No. 3 — Trade LB Ryan Kerrigan (Saves $11.7 Million)
This is ranked at No. 3 for us, but you could argue that it is definitely the hardest decision that the Redskins have to make in 2020. Kerrigan is the golden boy in Washington, and since being drafted in 2011, he has become one of the best players in Redskins’ history. However, a down year in 2019, coupled with the Redskins’ likeliness of drafting Ohio State defensive end Chase Young with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and you could argue that the money Kerrigan is due this year would be better spent elsewhere.
With four Pro Bowls and 90 career sacks to his name, fans in Washington might riot if the Redskins chose to move on from Kerrigan, but if emotion were to be removed from the equation, it’s hard to argue against the decision. Washington drafted DE Montez Sweat in the first round of the 2019 draft, and pairing him with Young this year would give the Redskins a young and highly-talented set of edge rushers, leaving Kerrigan fighting for minutes on the defensive line. Of course, new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio could absolutely find a fit for Kerrigan if he were to stick around, but it may not be worth the cap hit at this point in time. The Redskins could cut Kerrigan, but it would be smarter to find a trade partner for him. At age 31, Kerrigan still has a few good years left in the tank, and he could undoubtedly help a contender shore up their defensive line and be part of a highly-successful pass rush.
There’s no easy decision with this one. Whatever the Redskins choose to do, some people will be upset, and others will be fine with the decision. There hasn’t been much word on Kerrigan’s near future with the team as of yet, but don’t be surprised if this storyline picks up steam in the coming weeks.