Tag: Montez Sweat

Redskins could consider drafting Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons ahead of DE Chase Young

It’s a foregone conclusion that Washington will draft Chase Young at No. 2, but Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons might be a better fit for Redskins.

Ever since the Washington Redskins locked up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it has almost been a foregone conclusion that they would select Ohio State defensive end, Chase Young. With the Cincinnati Bengals seemingly a lock to draft LSU’s Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick, it seems almost too easy for Washington to just take Young — who is thought to be a generational talent and quite possibly the best player in the 2020 draft class — and move on with it.

However, there was one player in the College Football National Championship that put a stamp on his career year, and he just might be good enough to warrant a look from the Redskins before April rolls around.

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That player is Isaiah Simmons, a linebacker out of Clemson. Before the National Championship game, Simmons was already recognized as the top linebacker in this years’ draft class, and many expected him to be selected somewhere in the top-10, maybe even the top-5. However, his seven tackles, one sack, and instrumental effect on the game Monday night might have caused a few people in Washington to rethink their no-brainer pick of Young.

Here’s the case for drafting Simmons over Young. If you’re Washington, you don’t really need another edge rusher, with Montez Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan already on the roster. Add in the breakout year that Ryan Anderson had in 2019, and you’re pretty much set at that position.  However, a major position of need for the Redskins is at linebacker alongside Reuben Foster and Cole Holcomb. This draft pick would then suit need over talent, and they could be set with a stout defense for years to come, should Kerrigan get back to his dominant ways after a down year in 2019. In his time at Clemson, Simmons finished with 148 total tackles, 11 sacks, and four interceptions. Comparatively, Young finished his career with 68 total tackles and 30.5 sacks at Ohio State.

Still, many — including us — believe that with the No. 2 overall pick, it is better to draft the player with the most upside and figure out a fit later. Young is thought to be a future Hall-of-Fame talent, and the Redskins’ move to a 4-3 defense under Jack Del Rio is a perfect fit for him to succeed alongside Sweat. Still, Simmons’ performance in the CFP Title game should at least be noticed in Washington, as they now have two defenders who could completely change the outlook of their defense in 2020 and years to come.

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Redskins key to defensive success is embracing the pass rush

One of the areas of strength for the Redskins is the defensive line, where they will need to rest their focus in order to succeed.

By virtually any metric you use in 2019, the Washington Redskins’ defense underachieved. After being projected by some to finish as a top-5 or top-10 defense in the NFL, they wrapped up the season with the following stats:

  • Yards per game — 385.1 (27th)
  • Points per game — 27.2 (27th)
  • 3rd down conversion % — 49 (32nd)
  • 1st downs per game — 22.1 (28th)

Like we said…any metric. This is one of the reasons why Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio have been brought into the organization to help shore up the defense and turn around the losing ways in Washington. In order to do so, the two highly-respected defensive coaches plan to change from a 3-4 defensive scheme to a 4-3, hoping that it will better fit their personnel, and allow them to do one thing above all else;

Rush the quarterback.

“It just makes sense to have them covering less and rushing more,” Del Rio said, via Redskins.com. “I’ll keep it as simple as that.”

When you take a look at the defensive depth chart for the Redskins, one of the position groups that stands out is the defensive line. Just look at this group of players that Del Rio will likely be able to work with next year.

  • Ryan Kerrigan
  • Montez Sweat
  • Chase Young
  • Matt Ioannidis
  • Daron Payne
  • Jonathan Allen
  • Ryan Anderson

Are you going to try to tell me that this unit will have a tough time getting to the quarterback snap after snap? That seems like a stretch. In the years past, Washington has tried to focus on the changing of the guard in the NFL, and scheme their defense to be more fit to cover the pass and focus less on getting to the QB. That mentality is no longer, under the new leadership, where both coaches want to stress the importance of putting pressure on the opposing backfield via the edges.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of players thus far, and their mentality is that they want to make it right,” Del Rio said. “They want to work, and that’s what it’s going to take.”

For any team to succeed, the best thing a coach can do is look at his personnel and scheme his gameplan in order to fit his roster. In Washington, the defensive line is stout, and the rush on the edge is downright dangerous. You want to win? You take advantage of that. Look for those sack numbers to go up next year, and with them, the defensive rankings as well.

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Why Jack Del Rio says a 4-3 defense is the obvious choice for Redskins

Del Rio’s first big move as the DC was saying Washington would transition to a 4-3 defense, which he says is an obvious fit for personnel.

When Jack Del Rio was hired as the new defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins, one of his first moves on the job was to commit to a 4-3 defensive scheme, rather than the 3-4 scheme that the Redskins have been running in the recent past.

So for non-football lifers, what does this mean? Let’s break it down.

The first step to understanding the difference between a 4-3 and 3-4 defense is getting comfortable with the personnel changes it brings. A 4-3 consists of four defensive lineman and three linebackers, while a 3-4 is the opposite. In a 4-3, the quarterback pressure is created mainly by the lineman, where a DT typically draws a double-team, and the rest of the line is free to play with a one-on-one matchup. In a 3-4, which is how the Redskins have lined up for years now, the pressure is created by the linebackers out on the edge. This role was filled by both Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat in 2019. A change to the 4-3 would likely see them move to the defensive end position, rather than an ‘edge-rusher’ distinction. So how would this help the Redskins?

“You’ve got guys like Montez Sweat, [Ryan] Kerrigan,” Del Rio said, via NBC Sports Washington. “These are guys that are some of your premier edge rushers. It just makes more sense to have them covering less and rushing more. I’ll keep it as simple as that.”

It helps by putting Kerrigan and Sweat — and quite possibly Chase Young — in a position to succeed more. While they are now operating out of a linebacker position, where they are occasionally asked to drop back into coverage, the new scheme would as them to focus on the thing: get to the quarterback.

“When Ron and I talked about the roster, talked about the fit, talked about the people we have here,” Del Rio added, “for both of us, it was obvious that a 4-3 would be a good fit.”

Whether or not Kerrigan stays with the team is a different conversation, but the fact remains that in order for the Redskins to get the most out of their defensive roster, a 4-3 is the scheme to go with.

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Should the Redskins trade away their No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft?

The Redskins are likely to take DE Chase Young with the second-overall pick in April, but there is a chance that they trade it as well.

The Washington Redskins are owners of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, where they are expected to select Ohio State defensive end, Chase Young.

Young is said to be a generational talent who is the best pass-rusher to come out of Ohio State in the past decade. Considering that Ohio State has produced both Nick and Joey Bosa in recent years, that is a profound statement. So with the Cincinnati Bengals expected to take Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick, it becomes a no-brainer for the Redskins to select Young, right?

Well, almost.

This is where you have to truly assess how valuable the No. 2 pick is, and look around at what else is on the board — not for Washington’s sake, but for everyone else’s desire. We feel confident in saying that, should the Redskins use their No. 2 pick to draft a player, it will be Young. However, there is a case to be made that they should trade that pick away for a heaping haul. Here’s the case.

This draft class is ripe with QB talent, and there are a number of teams in the NFL who are in need of a new quarterback. Off of the top of your head, I bet you can name at least 5 teams who would like to leave the 2020 draft with a new quarterback. The Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, and Denver Broncos. Throw in the possibility of the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing their signal-callers in free agency, and that list grows. The point is, there are a number of teams who would like to draft a high-end QB, and it’s likely that you’ll need to snake the Miami Dolphins — who have the No. 5 pick — in order to draft Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, who declared for the draft on Monday.

This is where the Redskins come into play. After trading away their second-round pick in 2019 as part of a move up to draft DE Montez Sweat in the first round, they are depleted when it comes to draft picks this year. If they were to trade away their No. 2 pick, they could likely receive the other team’s first-round pick this year, as well as at least a couple of mid-round picks, plus an additional late-round pick in the future. The team could then draft for need —another wide receiver, or potentially a left tackle — with their first-round pick. That doesn’t look bad to a new coach who is looking at his future.

Of course, the prospect of adding Chase Young to your already stout defensive line also looks pretty appealing, and it would be hard to pass up on a game-wrecker who has the chance to completely turn around your defense.

This is not an article that is advocating for the Redskins to trade away the No. 2 pick; in fact, we have been quite vocal about our desire to see the team draft Young. With an extraordinary talent like that available to you, take the player and worry about the fit later. The point is, there is at least a question as to what the Redskins will do. It’s unlikely that they trade away the pick for an impressive haul, but it’s at least a possibility.

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History suggests Seahawks could find star with No. 26 pick

The Seattle Seahawks are selecting 26th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and history suggests they could find a hidden gem.

The 2020 NFL draft order has been set, and the Seattle Seahawks hold the No. 26 pick in the first round.

The Seahawks have selected 26th one other time, back in 2005 when they took center Chris Spencer out of Mississippi – two spots behind quarterback Aaron Rodgers and just before receiver Roddy White and tight end Heath Miller.

However, Seattle is known for wheeling and dealing on draft day, and it is entirely possible the team will move up or down in the draft a handful of times before and during the three day draft weekend.

If they do keep the 26th pick, history suggests they could find themselves a nice player. Left tackle Duane Brown (2008) and outside linebacker Clay Matthews (2009) were both taken No. 26 overall, along with Hall of Famer Ray Lewis (1996) and potential future Hall of Famer Alan Faneca (1998).

Receiver Calvin Ridley (2018) and pass rusher Takkarist McKinley (2017) are two recent players who are both panning out well from that draft slot, and Montez Sweat had a solid rookie season after going 26th to the Redskins last year.

It is anyone’s guess this early in the process what the Seahawks will do with their pick, but you can bet they already on their way toward finding an impact performer who could be around at that spot, or else pinpointing teams they can wheel and deal with to acquire more picks in the middle rounds.

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Instant Analysis, Game Balls, Key Stats: Cowboys 47, Washington 16

The Dallas Cowboys closed out Week 17 with a 47-16 beatdown of the divisional rival Washington, that was ultimately meaningless.

And with that, it was over. The book closed on perhaps the most disappointing Dallas Cowboys season in recent memory, as a year that began with seemingly very real Super Bowl aspirations ended with an 8-8 record and no playoffs.

The Jekell and Hyde performances continued, as Dallas again thrashed an inferior opponent 47-16. It was all for naught however, and perhaps was the final note of the Jason Garrett coaching era.

It was over when . . .

. . . Michael Gallup’s second touchdown reception of the game put the Cowboys up 37-16. It was nearly simultaneous with an Eagles touchdown that put them ahead by two scores in the fourth quarter, on their way to winning the division by beating the New York Giants.

Game balls

WR Michael Gallup

The second-year receiver recorded his fourth. fifth, and sixth TD receptions of the season, capping out a promising 2019 for the former third round pick. Each of Gallup’s touchdowns were uniquely inspiring: a 4-yard toe-tapping pirouette, some insane body control to absorb a hit and then scamper 32-yards down the sideline, and a slick route to get behind the defense and find a seam.

This season, Gallup and Amari Cooper combined to be the first pair of 1000-yard receivers in Dallas since Dez Bryant and Jason Witten in 2012.

RB Ezekiel Elliott

Forever Hungry Ezekiel Elliott ran for 122 yards on the ground, giving him seven 100+ yard rushing games in 2019. He scored two total touchdowns, including his second receiving touchdown of the season, off some nice improvisation with Dak Prescott. Elliott finished the season with 1,357 rushing yards.

LB Jaylon Smith

Jaylon Smith was extremely active, finishing with eight total tackles (six solo, one for loss) and the first interception of his career. It may not have been the season many were expecting  from this Dallas defense, but the talent is clearly there for whatever the future may hold.

Key Stat: +113

The 2019 Dallas Cowboys finished the season with a +113 point differential, a mark that typically belies a playoff-bound team. It’s actually a depressingly impressive feat that Dallas was able to put up stats like these, yet still win only 8 games.

Quick Hits:

  • The Cowboys defense recorded turnovers on their first two series, as Smith’s interception was followed by Malcolm Smith forced fumble on Adrian Peterson (recovered by Xavier Woods). Smith’s presence may not have saved this season, but the former Super Bowl MVP definitely made an impact in the two games he played.
  • DE Robert Quinn notched another sack, giving 11.5 to lead the team. It was also the second-highest sack total Quinn’s recorded in a single season. A free agent at the end of the season, it’ll certainly be interesting to see whether the Cowboys decide to bring him back after a successful season.
  • Before Elliott’s second quarter touchdown reception, Kai Forbath had scored the 15 straight points for Dallas dating back to Week 16. Forbath stayed perfect as a Cowboy, hitting all four of his field goal tries to finish 10 for 10 in four games after taking over for Brett Maher.
  • Montez Sweat was guilty of some Mississippi State Bulldog on Bulldog crime. The 26th overall pick of the 2019 draft had a big game, sacking Prescott twice and forcing a fumble. Sweat finished with seven sacks as a rookie, making things real interesting for Washington with the second overall pick, who’ve gone defensive line-heavy with their last several first-round selections.
  • After recording only 126 receiving yards in his last three games, Amari Cooper totaled 92 in the season finale. 48 of the them came on a free play in the second quarter, setting up the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the game. Cooper also took a reverse for 6 yards. his first and only rushing attempt of this season. What the team ultimately decides to do with Cooper after his lackluster finish will be a major storyline this offseason.
  • With draft season officially upon us, Dallas will have the 17th overall pick in the upcoming draft.

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Redskins throwing Montez Sweat to the wolves in coverage

Montez Sweat is still struggling to adapt in coverage.

The Washington Redskins aren’t taking it easy on first-round rookie Montez Sweat.

As seen in the tweet above from Pro Football Focus’ Nick Akridge, the Redskins dropped Sweat into coverage 12 times during the loss to the Eagles — to predictable results.

One wouldn’t expect defensive coordinator Greg Manusky to take it easy on Sweat at this point, not with the season lost and things fully in evaluation mode.

But the verdict here isn’t too hard to see — Sweat needs to be getting after passers. In time, maybe he develops into a versatile all-around player who can drop into coverage seamlessly.

There’s a broader problem here if the Redskins keep banging their head against the wall and hoping for this to change soon after spending so much in the way of assets to trade up and get Sweat in the first place.

For now, testing it out makes sense.

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Montez Sweat gets a bump in playing time with Ryan Kerrigan out for year

It’s go time for Montez Sweat.

It’s somewhat fitting with the Washington Redskins in evaluation mode that first-round pick Montez Sweat could see a bump in snaps as the season comes to a close.

The unfortunate injury suffered by Ryan Kerrigan resulted in the veteran pass rusher getting moved to injured reserve Friday.

According to Zach Selby of the team’s official website, Redskins coaches have said it means Sweat will see more looks.

Sweat has played on 61 percent of the snaps so far this season, has been steadily improving and has 11 hurries and five sacks so far.

Like the secondary behind him, Sweat will have some live-action chances to improve his game as the Redskins build toward the future.

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Redskins’ Montez Sweat wants more sacks

The Redskins rookie wants to get after QBs more.

Montez Sweat wants to hit quarterbacks more often.

Sounds simple enough. But over the course of his first half-season as a pro, the Washington Redskins first-round pick has just 2.5 sacks.

Asked about his current predicament, Sweat offered the following, according to Les Carpenter of the Washington Post:

“They didn’t bring me in here to stop the run…They brought me here to get sacks…Of course with experience I get a little better, feel a little better and get more confidence out there.”

But a somewhat-unspoken situation must go addressed here — Sweat isn’t alone in his struggles. Even a superstar like Ryan Kerrigan has had problems generating pressure consistently this year.

With Sweat, rookie growing pains were always going to be part of the process. He was considered a high-upside project when the Redskins moved back into the first round to get him and still is.

Luckily for all involved, Sweat has already flashed well in other areas, so he isn’t one dimensional. He’s also starting to put together more complete-looking games, which could continue to trend in that direction as the season continues.

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