Tag: Washington Free Agency

What does J.J. Watt’s availability mean for Ryan Kerrigan?

Ryan Kerrigan is no longer the top DE on the free-agent market, so what does that mean in his search for a new team?

The Houston Texans dropped a bomb on the NFL world on Friday morning by announcing that they released future Hall of Fame defensive end J.J. Watt, mutually agreeing to part ways with the superstar and allow him to find a contender to play with.

Before we get too far down the road… No, he isn’t coming to Washington. They don’t need him, with Chase Young and Montez Sweat already holding down the position. For proof of that, look at how little DE Ryan Kerrigan was used in 2020, and realize that Washington is not a landing spot for Watt.

However, this does bring us to our main point: What does that Watt availability mean for Kerrigan? Is there a chance that he receives less attention now that there is a better pass-rusher on the open market?

The answer is yes, and unfortunately so for Kerrigan. With Watt now able to sign wherever he pleases, the top teams in the league who need a pass-rusher are going to do everything they can to sign No. 99, rather than No. 91. In essence, Kerrigan simply got knocked down a peg on the free-agent scale for veteran rushers who could contribute to a Super Bowl contending team. Does this mean that he won’t get signed by a new team? Definitely not. Does it mean that he may have to take less money and maybe even compete for a starting spot? Probably, yes.

There is also the consideration that he may return to Washington, especially if he realizes that the FA market is pretty dry for him. Washington has their two starting spots locked down already, but Kerrigan proved in 2020 that he can contribute in a meaningful way as a situational edge rusher, and it would also allow him to continue his legacy as one of the best players to ever wear the Washington uniform.

We will see how everything unfolds over the coming weeks, but Kerrigan’s future is once again uncertain, and it could lead to some big opportunities for Washington.

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WR Allen Robinson will find best fit in Washington, according to ESPN Analyst

Free-agent WR Allen Robinson is going to have his pick of where to go this offseason, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks he is best served in Washington.

A lot of our attention this offseason has rightfully been on the quarterback spot and what the Washington Football Team might do to try and beef up that position over the coming months ahead of the 2021 season, but another area where they need to focus is at wide receiver, where they can take the offense to the next level by bringing in another playmaker to run opposite Terry McLaurin on the outside.

This can be achieved either via free agency or the NFL draft, and unlike the QB spot, there are several incredibly intriguing names that will be looking to sign contracts with new teams this offseason. One of those names, WR Allen Robinson from the Chicago Bears, is arguably the biggest guy on the market, and there’s a growing belief that he may find his way to Washington.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently broke down the top free agents in the NFL and where they would be best suited, and he chose the WFT for Robinson.

It feels like he’s done in Chicago, and Washington needs a top guy to elevate the offense. Terry McLaurin is terrific, and though some around the league want to see more before placing him in the top tier, he’s on his way there entering Year 3 and would pair seamlessly with another high-level receiver. And Washington almost landed Amari Cooper last free agency. They won’t miss this time. Washington is exhausting all options at the quarterback position and wants to surround the position with weaponry.

“They won’t miss this time.” That sentence stood out to me because it’s extremely encouraging from a fan’s perspective. We’ve seen Ron Rivera get aggressive when pursuing players that he wants in the past, and with the window of success starting to open in Washington, we expect that tenacity to only grow.

If Allen Robinson is the guy that Rivera is setting his sites on, then we could be in for a treat. If it’s someone else of that caliber, we have no problem with that either. No matter who Washington brings in, we can feel confident that there is going to be someone new on the offense that can help take the top off of defenses and take this passing game to the next level.

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5 offseason moves to make Washington a Super Bowl contender in 2021

Based on the young talent and coaching in Washington, they’re closer to contending for a championship than you may think, but these 5 offseason moves would help.

A majority of the NFL world was tuned into the action on Championship Sunday, as both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs advanced on to Super Bowl LV a couple of weeks from now in Tampa Bay. A lot of congratulations can be given, but for many fans of the Washington Football Team, a lot of time was probably spent picturing what that must be like to root for a team going to the final game of the season.

After a 7-9 season that ended in the wild-card round of the playoffs, it may seem crazy to say, but WFT is closer to that happening than some might think. The young talent and coaching is there, but a few pieces need to be added in order to push them over the edge. Here are 5 things that Washington needs to do to become a Super Bowl contender in 2021.