4-Down Territory: Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a team that always been the point of discussion among media pundits and fans alike. As an organization, they have been caught in between a rock and a hard place for quite some time.

Kirk Cousins was the quarterback of the future for the Redskins when they decided to part ways with Robert Griffin III. Through all of Cousins’ prolific numbers, he was never able to succeed in getting the team over the hump. On January 10, 2016, Washington went down against the Green Bay Packers 35-18 at home. After the 2017 season was over, Cousins joined the Minnesota Vikings and he was then replaced by a new starter.

First Down: Is Alex Smith the answer at quarterback?

Smith has done nothing to suggest that he wouldn’t be a solid addition to the Redskins. He’s put his head down and worked his tail off all offseason. He’s also coming off of his best year in his career, passing for 4,042 yards (eighth in the NFL), 26 touchdowns (ninth) and just five interceptions with a completion percentage of 67.5%. He also led the league with a 104.7 passer rating.

His addition is one the most underrated ones in the NFL during the 2018 offseason. Expect Smith to fit seamlessly into a Jay Gruden West Coast system that fits his strengths as a quarterback with strong footwork.

Second Down: Will Derrius Guice flourish behind Washington’s offensive line?

Guice was a strong back at Louisiana State University, rushing for 1000+ yards twice during his collegiate career. He also ran four double-digit touchdowns in both 2016 and 2017, as well as averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Guice will run behind left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Shawn Lauvao, center Chase Roullier, right guard Brandon Scherff and right tackle Morgan Moses. With this strong offensive line, Guice will have a strong start to his career in 2018.

Third Down: Should Washington add Dez Bryant?

Bryant hasn’t had a 1000+ yard receiving season since 2014, where he had 1,320 yards. Another knock against Bryant is that he has season his yards per reception decrease significantly from his career of 15.9 yards per reception in 2016 — in 2017, he had just 12.1 yards per catch. He also saw his touchdown receptions decline from eight in 2016 to six in 2017.

His former teammate with the Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick believes that Bryant would be a perfect fit in Washington.

“Washington,” Scandrick said of Bryant’s perfect team, via SportsDay. “I know Dez can still catch touchdowns. I know he can still be a great red zone threat, and I would love to play with him again.”

If Washington adds Bryant, they will have to realize that they are taking a player that could cause locker room issues. However, with a strong veteran presence from the aforementioned Smith, Josh Norman, Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Williams and a co-sign from his former teammate in Scandrick,

Fourth Down: Are the Redskins ready to make a NFC Wild Card push?

The short answer is no. It’s not because of the team’s lack of talent, but it is because the talent doesn’t match up to the likes of the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams or San Francisco 49ers on paper offensively.

One problem that Washington has is that they don’t have the weapons that any of those teams possess. Not one. Jordan Reed is a very good tight end when he’s healthy, but he’s often off of it. The same goes for Josh Doctson.

If Washington were to add Bryant to their offensive ranks, maybe it could change the course of the season. He’ll have to buy into Gruden’s scheme and if he does do that, it could make them a competitive team. As things stand right now, the Redskins are on the far outside looking into the crystal ball that is the 2018 NFL Playoffs.

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