In Part I of our mock free agency, we examined three scenarios for the Redskins with regards to re-signing and releasing their free agents. Here, we move on to who the Redskins could look to sign in free agency.
We’re going into free agency carrying over the third scenario from our previous post. We liked the best of both worlds idea: Retaining the two key members of the offensive line in Trent Williams and Brandon Scherff while maintaining a healthy amount of available salary-cap space (roughly $54.4 million). This means releasing Jordan Reed and Ryan Kerrigan, and letting free agents Chris Thompson, Jon Bostic and Ereck Flowers test the market.
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This leaves the Redskins with significant remaining needs to fill. Tight end and cornerback are obvious and depth is required at linebacker, guard, wide receiver and safety. With the cap room available, the Redskins can afford some big splashes, but obviously can’t fill every need with high profile free agents. That will mean they have to prioritize certain positions over others while looking to rebuild the roster.
Here are three scenarios to fill those needs.
But first, something to consider: In general, what follows are projections assuming Washington pushes for the playoffs or at least significant improvement. New coach Ron Rivera recently told The Athletic he’s not sure whether that’s the plan or if 2020 serves as a rebuild in his first-year. If the latter, look for fewer long-term deals, especially for older players.
Scenario one: Tight window
Top-tier signings: Austin Hooper, TE; Bradley Roby, CB
Mid-tier signings: Jatavis Brown, LB
Low-tier signings: Greg Van Roten, G; Kyle Allen, QB; Rashad Higgins, WR; Kurt Coleman, FS
Salary projections:
Hooper: Five years, $44 million (Spotrac)
Roby: Three years, $33 million
Brown: Three years, $12 million
Standig’s analysis: Reed’s release and future plans signaled the end of his era in Washington. It also served as a reminder just how dismal things were at tight end last season. The Redskins need two new pieces. While the 2020 draft offers a good collection of talent, free agency is a bear. At best, there are three potential difference-makers, but two come with concerns: Hunter Henry (health) and Eric Ebron (consistency). That leaves Hooper as the clear target for any team going all in. He is coming off a breakout season (75 receptions) with Atlanta. Get past those three and the free-agent pool starts looking like the bar scene in Star Wars: Weird, unappealing and not the place for loitering.
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Adding a 25-year-old tight end means Washington can use its third-round selection on another need. Considering the free-agent crop of receivers is also dim, but the draft class is robust, that’s an option along with interior offensive lineman to replace Flowers.
Roby is among 7-10 solid to strong cornerbacks likely available. Signing any of them bolsters a need area while giving a hedge should the Quinton Dunbar talks implode.
Bullock’s analysis: The two big splashes fill some significant holes, one on both sides of the ball. In Hooper, the Redskins finally land a tight end that can boost both the passing game and the run game. Hooper has the ability as a receiver who can threaten linebackers and safeties in coverage with athleticism while using his frame to box out smaller cornerbacks. Though he doesn’t offer the same explosiveness as Reed or straight-line speed as a Vernon Davis, he is more than capable as a blocker in the run game. The Redskins haven’t had a reliable blocking tight end in years.
Bradley Roby reunites with his first NFL defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who he played for as a rookie in Denver. Roby has had some ups and downs throughout his career but had a solid year with the Texans, where he was asked to fill several roles. He played outside and moved inside to the slot while switching between various man, zone and pattern-matching coverages. He gives the Redskins some flexibility in the secondary as the team has holes at both outside corner and nickel.
The Redskins then fill out the roster with some players that can compete for roles. Van Roten started at left guard for the Panthers over the past two years and could fill the same spot for the same offensive line coach. Allen continues his development under Scott Turner as a backup quarterback and Coleman reunites with Rivera to shore up the safety spot alongside Landon Collins. The Redskins take a flyer on Higgins at wide receiver, who has shown some talent and big-play ability with the Browns, but has been stuck behind the likes of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr in Cleveland.
Scenario two: Hanging with Mr. Cooper
Top-tier signing: Amari Cooper, WR.
Mid-tier signings: Daryl Williams, G/T. Damarious Randall, FS. Kendall Fuller, CB. Chris Thompson, RB.
Low-tier signings: Wesley Woodyard, LB. Charles Clay, TE. Chase Daniel, QB.
Salary projections:
Cooper: Five years, $99.688 million (Spotrac)
Fuller: Three years, $25,333 million
Williams: Three years, $21 million
Randall: Three years, $15 million
Thompson: One year, $3 million
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Standig’s analysis: While I’m cool with going hard for the top tight end, doing the same at receiver makes me uneasy even though Washington needs a veteran opposite Terry McLaurin. Tight end offers more play-to-play help for a young quarterback like Dwayne Haskins.
Regardless, there are perhaps 3-4 free-agent receivers worth targeting for a significant splash with the playmaking Cooper atop the list — if Dallas doesn’t keep him. Seriously, miss on Cooper, A.J. Green, Robby Anderson, or Emmanuel Sanders, and it’s a group of unproven kids and flawed veterans. That’s why Cooper warrants consideration even if the move would feel too soon with Haskins and new coaching staff.
If all-in for Amari, then the Redskins aggressively address other need areas. Fuller and Randall would shore up the defensive back-end. Washington pays Williams like a right tackle even though the 27-year-old slots at left guard. Without knowing the year-to-year structure of the deals, these signings would drop the Redskins’ available cap space below $20 million.
Bullock’s analysis: If the Redskins are going to go all-in on one major free agent, Cooper would give them a strong chance of maximizing the value of the contract. At 6-1, 225 pounds with 4.4 speed, Cooper offers a strong size and speed combination, but he’s far more than just an athlete. The 25-year-old is one of the most accomplished route runners in the NFL with terrific footwork in and out of breaks. He has the speed to threaten deep, the route running to separate against any corner and the frame to make tough catches over the middle and pick up additional yards after the catch. Cooper is a complete receiver that would complement McLaurin and Steven Sims and give Haskins an incredibly strong trio of receivers to throw to.
With only one big splash, the Redskins have to look for bargains to fill other positions. Williams has regressed since his second-team All-Pro performance at right tackle in 2017. He moved around last season, spending time at both tackle and guard, flipping from the right to the left side. He provides a depth option to push Wes Martin for the starting left guard spot and potentially back up both tackle spots. Randall continues his development at free safety after switching from cornerback a few years ago. At the same time, Fuller returns to Washington to try to pick up where he left off as one of the top slot corners in the league. Wesley Woodyard reunites with Del Rio to provide the Redskins with some depth and experience at linebacker, having developed from special teamer to starter under Del Rio in Denver.
Scenario three: Corner the market
Top-tier signings: James Bradberry, CB; Cory Littleton, LB
Mid-tier signings: Marcus Mariota, QB; Tre Boston, FS
Low-tier signings: Jarius Wright, WR; Xavier Su’a-Filo, G; Lance Kendricks, TE
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Salary projections:
Bradberry: Four years, $56 million (Spotrac)
Littleton: Five years, $75.6 million
Mariota: One year, $7.5 million
Boston: Three years, $12 million
Standig’s analysis: We know Rivera is targeting folks from his Carolina days. The defensive-minded coach also covets three-down linebackers. Factor in the weak receiver and tight end free agent groups and the Redskins spend big on Bradberry and Littleton.
The Panthers might slap the franchise tag on Bradberry, but why spend if heading for a rebuild with a new coach (Yes, a consideration for both teams). The price for Littleton seems high, but that’s the contract Spotrac projects for a comparable free agent in Blake Martinez after C.J. Mosley reset the linebacker market last year. Washington spending on these two while adding Chase Young means significant help at all three levels of its 4-3 defense.
The Mariota add is our first acknowledgment that even if Haskins enters training camp the clear starter, Rivera continues to mention room for a veteran. CBS Sports salary cap analyst Joel Corry offered up the terms for Mariota.
Kendricks helps paper over the tight end hole with a veteran while raising the odds of drafting the likes of Dayton’s Adam Trautman and Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkney in the third round.
Bullock’s analysis: The Panthers influx continues in this scenario. Bradberry is the marquee signing, with the Redskins landing one of the top corners on the market. He’s an outstanding zone presence that can see the big picture, not just his role in a system. That trait, combined with his understanding of route combinations, allows Bradberry to identify critical threats to the defense and work to neutralize them.
Littleton gives Washington a Will (weak side) linebacker that excels in zone coverage and brings athletic ability to roam to make tackles in the run game. He’s a three-down player, which is somewhat of a rarity in the modern NFL and something that will be required as the team transitions to a 4-3 base front.
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Mariota is the surprise target here. Many consider the former second overall pick a bust, but the Titans never found the right fit for him, nor did they let him develop under the same system for his time there. Mariota fits what Scott Turner often did in Carolina, spreading out the defense and working quick game matchups. He could become a trade asset down the line and help push Haskins to earn his starting job fully.
Boston plays for Rivera for the third time in his career and provides the Redskins a nice complementary piece to Landon Collins, allowing Collins to play more in the box. Brown saw his snaps cut drastically in 2019, but the 2016 fifth-round pick fits like a modern NFL linebacker. He’s slightly undersized, but has the tremendous athletic ability with speed to beat blockers to the hole in the run game and coverage skills to turn and run with tight ends and running backs. He still needs development, but could prove to be a low-risk, high-upside pickup.
(Photo of Hooper: Kevin Abele / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)