He's also missed top playmaker Jordan Reed, who has been injured for most of the campaign.
Pressure has been intense thanks to injuries robbing the line of premier left tackle Trent Williams, along with Lauvao, Long and Scherff.
It's little wonder Redskins Radio pundit Chris Cooley thinks this is Cousins' best season, per Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post. Cooley isn't the only one who believes the Redskins have to keep their QB.
ESPN.com's John Keim quoted an unnamed NFL defensive coordinator who says No. 8 can do the job for the Burgundy and Gold for the next decade.
Consider the alternatives to the Redskins not handing Cousins a new long-term deal. ESPN NFL Nation's Kevin Seifert noted how putting the franchise tag on him for a third time would cost Washington close to $34 million.
There's also the fact the class of free-agent quarterbacks will be less than inspiring, with Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated describing how slim the pickings are likely to be.
Bringing back Cousins makes the most sense for the Redskins to ensure the situation remains stable at football's most important position.
Fire Jay Gruden and Greg Manusky
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Jay Gruden has had his moments in Washington, notably becoming the first head coach since Joe Gibbs in the 1990s to guide the franchise to back-to-back winning seasons.
Even so, the bottom line speaks loudest in the NFL. This one says the Redskins are facing up to three seasons out of four without the playoffs on Gruden's watch.
Ditching Gruden for a defensive-minded head coach can give the Redskins the more measured guidance they need to make their talent count each week. There needs to be a greater commitment to team-specific game-planning, as well as better situational tactics, such as clock management and maintaining the run-pass balance when a game demands it.
Whoever takes the reins after Gruden should be buoyed by the addition of a new defensive coordinator. Greg Manusky has done some good things this season, but his approach is too throwback, too dedicated to a mantra of simply beating people up, rather than taking a more thoughtful route to stymying offenses each week.
There has also been an inconsistency between being aggressive and slipping into passive defense. It was most obvious during the late collapse against the New Orleans Saints in Week 11, when Manusky's defense wilted in crunch time.
Afterwards, Swearinger suggested the Redskins weren't adequately prepared for the challenges of the two-minute drill, per Kimberley A. Martin of the Washington Post.
A bolder approach all game is needed to help a more talented defense reach its full potential. One name the Redskins should consider is Todd Bowles.
He hasn't cut it as head coach of the New York Jets, but he was an outstanding defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals before moving to the Big Apple. He was a blitz-happy play-caller who designed some of the more chic and aggressive pressures in the league.
Bowles, who won a Super Bowl as a safety with the Redskins, should be running Washington's defense in 2018.
There is enough talent for the Redskins to field a playoff team next year. What Washington needs is another offseason of determined commitment to fixing obvious weaknesses.
Last year it was the defensive line, but in 2018 it has to be safety, inside linebacker, wide receiver and guard. Putting those things in place for a new coach will make this team a force next season.
All free-agency information per Spotrac.com.
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