Washington Redskins: Cautious Optimism Surrounds Team

The Washington Redskins have been on the losing side of things for a number of years now, but fans should be cautiously optimistic with general manager Scot McCloughan at the helm. His skills may be able to turn things around for the franchise.

The Washington Redskins haven’t been a consistently competitive football team since the 90s, only capturing the division title three times since 1995. The incessant losing has the left the loyal fan base of the Burgundy and Gold hungry and desperate for winning football, something that team owner Daniel Snyder has struggled to deliver since purchasing the franchise in 1999.

The team’s failure to secure victories doesn’t come from a lack of effort, though – it’s more so ill-planned efforts, with the team often choosing to spend big on free agents instead of drafting and grooming their own players.

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That style of team building went out the window when Snyder brought Scot McCloughan aboard, a football minded general manager that is known for his ability to build competitive, championship quality rosters through the draft. His ability to do so was on display in 2015, as the Redskins had a number of rookies contributing down the stretch during their surprise playoff run. I’m not saying they’re a championship level team, but they are competitive and relatively young.

Washington’s nine win campaign wouldn’t have been possible without their rookies performing at a high level. The team’s first round pick, Brandon Scherff, contributed heavily at right guard, starting all sixteen games for the Washington Redskins in 2015. Matt Jones, a third round selection last year, showed flashes of potential at the running back position. Jamison Crowder, who the team selected in the fourth round, had a phenomenal year for the Redskins at wide receiver, hauling in 59 receptions for 604 yards and two touchdowns.

The offensive talent that McCloughan added during his first season as Washington’s general manager is promising and fans of the team should certainly be hopeful, however, the players that he added on the defensive side of the ball are also quite impressive. Preston Smith, the Redskins second round selection in 2015, recorded eight sacks during his rookie season. Although he was a second round choice, his emergence as a legitimate pass-rushing force was a pleasant surprise.

In addition to discovering the talented Smith, the savvy GM was able to locate a few more rookie gems for his team. He drafted Kyshoen Jarrett, a safety that has the ability to play various positions in the defensive backfield, in the sixth round. I believe that Jarrett will eventually become a full-time starter for the unit, as he has the ability, drive, and talent to continue to grow and learn as a player. McCloughan also brought cornerback Quinton Dunbar, a player that used to be a wide receiver, to the team. His skills are raw, but I believe that he, too, will become a vital piece in the team’s secondary down the road.

While Scot McCloughan’s drafting skills are what will ultimately save the Washington Redskins in the long run, his ability to identify free agents and bring them to D.C. on team friendly deals will certainly help them stay competitive in the short term. That much was evident during the team’s injury riddled 2015 campaign, as the GM was forced to add a large number of free agents down the stretch.

Pierre Thomas, Mason Foster, and Will Blackmon are examples of McCloughan scraping the free agency barrel for talent. He signed the aforementioned players to stay competitive, and it worked. Thomas, Foster, and Blackmon were extremely important to the team’s playoff run.

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Scot McCloughan’s ability to scout, draft, and sign talented football players is promising, and the ora that surrounds the team is positive. Such optimism is rare for fans of the team and, for the first time in a long time, they have a reason to look forward to the future. Due to the losing nature of the team, however, fans will likely have their guard up until the team can prove they can be competitive on a regular basis.