Dwayne Haskins will follow the time-tested Tom Brady path by taking his receivers on a vacation/workout trip this offseason.
One of the biggest things that a young quarterback can do is build trust with his receivers, and there’s no better way to do so than building a relationship with them.
Part of the reason why Dwayne Haskins and Terry McLaurin were so successful together in 2019 was the fact that they were already close by the time they had been drafted by the Redskins, as they played together at Ohio State University. Now, Haskins will look to further his relationship and connection with the rest of the receivers on the team as well, and he has a plan to make that happen this offseason.
A Florida workout vacation.
Smith says Haskins plans on bringing the Redskins WRs down to Florida for offseason workouts.
The Redskins VP of Player Personnel Kyle Smith stated on Tuesday that Haskins has shown great improvement so far in his first NFL offseason, and he’s looking to continue to grow as a player and a teammate. He will try to do this by taking his receiving corps down to Florida to spend some time together and gain more reps. We’ve seen veteran quarterbacks like Tom Brady do this a lot in the past, and it’s seemed to work pretty well.
There is not yet a specific time or a place that this will happen, as far as we know, but it is on the schedule. Come fall camp, we can likely expect to see McLaurin, Steven Sims, Kelvin Harmon, Cam Sims, and Trey Quinn all looking a bit tanner.
Turner had great success in Carolina when fitting his gameplan to a player’s talents, which bodes well for Sims’ increasing role on offense.
One of the biggest issues for the Washington Redskins over the past several years is their inability to match the offensive scheme with offensive personnel. While the talent on the roster may have been able to play things out one way, the offense was often catered to a different type of playstyle.
With Kevin O’Connell as the play-caller in 2019, that started to change a little bit, and we will likely see is continue under Scott Turner, the Redskins’ newest offensive coordinator.
In his brief time as the OC with the Carolina Panthers, Turner was able to take the same problem and find a solution that fit his personnel. One of the best examples of how he did so regards wide receiver Curtis Samuel, who is a dynamic player when he gets the ball in his hands. Before Turner took over the play-calling duties, Samuel was often sent on deep routes where he could gain separation from the defense, but the quarterback was unable to get him the ball. Turner switched the mentality of the offense to get Samuel the ball out of the backfield and let him do what he does best — make people miss.
“He understands where his players win,” RotoWorld’s Josh Norris said of Turner, via NBC Sports Washington. “If they’re not getting the ball enough, [Turner] seems willing to draw up plays each and every week to get his players the ball.”
It’s hard to think of anyone other than Steven Sims Jr. when trying to picture who will benefit the most from Turner’s addition to the coaching staff. Sims is a bit of an anomaly, as he was the last player to make the team in 2019 after being signed as an undrafted free agent, and his talents on the kick-off return team impressed the coaching staff so much that they gave him a role in the offense. After getting him the ball a few times in the quick passing game, Sims showed how special he can really be, finishing his rookie season with over 300 yards receiving and four touchdowns.
We started to see O’Connell gameplan around Sims a bit near the end of the 2019 season, as he tried to get the ball to him in space and let the rookie go to work. It was highly successful. Now, we will get a chance to see Turner continue down the same path with Sims in year two, and hopefully help him realize much more offensive success.
Who knows, he may just turn Sims into the next Curtis Samuel.
Washington was forced to rely on their rookies in 2019, and it led ESPN to rank them the most productive group of young players in the NFL.
They may have ended the 2019 season as the second-worst team in the NFL, but the Washington Redskins had a rookie class unlike any other this past season. With a number of prominent young players actually making a difference on the field, it’s no wonder that the Redskins were named as ESPN’s No. 1 most productive rookie class in the NFL in 2019.
Just think of all the first-year players who saw the field and got a load of experience under their best this past year. You’ve got quarterback Dwayne Haskins, wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Steven Sims Jr., and Kelvin Harmon, plus Wes Martin getting a look at right guard. Then on defense, there’s Montez Sweat rushing the edge, Cole Holcomb becoming an impact player at linebacker, and cornerback Jimmy Moreland turning some heads out on the numbers.
With that much production from a rookie class, there’s obviously some high expectations for the grown going forward.
According to ESPN, the most valuable pick for the Redskins in the 2019 NFL Draft was obviously McLaurin, who was selected in the third round with the 76th overall pick. McLaurin finished the year with the highest receiving grade (86.5) by a rookie receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2015.
With a new coaching staff and some recent success in the draft, look for the stock for Washington to continue to rise as they try and hit on more young players, starting with a likely pick of Chase Young with the No. 2 pick in 2020.
Callahan was a bit stuck in his ways as far as sticking to the run, but under Turner, the offense will be fast, keeping defenses guessing.
In the weeks following Jay Gruden’s firing in Washington during the 2019 season, the Redskins’ offense was in a flux period. While Bill Callahan had been named the interim head coach for the team, Kevin O’Connell was still the offensive coordinator, and it was still his job to figure out the best way to devise an offensive gameplan that fit the teams’ personnel.
That didn’t quite gel with Callahan and the vision that he had for the team. As an offensive line coach, Callahan seemed hell-bent on establishing the run game, pounding the rock and getting through games as quickly as possible. It wasn’t until the final three games of the season that the offense really started to show some potential when it was clear that O’Connell was calling the shots.
He was successful in doing so because he devised the scheme around Washington’s personnel, allowing quarterback Dwayne Haskins to get the ball out of his hands quickly via quick-step throws over the middle, and he utilized the Redskins speed on the outside with Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims Jr. to get out in space and keep the defense guessing.
That’s what the new coaching regime hopes to do as well: gameplan for the talent on the roster, not fit the talent to the scheme you want to run. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner said on Wednesday that he still plans to use the ‘Air Coryell’ system that his father, Norv Turner, is famous for — in essence, a lot of pre-snap motion and vertical passing. However, he wants to create some wrinkles by letting a highly-talented young roster get into space.
“It is still the same system, but we have versatility within our system where we’re going to really fit and play to our players’ strengths,” Turner said, via The Athletic. “So right now, as a coaching staff, we’re really trying to get to know these guys.”
That doesn’t mean that the team plans to only do what the roster is fit to do. Turner noted on Wednesday that they still plan to push their players to develop offensively and branch out into new schemes. But the bulk of the time? Expect play-action, expect quick-passes, expect jet-sweeps.
To put it simply, get the ball into the playmakers’ hands, and let them do what they do best.
The Redskins have a promising group of young receivers, but they would benefit greatly from a cost-effective veteran in the locker room.
Despite going 3-13 in 2019, the Washington Redskins saw a change of fortune when it comes to one aspect of football where they’ve struggled mightily over the past decade. They saw a number of wide receivers that they drafted realize their potential early and often.
Though Terry McLaurin was undoubtedly the star, the trio of rookie receivers — McLaurin, Steven Sims Jr., and Kelvin Harmon — all flashed a great deal of potential and gave Redskins fans hope that they might have a solid group of playmakers going into the future. Still, though, that doesn’t give Washington an excuse to get complacent. While the WR production was better than average for the Redskins in 2019, that’s nothing that a sophomore slump or injury bug can’t render irrelevant.
If the Redskins plan to keep the ball rolling and actualize their success in the future under a new coaching staff and a young group of playmakers, they’ll need some additional help on the outside. Luckily, Washington has a chance to be major spenders in the free agency market this offseason, and there are a few intriguing names that fans need to look out for, should the Redskins choose to bolster their receiving corps.
AJ Green — Cincinnati Bengals
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 28: A.J. Green #18 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs onto the field before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
It’s easy to forget because of his absence in 2019, but Green is one of the more talented receivers in the NFL, and he always poses the threat to completely take the game over when given the chance. Though his time with the Bengals has been a little underwhelming, a lot of that can be attributed to the quarterback play he’s been subjected to in the ‘Red Rifle’ Andy Dalton.
Despite his concerning injury history — Green has missed 29 games over the past four seasons, including the entire 2019 season — he still has been widely productive while on the field. In the four seasons where he’s played all 16 games, he has a total of 40 touchdowns with an average yards-per-catch well into double digits. Green would also present a nice veteran presence in the locker room that could help the young receiving corp in Washington as they learn to grow in the spotlight in the NFL.
Unfortunately for the Redskins, this may be the one year where Green may prefer to stay in Cincinnati, as they likely bring in Heisman-winning QB Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. But still, it would be smart for the Redskins to at least make it be known that they are interested when the free agency period rolls around.
The Redskins had a tough season the field, but there are a number of players who deserve some credit for their work in 2019.
We are now a week removed from the end of the Washington Redskins 2019 regular season — a year in which they finished with a 3-13 record and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
Though there were very few accolades handed out to anyone other than punter Tress Way — who was named to both the AP All-Pro Second Team, as well as the NFL Pro Bowl — that doesn’t mean that the team should go completely void of accolades. Here are our Redskins Wire end of season awards.
Most Valuable Player
Terry McLaurin | Wide Receiver (Rookie)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 08: Terry McLaurin #17 of the Washington Redskins runs for a second quarter touchdown after catching a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 08, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
You could argue that Way deserves the MVP award, as he is the only player to receive any accolades from the league this season, but come on. We all know that McLaurin was the most explosive player in Washington this season, and he was arguably the only player who gave the Redskins any credibility as well.
After starting out the year on an absolute tear — McLaurin is the first player in NFL history to have over 60 yards and a touchdown in each of his first three career games — the rookie finished the year with 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 receptions. He had a touchdown in six different games and surpassed 60 yards receiving eight total times. He was also named to the Pro Football Focus Top 50 All-Rookie list.
All of these stats are just different ways to say the same thing: Terry McLaurin is good at football. Without his production this past season, the Redskins abysmal 3-13 record that saw both a coach and team president fired could have been a lot worse. If there is one player in Washington that you have high hopes for going forward, McLaurin is that guy. A lot of players on the team have a chance to be good in the future; McLaurin has a chance to be great.
Offensive Player of the Year
Adrian Peterson | Running Back
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 08: Running back Adrian Peterson #26 of the Washington Redskins celebrates rushing for a touchdown in the second quarter of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 08, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
If we hadn’t given McLaurin the MVP award, he would undoubtedly be the OPOY, but we want to spread the wealth a little bit. Unfortunately for the Redskins, there was very little production outside of the rookie receiver, which leads us to dub Adrian Peterson as the POY on offense, which can serve as a thank you for yet another season of him putting the offense on his back and chugging forward.
At the age of 34, Peterson followed up on his 1,000-yard season from 2018 and put up 898 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games played. With an average of almost 60 yards per game, it wasn’t the stats so much as the reliability that gives AP this award in our eyes. While second-year back Derrius Guice was set to take over as the RB1 this season, his early-season injury left Peterson to shoulder the load and carry Washington forward. Later in the year, when Guice returned, AP took a step back and let the young gun work. However, when Guice was injured again, AP was still there, ready to shoulder the load when called upon and reassume his workhorse status. Like McLaurin, this year could have been even worse than it already was, had Peterson not been around.
Defensive Player of the Year
Matt Ioannidis | Defensive End
Dec 1, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Matthew Ioannidis (98) and linebacker Montez Sweat (90) react after sacking Carolina Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen (7) in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
In our opinion, Matt Ioannidis could have won two awards this year: DPOY, and Breakout Player of the Year. Of course, as a fourth-year player, we all obviously had a sample size of work to base Ioannidis’ play off of this year, but he really showed how dynamic and disruptive he can be on the defensive line.
Ioannidis was voted to the Pro Bowl as an alternate, which is well deserved based on his 64 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 11 tackles for loss. In 2018, Ioannidis rang up 7.5 sacks, but he more than doubled his number of tackles year over year and showed his ability to stay productive without Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne next to him, both of whom missed some time due to injury this year.
With new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio looking to implement a 4-3 defensive scheme in the coming year, Ioannidis will likely shift to a defensive tackle position where he can become a disrupter in the middle. If we are to base his future production on this past season, Ioannidis should be able to carve out a pretty nice career in Washington.
Special Teams Player of the Year
Steven Sims Jr. | Kick Returner (Rookie)
Sims has already made a name for himself on special teams this year, but his real upside comes on offense, with his ability to get out in space and make defenders miss. If he’s able to piece together a few more highlight plays, the Redskins might think twice about drafting a WR with their first-round draft pick.
Again, this award could have easily been given to Punter Tress Way, as he was the only player on the team who was actually given a real award, and for his work on special teams at that. But to be honest, we are a bit tired of talking about Way, and would rather give some more shine to the undrafted rookie out of Kansas.
Sims was the last member to make the 53-man roster cut this preseason, and he absolutely did the most with his opportunity. After being thrust into the kick returner spot early in the year, Sims was able to show off his agility and killer speed by returning 32 total kicks for 819 yards and a touchdown — an average of 25.6 yards per attempt.
Aside from his work on special teams, Sims was also able to receive a solid target share down the stretch as offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell found a way to implement his quickness into the offense, creating new wrinkles that kept opposing defenses unsure of where the play was going. Sims finished the year with 310 yards and four touchdowns on offense, and he proved to be a reliable option for Haskins down the stretch. Many people will think of McLaurin and Derrius Guice when they think about the future stars of this offense, but Sims is definitely worthy of being in that conversation.
Most Improved Player Award
Dwayne Haskins | Quarterback (Rookie)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 08: Quarterback Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins reacts to a touchdown in the second quarter of the game against the Washington Redskins at Lambeau Field on December 08, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
I mean, obviously, right? The first time we saw Dwayne Haskins play in the regular season, he threw for barely 100 yards and three interceptions against the Giants. In his last game, he threw for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the first half before leaving with an injury.
If you were to compare the game tape from the two games, it would show the night-and-day changes that Haskins underwent this season. He finished the season with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions to go along with over 1,300 yards in nine total games. What once looked like it was an over-ambitious first-round pick ended up looking like something that could actually work down the road in Washington. This isn’t to say that Haskins will without a doubt be a franchise quarterback for the Redskins, but it at least seems to be a possibility.
Rookie of the Year
Cole Holcomb | Linebacker
Dec 8, 2019; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) carries the ball as Washington Redskins linebacker Cole Holcomb (55) tackles in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
It’s pretty hard to pick a single Rookie of the Year for the Redskins this year, as most of their productive players were rookies. This award could easily go to McLaurin, but with him receiving the MVP award for the team, it felt better to give this to our second-best rookie on the team: Cole Holcomb.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 draft, Holcomb proved to be a steal for Washington this season, as he stepped into a starting linebacker spot with ease finishing the year with 101 tackles, the third-most on the team.
The Redskins were put into a tough position coming into this season after the loss of Reuben Foster in the offseason, but Holcomb assured the team that he could be a reliable option for them in the middle going forward.
Ochocinco had a highly-entertaining playing career, and how he’s thrown his hat in the ring for the Redskins wide receiver coaching position
Some new faces have become prevalent in Washington D.C. over the past year, with a crop of rookies and young players providing hope for a bright future, and a new head coach possessing the experience and level-headedness to get them there.
When you look at the wide receiver talent in Washington, you see a trio of dynamic rookies who made a name for themselves this season; Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, and Steven Sims Jr. With the right coaching, that trio could become one of the better position groups in the NFL. But who is the right coach?
Could Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Jonson be the right answer? Johnson played 11 seasons in the NFL, where he was a six-time Pro-Bowler. With over 11,000 receiving yards in 10 seasons, Johnson would surely be able to teach the young guys a thing or two if he were to have a say in practice. Rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins seemed to be a fan of the idea as well.
Regardless of your thoughts on Johnson and his playing career, and his legitimate prospects as a position coach in the NFL, it’s hard to deny that he could be instrumental in the growing process for a young receiver.
Sims Jr. is quite possibly the biggest surprise for the Redskins, and his playmaking ability in all facets of the game makes him special.
The future is starting to look pretty bright in Washington, isn’t it?
Not only has the team rid of team president Bruce Allen, but they have also hired the highly-respected Ron Rivera, and are looking to bring in Jack Del Rio as the defensive coordinator on top of that.
Now, with a revamped front office, a coaching staff who is ready to hit the ground running, and the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, fans might start to get excited for next season to roll around. If you’re looking to increase that excitement, look no further than the talented young players on offense that emerged this year, the most surprising of which was undrafted rookie wide receiver Steven Sims Jr.
Sims was one of the final players to make the 53-man roster in the preseason, and he made the most of his opportunity with the Redskins, becoming the only player in the NFL this season to run, catch, and return a touchdown this season.
Alongside players like Terry McLaurin, Kevlin Harmon, Derrius Guice, and Dwayne Haskins, there’s a group of potentially explosive playmakers on the Redskins offense.
The Redskins lost a thriller to the Giants in overtime, helping their chances in the NFL Draft.
Well, that sure was something, wasn’t it?
The Washington Redskins fell to the New York Giants, 41-35, in overtime, as rookie QB Daniel Jones threw a game-winning touchdown pass — his fifth of the day — on the first drive in overtime.
If you’d like to focus on the positives, this is a highly beneficial loss for the Redskins, as it likely vaults them into the No. 2 spot for the 2020 NFL Draft, giving them a chance at selecting DE Chase Young out of Ohio State, who is said to be a generational talent.
A victory seemed to be in doubt for much of the game, as neither defense could do anything to stop the opposing offense. However, with QB Dwayne Haskins injured, backup QB Case Keenum led a 99-yard touchdown drive that tied the game with 29 seconds left. From there, the game went into OT, and the Giants walked away victorious. Here are our biggest takeaways from the game.
Haskins Gives Washington a Scare
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 22: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins is carted off the field after an injury during the second half of the game against the New York Giants at FedExField on December 22, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
After putting together undoubtedly the best first half of his NFL career, Dwayne Haskins made the Redskins fanbase collectively hold their breath on Sunday as he went down in what looked like extreme pain on the first play of the third quarter.
Haskins — who was sacked and had his ankle hit on both sides — was carted off the field and appeared to be very frustrated. He later walked back to the sideline while holding his helmet, but was declared doubtful to return. Backup QB Case Keenum played the rest of the game under center.
In the first two quarters, Haskins looked like a game-changer for the Redskins, as he completed his first 11 passes of the game. He ended the half going 12-for-15 for 133 yards and two touchdowns — a stat line that is better than most complete games the rookie has had so far this season. There have been small signs here and there all season that have shown Haskins’ steady growth, but they appeared to culminate in the first two quarters on Sunday before the injury took place.
Luckily, Haskins looked to plead his case to trainers on the sideline, hoping to get back into the game. The training staff smartly held him out, ensuring his future with the team. After Sunday, it looks like a future that is worth taking care of.
Steven Sims is a Legit Offensive Weapon
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 22: Steven Sims #15 of the Washington Redskins celebrates with Dwayne Haskins #7 after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the first half at FedExField on December 22, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Sims also had the best game of his career on Sunday, where he finished the game with 6 catches and 64 yards to go along with two touchdowns. The Redskins have slowly but surely figured out how to use Sims in more than just special teams, and it’s proven to be highly effective.
All credit goes to offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, who has seemingly unlocked the undrafted rookie’s talent. Through a mix of misdirection, reverses, screenplays, and quick routes, the Redskins have found a way to get Sims the ball in space and allow him to go to work. While many believe that Washington could do well to add a top-end WR to the receiving corp this year in the 2020 NFL Draft, Sims’ play may encourage them to look elsewhere, perhaps to the defense, which is in major need.
The Redskins Defense is Unbelievably Awful
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 22: Landon Collins #20 of the Washington Redskins and Russell Shepard #81 of the New York Giants push each other after a play in the second quarter at FedExField on December 22, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
It’s hard to find words to describe just how bad the Redskins defense was on Sunday. Granted, they haven’t been this bad all season, but for a single game, it was quite possibly one of the worst performances of the season.
Due to many injuries, including having starters like Quinton Dunbar, Ryan Kerrigan, and Fabian Moreau out, a whole host of players who has rarely seen the field was seeing ample playing time in Washington. Check out this lineup that the Redskins trotted onto the field:
Redskins corners on the field: Aaron Colvin, Kayvon Webster, Coty Sensabaugh.
It culminated in the Giants having a stellar offensive day, where they put up 41 points. Rookie QB Daniel Jones finished the day with 5 touchdowns and 352 yards on 28-of-42 throwing, and RB Saquon Barkley finally broke out of his shell in time for the fantasy football championships, totaling 279 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Things are obviously to get better as the offseason rolls around and players get healthier going into next season. The Redskins have a core of solid players on defense, but they looked anything but solid on Sunday.
Haskins was given the green light to sling it more on first downs Sunday, and it proved to be highly effective as it led to a scoring boom.
The Washington Redskins have had a scoring problem in 2019.
In 10 of their 14 games, they’ve been held to less than 20 points, and at one point earlier in the season, they went 16-straight quarters without getting into the end zone. Still to this date, they haven’t scored on the opening drive of a game since Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, when Case Keenum was quarterbacking the team.
So on Sunday, when the team put up 27 points, rookie QB Dwayne Haskins throws for a career-high, and three rookie receivers had impressive performances on the stat sheet, things looked different. But what were the differences, exactly?
According to NBC Sports Peter Hailey, one of the Redskins’ main reasons for success was throwing the ball on first down.
To open the game, most NFL teams choose to take the first snap of their possession and hand it off to the running back, letting him plow his way forward and hopefully get in front of the chains. That has definitely been the case for Washington this season, as they’ve relied heavily on veteran RB Adrian Peterson. However, they went with a different strategy against the Eagles, as offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell chose to get Haskins into an early rhythm, calling for him to sling it on first down, where he found rookie WR Terry McLaurin for nine yards.
Later in the first quarter, Haskins — again on first down — found McLaurin streaking downfield for a 75-yard touchdown pass that gave Washington the lead while setting a tone for the game.
Later in the game, Haskins was also able to find rookie WR Steven Sims Jr. for a TD over the middle; a play that was set up by the Eagles committing a defensive pass interference on a first-down pass down the field.
It’s a small sample size, of course, but in the first showing of this new offensive gameplan, we witnessed the most watchable game the Redskins have played so far this season. Haskins was good, the receivers were great, and Washington almost came out with a victory.
If you’re looking for ways to get the team in a position to win the game, throwing on first down seems to be a key. It will be interesting to see what else O’Connell can unlock in these final two weeks of the season.
