Category: 2019 NFL Regular Season

Brandon Scherff’s time as a member of the Redskins may be over

Scherff was placed on the IR on Tuesday, and with his impending free agency coming up, the Redskins may opt for a cheaper option at guard.

The Washington Redskins’ talented right guard, Brandon Scherff, was benched this last week due to an injury, and he was subsequently sent to the injured reserve on Tuesday, making it so that his outing in Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers was the last time we’d see him this season.

Now the question must be raised; will it be the last time we see Scherff in a Washington Redskins uniform?

The fifth-year lineman — who was one of four Redskins to be named to the Pro Bowl this season — is set to hit free agency this offseason as his rookie deal is on its last legs. He has expressed interest in being a Redskin for life, but the team knows that will come at a steep price, seeing as his level of play has consistently improved year-over-year since Washington drafted him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Though Scherff has quietly risen to become one of the best guards in the NFL, a high-end price tag might deter the Redskins from keeping him on the roster, especially if they have a younger and cheaper option that they can go to. That might be exactly what they found this season with rookie guard Wes Martin.

Martin started for the injured Scherff this past week against the Philadelphia Eagles, and he performed extremely well in relief. He was part of an offensive front that didn’t allow a sack for just the second time this season, and he showed an ability to get upfield and block in space.

While Scherff is an extremely talented lineman who acts as one of the few first-round draft picks that have actually lived up to the billing in Washington, an expected contract signing north of $15 million per season can seem a bit daunting, especially when there could be a highly-serviceable No. 2 option at that spot.

Over the next two weeks, with Scherff on the IR, Martin will be placed under the spotlight as the Redskins look to make a decision that could largely affect their salary cap and on-field production for years to come. If the rookie continues to get the job done, we may have seen the last of Brandon Scherff in the Burgundy and Gold.

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Why was CB Quinton Dunbar snubbed from the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl?

Dunbar is the highest-rated cornerback according to some stat sites, yet he wasn’t named to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl on Tuesday night.

A total of four members of the Washington Redskins were named to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday night, but they weren’t exactly the four that were expected…

While punter Tress Way was a shoo-in, and right guard Brandon Scherff, safety Landon Collins, and defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis were well deserved, there’s one other defender on the Redskins whose absence was glaring.

Cornerback Quinton Dunbar was nowhere to be found. Why?

According to Pro Football Focus, Dunbar is the highest-rated cornerback in the NFL, and he has a higher grade than elite-level pass-defenders like Richard Sherman, Marcus Peters, and Stephon Gilmore. So far this season, Dunbar has four interceptions, which may only be tied for the eighth-most in the NFL, but his 68.4 QBR allowed, when targeted, is among the best in the league.

We are not calling for Dunbar to have been named a starter in the Pro Bowl, as there are a handful of CB’s who are arguably better than Dunbar. Still, he at the very least should have been named an alternate, right?

Pro Football Focus made its own 2020 Pro Bowl roster this season, and Dunbar is listed as a starter, which comes as no surprise due to his No. 1 overall rating according to their stats. He may not have the name recognition that Sherman or Gilmore have, but he definitely has the stats to earn him a spot alongside the top talent in the league.

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NFL Pro Bowl: Tress Way among four Redskins named to Pro Bowl

A total of four Redskins were named to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl, where punter Tress Way will be the lone starter from Washington.

A total of four Washington Redskins players have been named to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl team in the NFC, with two of them coming as alternates.

Punter Tress Way is the lone starter on the Redskins’ roster, and his ability to pin an opponent inside its 20-yard line 50 times over the past two years and boot it into the end zone for a touchback just twice in 145 attempts is surely a reason why.

Aside from Way, right guard Brandon Scherff was named to the team, though he is designated as an reserve due to his move to the injured reserve earlier on Tuesday. Safety Landon Collins was given a first-alternate distinction, and defensive end Matt Ioannidis was given a fourth-alternate distinction.

The alternates will come into play should a player above them on the depth chart be unable to play, or decide to skip the game for other reasons.

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Redskins send Trey Quinn, Jimmy Moreland, Brandon Scherff to injured reserve

The Redskins have more injured players that will miss the rest of the season, as three starters have all been sent to the IR for the year.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Redskins have placed three more players on the injured reserve this week, with just two more games on the 2019 schedule.

Cornerback Jimmy Moreland, WR Trey Quinn, and RG Brandon Scherff will all see their seasons come to an end with the roster move. In addition to moving those players to the IR, the Redskins also signed DB Kayvon Webster, and DB Coty Sensabaugh.

Moreland is a rookie CB who was having a solid season before suffering an injury in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles and leaving the contest early. Quinn missed the game entirely due to a concussion that he suffered the week prior, but his absence won’t be as rough on the roster due to the young core of talented receivers in Washington that have stepped up over the past month.

As for Scherff, he was held out of Sunday’s game as well, but his move to the IR poses some interesting questions, as he is set to hit free agency soon and has been working on a new deal with the Redskins. Expect rookie G Wes Martin to start again in Scherff’s place after performing well in relief on Sunday.

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Kayvon Webster tweets that he’s a member of the Redskins

The veteran cornerback took to social media on Tuesday to announce that he is the newest member of the banged-up Redskins secondary.

If we are to believe the Twitter account of NFL free agent cornerback Kayvon Webster, the Washington Redskins added the 28-year-old defensive back to their roster on Tuesday afternoon.

The Redskins are in desperate need of healthy cornerbacks as of late, with Jimmy Moreland and Fabian Moreau suffering injuries on Sunday, and Quinton Dunbar being held out from the game entirely.

Webster was a 3rd round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2013 NFL Draft, and he has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints since then.

There has yet to be an official statement from the team, but Webster seemed confident on social media that he would be joining the Redskins in Washington.

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2020 NFL Pro Bowl: which Redskins should be selected?

The NFL Pro Bowl roster will be announced on Tuesday night, and there are a handful of players in Washington who deserve to be picked.

The roster for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl will be announced on Tuesday night and the top talent in the NFL will be tabbed to take a trip to Orlando, Fla. to enjoy a week full of activities and relaxation, mixed with a little bit of football.

While the Washington Redskins have had a less-than-impressive season, there are still several players who put up Pro Bowl worthy stats, and they’ve made a case to be recognized among the best talent in the NFL. Here’s who we think should get a nod to be honored among the league’s best.

Tress Way | Punter

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 31: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Tress Way #5 of the Washington Redskins in action against the New York Giants on December 31, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Redskins 18-10. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

It points towards an unfortunate outcome for your team when the punter is arguably the most deserving player of a Pro Bowl vote, but that’s where the Redskins find themselves this season. Thanks to Way, Washington leads the league in net yards per punt and gross yards per punt.

Way has pinned an opponent inside its 20-yard line 50 times the past two years and booted it into the end zone for a touchback just twice in 145 attempts over that time. The Redskins are 3-10, but Way more than anyone is doing his job at an All-Pro level, and the franchise hasn’t had an All-Pro selection in two decades.

If anyone from Washington is to earn a trip to Orlando, it’s got to be Way.

Quinton Dunbar | Cornerback

LANDOVER, MD – NOVEMBER 24: Quinton Dunbar #23 of the Washington Redskins celebrates after intercepting a pass by Jeff Driskel #2 of the Detroit Lions (not pictured) in the second half at FedExField on November 24, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Dunbar has quietly risen to an elite level among active cornerbacks in the NFL, and he has helped to turn around a young defensive secondary in Washington. Through 14 games, Dunbar has four interceptions, which is good for eighth in the NFL. He is allowing a passer rating of just 68.4 when being targeted, and he’s given up just three touchdowns on the season.

The Redskins run defense has been spotty this season, but Dunbar has been able to make sure that the passing defense hasn’t fallen off completely by keeping his side of the field in check.

Matt Ioannidis | Defensive Lineman

Oct 20, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Tevin Coleman (26) is tackled by Washington Redskins defensive end Matthew Ioannidis (98) in the first quarter at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ioannidis has had a career season, and he continually leads the defensive line game in and game out. He currently has the third-most sacks by a defensive tackle this year with 8.5, and he is sixth on the team with 56 tackles. While Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen have at times struggled to break out like they were expected to do this season, Ioannidis has picked up the slack and acted as a dominant force on the Redskins defensive line.

Adrian Peterson | Running Back

LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 15: Adrian Peterson #26 of the Washington Redskins runs after a catch against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at FedExField on December 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

This is probably the least likely to happen among all Redskins’ candidates, but it’s quite possibly the most deserving. His stats don’t quite jump off the page among NFL running backs — 784 yards and 4 touchdowns — but the fact that AP has managed to stay productive at the age of 34 is remarkable.

He’s crossed off a number of career achievements this season as well, including moving up to the No. 4 spot on the NFL’s Career Rushing TD list, and he’s now No. 5 on the NFL Career Rushing Yards list. If only to honor him further, Peterson deserves to be among the league’s best in Florida this winter.

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Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme was on full display vs Eagles

The Redskins OC was given more room to work on Sunday, and his quick-play scheme allowed Haskins to grow comfortable and get into a rhythm.

The Washington Redskins displayed their most watchable performance on Sunday in a 37-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — a game that looked like it would end up as a victory for Dwayne Haskins and his team for most of the contest.

Haskins had a career day, completing 19-of-28 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns. A change in offensive playcalling and an aggressive mindset allowed the rookie QB to get comfortable early on, and it comes as no surprise that offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell had his fingerprints all over the gameplan.

While head coach Bill Callahan has been adamant about establishing the run early and often in order to open up the passing game, O’Connell believes in quick game concepts early on to get the quarterback comfortable and building a rhythm. That’s exactly what we saw from the Redskins on Sunday, and it seemed to work very well.

“That’s a huge thing for me. Trying to get these quarterbacks comfortable early in the game,” O’Connell said, via The Athletic. “Getting those guys in a rhythm is very important in this league, even for a Hall of Fame quarterbacks. I’ve talked to guys that call plays for them and they say, ‘Rhythm and comfort, and trust that (A) We’ll protect him, (B) get him into a rhythm and (C) We’ll give him opportunities to make plays in the game without it all being on his plate.”

Through a mix of quick slants over the middle, short out-routes to the boundary, and a simple west coast scheme that allowed Haskins to reach the top of his drop, set his feet, and fire downfield, the Washington offense looked supremely competent through much of Sunday’s contest.

Callahan’s run-heavy scheme is sure to remain a staple of the offense, but if he is willing to allow O’Connell to have some say in how the early-down plays are called, we’ve seen first-hand that it can be successful. It also goes to show what an offense run by the OC might look, if he were to be given full control in the future. O’Connell might be young and lack great experience, but his system is one that can be molded around Haskins, and that’s something the Redskins should take into account when they make a head coaching hire this offseason.

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There are massive stakes on the line for Redskins vs. Giants this week

The loser of Redskins-Giants this week will be in prime position to take home one of the top 3 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It feels weird to be nervous about a game between a pair of 3-11 teams who have been eliminated from the playoffs in mid-December, but that’s where we’re currently at as the Washington Redskins host the New York Giants on Sunday.

Though there is quite literally nothing outside of personal achievements on the line when these two meet, the same cannot be said for future outlooks for each team. When the final whistle blows on Saturday, one team will walk away with a significantly higher draft pick than the other will be gifted. We’ve been saying this for most of the year, but now it holds true more than ever:

The Redskins need to find a way to lose this football game.

As it stands now, Washington is in line for the No. 4 draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, where they will likely miss out on Ohio State DE Chase Young, and possibly Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy as well. The Giants, who sit with the No. 2 pick due to their strength of schedule edge, would be in line to pick up Young, who has the power to terrorize every NFC East team for the next decade.

If the Redskins can manage to pick up their 12th loss of the season, it will be worth more than any win could be, as it has the potential to catapult them into the No. 2 spot on the board.

While the Redskins and Giants battle it out for the bottom spot in the NFC East, the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 1 pick) travel to face the Miami Dolphins (No. 3 pick) in a matchup that has similar stakes on the line. If the Bengals lose, they will lock up the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, and it will leave the Redskins and Giants fighting it out for the No. 2 pick.

While a team is in the dog days of a losing season, it is easy for fans to brush off criticism from friends by saying “I hope they lose every game now, it only helps our draft pick.” Now, more than ever, that statement rings true. Fans of the Redskins and Giants need to hope with every ounce of willpower that their team can find a way to come out of Sunday with the short end of the stick, knowing that it will benefit them greatly in a few months’ time.

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Report: Bruce Allen ‘in exile’ from Dan Snyder, Redskins

Allen has rarely been seen with the owner in the past few weeks, and some believe it points toward an upcoming exit for the team president.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of speculation in Washington that Dan Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, could finally consider moving on from Bruce Allen, the team president and general manager who has overseen roster moves for a decade now.

According to a report from The Washington Post‘s Les Carpenter, that speculation is starting to take shape inside the Redskins’ facilities, as it’s grown more apparent over the last week that Snyder could be preparing for Allen’s exit. Whereas the two were once described to be “connected at the hip,” it seems that some distance has grown between the two.

Here is what Carpenter had to say:

But in recent weeks, they have not been spotted together nearly as much. Snyder no longer goes onto the field before games, leaving Allen to stand alone on the sideline. The fact that Allen was not in the suite with Snyder and Smith on Sunday only fueled speculation that Allen will soon be out as the team’s president.

“Bruce not being [in the postgame suite] is a big thing,” one person who knows Snyder’s and Allen’s habits said, later adding it’s a sign that “Bruce is in exile.”

The report came out after Snyder left his owner’s suite with injured quarterback Alex Smith hours after the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington’s 11th defeat of the season. The hours-long meeting that Snyder had with Smith is usually the type of contact he would have with Allen, back when they were on better terms.

According to Carpenter’s source, Snyder has not made any decisions about Allen as of yet, but he is planning to take a close look at the personnel at the top of the franchise once the season comes to a close.

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Ryan Anderson’s career day will force Redskins to make decision about Ryan Kerrigan

The third-year LB had a better day on Sunday than Kerrigan has had all season, and it could lead to a contract decision for the Redskins.

There was doom and gloom in Washington when it was announced that the Redskins star linebacker Ryan Kerrigan would miss the remainder of the season as he was being sent to the injured reserve list following a Week 14 calf injury.

However, with all due respect to Kerrigan, he wasn’t missed much on Sunday, as the Redskins fell to the Eagles 37-27 at home. In his absence, third-year linebacker Ryan Anderson stepped up, and he put on a career performance that nearly aided Washington in a victory celebration at home.

“The main thing today was I just really didn’t want to let [Kerrigan] down,” Anderson said, via The Washington Post. “He’s been talking to me all week, helping me out with the scout and personnel stuff. That game, I played for him. He’s been awesome since I got here. I couldn’t ask for a better guy to mentor me and show me the ropes.”

The five tackles, two sacks and three forced fumbles from Anderson on Sunday were better than any single game performance that Kerrigan has had this season, and it came at a great time for the 2017 second-round pick, as the team may start to look for younger options on their roster with an eye towards the future. The 31-year-old Kerrigan is entering the final year of his contract in 2020, where he is due to earn just under $12 million. On the flip side, Anderson’s deal doesn’t expire until 2021, and he’s set to make just under $1.7 million next season.

It’s too small of a sample size to make any major decisions just yet, but if Anderson can keep up the type of play he showed on Sunday, it could be his job to lose going forward, as the team may decide to move on from an aging Kerrigan.

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