Here is what you need to know on this Tuesday, May 15, seven days before the Washington Redskins start OTAs.
Looking ahead—The Redskins core offensive players in 2021
Earlier this year, I took a stab at figuring out who on the Redskins roster would still be with the team and contributing in the year 2021 (offense, defense). That was before free agency and the draft. Now that the Redskins have their personnel mostly set, let’s revisit that look and see how much the picture has changed. The offense is up today (Tuesday), the defense later this week.
The terms used here are mostly self-explanatory, but if you want details you can look at this post from a couple of years ago.
Ages are as of Week 1 in 2021
Potential blue-chip players: Brandon Scherff (29), Morgan Moses (30), Derrius Guice (24)
Changes from earlier projection: Added Guice
The key word here is “potential” blue chip players. I am hesitant to jump on the Guice hype train at this very early stage. But he does seem to have what it takes to be a blue chipper if he stays healthy and if he has some blue-chip players like Scherff and Moses blocking for him. He also has youth going for him. He doesn’t turn 21 until next month.
Trent Williams is the lone blue-chip player on the team right now. But he’ll be 33 when the 2021 season rolls around, and while he still can be a very capable player at that age, he likely will not be one of the very best in the game. A combination of age and injury could well keep Jordan Reed from being on the team three years from now.
Solid starters: Paul Richardson (29), Josh Doctson (27), Chris Thompson (30), Williams
Changes from earlier projection: Added Richardson, removed Jamison Crowder (28)
I could be very wrong about this but I’m starting to think that Crowder won’t be around past this year. If Trey Quinn, this year’s seventh-round pick, shows starter potential, they could very well let Crowder walk. The cap will force some hard choices and Crowder could be one they decide to let go.
Richardson and Doctson are here based on potential and projection. Neither has accomplished enough to be locked in. If Doctson is here it would be on a second contract. Richardson’s deal runs through 2022.
Potential starters: Chase Roullier (28), Alex Smith (37), Quinn (25)
Changes from earlier projection: Removed Spencer Long, Rob Kelley, Samaje Perine, added Smith
I almost put Roullier up in the “solid starters” category. I might be persuaded that he has a better chance of still being around in 2021 than any of the receivers. But I’ll slow the roll with him a bit, given that he has just seven NFL starts.
Smith, of course, has a ton of NFL starts, 152 to be exact. Will he still be starting caliber at age 37? Since 2000 only seven quarterbacks have thrown for adjusted net yards per attempt of 6.0, about the number needed to rank in the middle of the pack these days, in their age 37 seasons. That puts the odds against Smith being effective in 2021 but we will see.
The future is cloudy for some other players like Quinn (25) and Geron Christian (25), this year’s third-round pick. Health and opportunity could well dictate their chances of being long-term contributors. The same could be said of some players who got limited playing time as rookies last year—TE Jeremy Sprinkle (27) and WR Robert Davis (26). Maurice Harris (28) also could be contributing in three years if he can start producing consistently.
Bottom line, here are the potential 2021 starters:
LT Williams
LG Someone who will be a college senior this fall
C Roullier
RG Scherff
RT Moses
QB Smith
RG Guice
WR Doctson
WR Richardson
WR Quinn
TE ?
Stay up to date on the Redskins. Rich Tandler covers the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page, Facebook.com/TandlerNBCSand follow him on Twitter @TandlerNBCSand on Instagram @RichTandler.
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Timeline
Desmond Howard, the current ESPN analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner and 1992 first-round draft pick of the Redskins, was born on this date in 1970.
Days until:
—Minicamp (6/12) 28
—Training camp starts (7/26) 72
—Preseason opener @ Patriots (8/9) 86
The Redskins last played a game 135 days ago. They will open the 2018 NFL season at the Cardinals in 117 days.
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- Redskins are (very) early underdogs in most of their 2018 games
- 2019 NFL mock draft: Where the best players are headed