After making the playoffs with a 7-9 record last season, the Washington Football Team knew it needed a strong offseason to repeat as NFC East champions in 2021.
Washington was busy in free agency, adding veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries and cornerback William Jackson III.
Next, in the 2021 NFL draft, the Football Team selected linebacker Jamin Davis, offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and wide receiver Dyami Brown in the first three rounds. All four could play an integral role in 2021.
The trio of Samuel, Humphries and Brown gives No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin some much-needed help. Fitzpatrick and Jackson represent upgrades at their respective positions.
How did Washington fare leaguewide in improving this offseason?
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently ranked the top 10 NFL offseasons, and he has Washington coming in at No. 5.
There are red flags with Fitzpatrick: He’ll be 39 by December, he hasn’t played a full season since 2015, and he’s just as prone to turnovers as jaw-dropping scores. So is he guaranteed to return Washington to the playoffs? No. But you can’t do much better if you’re trying to capitalize on a short window. Fitz is a clear upgrade on Alex Smith, and both Brown and Samuel should be versatile complements to Terry McLaurin. Jackson and Davis also figure to be key starters on Ron Rivera’s stingy defense.
Washington was the only NFC East team in Benjamin’s top 10. The New York Giants finished right outside the top 10. However, the Giants got better this offseason and swept Washington in two close games last season. Dallas gets quarterback Dak Prescott back this season.
With an already strong defense, Washington should be the team to beat in 2021.