The NFL free agency period isn’t technically over, but the first wave of signings is definitely in the rearview mirror. The Washington Football Team was extremely productive in that first wave as well, adding QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, CB William Jackson III, and WR Curtis Samuel to the roster.
Those three pieces ass came at major positions of need for the team, and they undoubtedly improved their roster with the three major signings.
So now that we have many of the top free agents off the board, and any team looking to find major fixes at a position will likely turn to the NFL draft rather than a flier-signing in free agency, where does Washington stand?
They’re in a good position, but there are still several needs that they have to fill before the start of the 2021 season. Here’s our ranking of their biggest needs heading into the draft.
Linebacker
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One of the lower-profile signings that Washington made last week was bringing in David Mayo, a linebacker who was with the Carolina Panthers before hitting free agency this year. Mayo is a solid player, but he definitely doesn’t fill the sizeable gap that Washington has at the LB position. Going into the draft, finding a stud linebacker who can both fill the running lanes and get vertical in coverage is going to be a massive task for Ron Rivera and his team of scouts. There are a number of projections and mock drafts that have Washington taking Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with the No. 19 pick, but there are also players like Nick Bolton, Zaven Collins, and Jabril Cox who might be there for Washington in the second round as well. No matter when they get him, it is clear that Washington needs to walk away from the draft with a stud linebacker who can help add to what is stacking up to be an impressive defense.
Offensive Tackle
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Washington made a point of bringing back LT David Sharpe in free agency this past week, but that doesn’t mean he is slotted to the be starter at that position. Rather, it is more likely that Rivera liked the presence he had on the roster, and values his depth at the position. There are still some players that can be added in free agency, but it seems more likely that Washington tries to find someone in the early-to-mid rounds of the draft that can step up at the LT spot and hopefully compete for a spot next season. Remember, we still have some hope that 2020 4th-round-pick Saahdiq Charles and stay healthy and provide some support on the left side of the line, but that’s a position that currently holds a question mark for the future.
Wide Receiver
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Curtis Samuel is a huge boost to the wide receiver position in Washington, but the group can still get better. The team has a lot of names on the WR depth chart, but outside of the top 2 players, there are a lot of questions. Here are how things currently look:
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Terry McLaurin
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Curtis Samuel
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Cam Sims
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Kelvin Harmon
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Antonio Gandy-Golden
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Steven Sims
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Isaiah Wright
Now, of course, not all of those players will be on the active roster each and every Sunday, but imagine if you threw in someone like Kadarius Toney, or Terrace Marshall, or Rondale Moore, or Rashod Bateman? Washington may not use a first-round pick on a WR, but if they could get someone in the first or second day of the draft, it could do wonders for the offense.
Free Safety
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The looming question over Washington’s defense this offseason is what the team is going to do at the safety position. They have two highly-capable strong safeties in Kamren Curl and Landon Collins, but some question marks at the free safety position. Both Jeremy Reaves and Deshazor Everett got some good run last season, but the position could use some improvement. Will Washington look to draft someone in the early rounds to fill that hole? Guys like Trevon Moehrig or Jevon Holland are likely to go in the first two rounds, or you could get someone like Ar’Darius Washington as well. Or you could end up having Curl switch to the FS position as well, which could be possible. We’ll see what Rivera and Jack Del Rio decide to do.
Cornerback
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Thanks to the signing of William Jackson III, Washington no longer has a major need at the CB position. Instead, they actually boast one of the better secondaries in the NFC now, with WJ3 and Kendall Fuller holding it down. Where they can get better, however, it with depth. That means a Day 2 or Day 3 signing that brings in a viable piece who can learn the ropes and provide some nice minutes either in the nickel or dime looks while rotating at the outside as well.
Quarterback
The addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick in Washington didn’t take away the need for a quarterback, but it did give the team a ton of options with what to do this offseason. No longer is Washington in a position where they need to leave the draft with a guy for the future, potentially forcing them to trade up to get one of the top-tier talents in the first round. Now Rivera is in a position where he can grab a guy if he likes him, but they aren’t at a major loss if they leave the draft empty-handed at the position. Our dream scenario in Washington is to draft a guy in the middle rounds like Kellen Mond out of Texas A&M. With Fitzpatrick holding his famous role as a bridge-QB, he can help mentor him in his rookie season and give him time to acclimate to the NFL, not forcing him into starting in his rookie season.
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