Washington Redskins: Ian Book should already be on radar
By Hunter Noll
The Washington Redskins are 5-2 and on top of the NFC East this season, but Alex Smith won’t be long for this team, and Ian Book could be the replacement.
The Washington Redskins traded for Alex Smith early in the 2018 offseason and it’s hard to argue with the results so far. No matter where you stand on him or Kirk Cousins — or even Robert Griffin III or Patrick Ramsey or whatever quarterback you want to discuss — Smith is winning.
For his career, Smith is 93-64-1, and this season he’s led the Redskins to a 5-2 record. So far this season, his numbers aren’t great, but Smith is still limiting turnovers. Keeping the ball away from the opposing defense will always give Washington a chance to win. However, how much longer can the 34-year old go? There have been constant questions about his arm strength this year and he does seem hesitant to throw it down the field often.
Smith’s game should help him age gracefully though. He’s not all about arm strength. There’s a nice mixture of accuracy and mobility that could keep Smith relevant for a few more years. With that being said, it would be smart for the Redskins to start looking into long-term solutions. Simply put, Smith isn’t going to be their quarterback five years down the road.
Ian Book could be the perfect answer. The current Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback has burst onto the scene this year and looks like the real deal.
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He’s helped lead Notre Dame to an 8-0 start, taking over the starting job midseason from Brandon Wimbush, and has done so with pinpoint accuracy. Book has thrown for 1,481 yards, 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions. The most impressive stat though is the ridiculous 75.8 completion percentage that he boasts.
Book has also shown solid scrambling ability, but it looks like it’s a secondary trait and not something that’s necessary to him being an effective passer. In short, he seems like the perfect specimen for Alex Smith to mentor.
There are two more positives at the moment. First, Book doesn’t seem to be too high on draft radars currently. Of course, this will change. If he continues to play well and Notre Dame keeps winning, his stock will only rise.
Second is the fact that Book is only a true junior. Therefore, the Redskins might not have to worry about drafting him in 2019. If he decides to stay at Notre Dame for a senior year, Washington will be better suited to take him as they’ll be one year closer to Smith’s departure. This would help to limit the amount of time Book sits on the bench.
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The Washington Redskins haven’t had a franchise quarterback in what seems like forever. Sure, they’ve had a few quarterbackss they hoped would become the face of the franchise, but it’s safe to say none of them worked out.
Now’s the perfect time to change that, though. Alex Smith is set up to mentor the next young quarterback the Redskins draft — and Ian Book could be lined up to be that player.