WFT's Top Players to Prioritize in 2021 NFL Free Agency

The Washington Football Team shocked plenty of people in 2020. While their 7-9 record wasn't in and of itself impressive, it was good enough to claim the NFC East. This means that under the direction of head coach Ron Rivera, Washington went from "earning" the No. 2 pick in the draft to hosting a playoff game in less than a year.

Just getting to the playoffs should never be a team's ultimate goal, though, and the Football Team will look to push deeper in 2021. New general manager Martin Mayhew will have a chance to make his mark on the effort on March 17, when free agency officially kicks off.

With a few more pieces in place, Washington could be more than just a playoff participant. It could win a game or two and be a realistic threat for the Super Bowl. Fortunately, Mayhew and the Football Team come armed with a projected $48.8 million in cap space.

Adding a couple of key pieces won't only be possible, it should be likely.

Where should the Football Team look to spend its proverbial fat cash in free agency? That's what we'll examine here. We'll examine three players who should be at the top of Washington's priority list in 2021 free agency.

OG Brandon Scherff

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

When it comes to incumbent free agents, no player should be a bigger priority than guard Brandon Scherff. He was given the franchise tag last year and rewarded the Football Team with an All-Pro campaign.

The 29-year-old four-time Pro Bowler should absolutely be a long-term piece of Washington's puzzle.

The Football Team is interested in having Scherff back too. According to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, it may even consider using the tag a second time, though it would prefer to ink him to a long-term contract.

The biggest obstacle to getting a long-term deal done, of course, is the free-agent market. Scherff is arguably the top guard available this offseason, and plenty of cap-rich teams will be clamoring for his services.

Washington will have to pay heavily to lock up Scherff ahead of free agency, and using the tag may be a necessary alternative. The silver lining here is that both options are financially feasible, given the team's cap situation.

CB Ronald Darby

Daniel Kucin Jr./Associated Press

Scherff isn't the only internal free agent Washington should prioritize, of course. Several pending free agents contributed to winning the division title in 2020, and cornerback Ronald Darby was one of them.

A key cog in Washington's second-ranked defense, the 27-year-old was terrific in coverage last season. He started all 16 games and allowed an opposing quarterback rating of just 81.0 on the year. That's the lowest opposing quarterback rating he has allowed over the last three seasons.

Darby also racked up 55 tackles and an impressive 16 passes defended.

Keeping the cornerback would help solidify one defensive spot for the foreseeable future. The Football Team should be looking to build on its impressive 2020 defense rather than retool it, and that makes Darby a major priority.

WR Chris Godwin

Kevin Sabitus/Associated Press

When it comes to external free agents, the Football Team should be high on the wide receiver market. Washington has a budding star in Terry McLaurin but not a lot else at the position.

Cam Sims ranked second among Washington receivers with a mere 477 receiving yards in 2020.

Adding Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin would go a long way toward improving Washington's receiving corps. While he was limited to just 12 games in 2020, he played 14 in 2019 and finished that season with a whopping 1,333 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

The 25-year-old is also capable of playing both on the perimeter and in the slot. This makes him a perfect complement to McLaurin, who has already carved out a role as Washington's No. 1 receiver. They would form one of the most dangerous wideout duos in the division and could help the offense better match the potency of its defense.

Other quality receivers will be available in free agency and in April's draft, but Godwin would be a high free-agent target.

*Cap information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.