No. 1 — Re-Sign LG Brandon Scherff (Estimated Cap Hit: 5yr/$72M)
The Redskins had high hopes for Scherff when drafting him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and he has lived up to those expectations, becoming one of the best right guards in the NFL over that time. Because of this, we know two things: 1) Scherff will be made one of the highest-paid RGs in the NFL this offseason, and 2) The Redskins absolutely need to re-sign him.
On the open market, Scherff represents a highly valuable player that any team would be desperate to sign, but his desire to remain in Washington has been made clear, and that gives them a leg up in the bidding war. As a 29-year-old with years of experience in D.C. under his belt, Scherff also presents a great opportunity for new head coach Ron Rivera to plant his flag in Washington and show what is truly valuable to the team; a veteran player who came up in Washington, became great with the Redskins and has a desire to retire as one of the franchise’s great players.
It won’t come cheap for the Redskins, as they will undoubtedly have to pay Scherff top-dollar in order to keep him around. As it stands now, the highest-paid RG in the league is Philadelphia’s Brandon Brooks, who earns $14,050,000 per year. If the Redskins were to offer Scherff a five-year deal worth upwards of $70 million, that should do the trick to keep him around for the future.
The three highest-ranked decisions for the Redskins to make in 2020 present an interesting set of scenarios for the team going forward. Depending on what Washington decides to do when it comes to Ereck Flowers, Trent Williams and Brandon Scherff will greatly impact the make of the team going forward. If they choose to keep those players around, Washington will start the 2020 season with a stout offensive line that is full of veteran players who are well-respected around the league and playing near the top of their respective positions. However, on the flip-side, if Washington were to let all three players go, they will be left trying to fill in the gaps and hoping that whatever players they choose to employ are adept at protecting their young quarterback in Dwayne Haskins.
When you look around the league, some of the best teams are usually built from the offensive line and out. The Redskins already have several young skill-position players that have shown they can get the job done while playing on a cheap contract. Because of this, Washington can afford to spend on the offensive line and build a culture that is rooted in the trenches. There are several ways this can play out, but it seemingly starts with those three players in the front five. If the Redskins can solidify their protection upfront, there’s no telling what they can do in the future.
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