Washington Redskins: Use caution trading up in first round
By Hunter Noll
The Washington Redskins have the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they should be wary of trading up for a quarterback.
With the 15th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins will be in an odd place. They’re selecting early enough that, if they sit and wait, a top quarterback could still fall into their lap.
However, there’s a chance the quarterbacks they deem “first round worthy” are all gone. With that in mind — and a clear need for a quarterback — the Redskins might be tempted to trade up for a higher pick. But here’s a word of advice: Don’t.
Trading up in the first round never comes cheap. If you’re doing so for a quarterback, and that’s the one piece you need — sure, go for it. When you’re in the Redskins situation, though, it’s not the right move. Washington is in need of help on the offensive line and in regards to their receivers and tight ends. They need secondary and linebacker help as well.
Simply put, there are too many holes in the Redskins roster to mortgage a ton of draft picks for one position. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a defender of Robert Griffin III. I believe he didn’t get much of a chance given that he was benched during his second season (which statistically wasn’t all that bad) even after winning Rookie of the Year the previous season. That seems like a fast trigger.
Look what that draft trade did to the franchise, though. Losing all those future picks made it hard for the Redskins to build around Griffin III and things clearly didn’t work out.
Sticking with the 15th pick is the right move here. There could still be “first round” quarterbacks on the board at that time. If not, taking a quarterback in the middle rounds and be patient as he learns is a viable option. Someone like Ryan Finley or Brett Rypien could be available in the second or third round and have a chance to make an impact almost immediately.
Trading up for a quarterback has absolutely worked in the past. The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs both traded up in the draft for their current quarterbacks. Both teams are in the Conference Championships led by fantastic years from Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes. Clearly, it’s worked out well for them.
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Both teams were in that classic “just a quarterback away” spot, however. The Washington Redskins need more than just a quarterback, so they shouldn’t go trading everything to get one.