Washington Redskins: Banking on Ereck Flowers a bad bet
The Washington Redskins are planning to start Ereck Flowers at left guard in 2019 and everything up to now says that’s a poor idea.
For several years now, the offensive line has been a strength of the Washington Redskins. As they enter the 2019 season, however, they do have one question mark along the front, specifically at left guard. As we sit in the middle of June, it appears as if their answer to that question is Ereck Flowers, who the team signed to a one-year deal this offseason.
While nothing is set in stone, Redskins offensive line coach Bill Callahan noted this week (via The Washington Post) that Flowers starting at left guard is the “potential” course of action right now. He’ll be slotted on a line that includes high-end players such as Trent Williams (barring a trade given his contract situation), Morgan Moses, Chase Roullier and Brandon Scherff.
If you’re unfamiliar, Flowers’ career in the NFL has gone less than ideally since he was taken ninth overall by the New York Giants in 2015. His stint as a tackle in the Big Apple went disastrously, leading to his release in October 2018.
The Jacksonville Jaguars then picked him up and he continued to display pedestrian-at-best performance as he became a starter for a banged-up offensive line. That all led to the Redskins inking him to his current deal and this current situation.
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In truth, a switch to guard might make sense for Flowers. Despite his impressive size and strength, his lack of footwork and functional mobility hurt him a great deal playing on the edge. While that won’t help him in terms of stunts and pulling if he moves to guard, the switch may play more to what he can do well up the middle.
However, it’s far from a secret that Washington’s offense is going to heavily feature the run game in 2019. Whether it’s Case Keenum or rookie Dwayne Haskins that wins the starting job at quarterback, head coach Jay Gruden is wise enough to recognize that the best chance of success lies with Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson pounding the rock and controlling the clock.
That strategy, however, is best served if there is a functional offensive line in front of him. If Flowers shows the same level of play that he has through four seasons in the NFL, that’s going to give the line a massive weak link that could throw that plan off completely.
It’s great to root for players to turn things around in this league. In fact, we’ve seen it relatively recently with perceived first-round bust Greg Robinson developing into a key cog on the Cleveland Browns offensive line after they took a flier on him. Banking on that, however, is to bank on the exception and not the rule.
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As training camp wears on, the Redskins would be wise not become complacent on the notion of Flowers playing at guard. They should try out rookie center Ross Pierschbacher at guard and exhaust every option at their disposal. If they don’t, they risk throwing their plan for the 2019 season into disarray by making a bad bet on Flowers.