Washington Roster Review: Quarterbacks
Taking a closer look at how Washington's quarterbacks played in 2021 and where the team stands at the position heading into 2022
With the 2021 season in the books for Washington, it’s time to look back at the roster and evaluate each position to see where the team stands going into the offseason. Last week I looked at the defense and this week I’ve broken down the offensive line, tight ends, wide receivers and running backs. Today, I’m finishing this series looking at the most important position of all, quarterback
Under contract for 2022: Taylor Heinicke.
Notable free agents: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen (RFA).
Unit analysis:
Washington got the year of quarterbacking it probably expected, just not necessarily from the quarterback it anticipated starting most of the year. Ryan Fitzpatrick, signed as a bridge quarterback to start this season for Washington, threw just six passes before suffering an injury in the second quarter of Washington’s opening game that would cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Taylor Heinicke took over and played in a fairly similar fashion to Fitzpatrick. He showed great heart and determination which the team rallied around nicely. He had the playmaking ability to scramble around and extend plays before somehow finding an open receiver. He made some very tight window throws with great anticipation and timing. But, just like Fitzpatrick, he also had a number of poor throws and turnover worthy plays.
Washington should have come to the conclusion that Heinicke, like Fitzpatrick, isn’t going to be the long-term answer at quarterback, but rather a very nice back up option that can start games and keep the team competitive when needed. So that leaves quarterback as a major need for Washington, especially going into Rivera’s third season as the head coach, when most coaches go onto the hot seat.
So what are Washington’s options? The team could look to pursue a veteran in free agency, like it did with Ryan Fitzpatrick last year. They could also look to the draft, though this class of quarterbacks isn’t particularly highly rated by most draft analysts. Washington could also target a veteran under contract on another team via a trade.
Ron Rivera has hinted that perhaps he’s thinking more along the lines of targeting a veteran that can help the team win right away. In his press conference after the season, he questioned if fans and the media would have the patience in his third year to let a rookie develop. He also stated he thought this roster was ready to compete with the addition of a quality starting quarterback. We can also look back to last season, when Washington made a play for Matthew Stafford before being outbid by the Rams.
So which veterans might be available via trade? Aaron Rodgers is the biggest name potentially available after his falling out with the front office in Green Bay. After a strong regular season, he might want to stay with the Packers if he believes they offer him the best chance to win, but it’s also believed Washington wouldn’t be particularly high on his list of desired teams if he is to be traded. The Denver Broncos appear the most likely to go after him given they just appointed Packers’ Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their new Head Coach.
Russell Wilson would be the next name, but it appears as though things between him and the Seahawks could be mended. He has a no-trade clause in his contract which means he could pick the teams he’s willing to go to. Last year, he was only willing to go to four teams and Washington wasn’t one of them. Could that have changed a year later? Possibly, but it still seems unlikely.
Deshaun Watson looks set to be traded this offseason if he can sort out his legal situation. Now, that’s far from a certainty given he currently has multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from a number of different massage therapists. That shouldn’t be overlooked, especially from a franchise dealing with it’s own allegations of sexual misconduct from owner Dan Synder and his previous regime. In terms of difference maker at quarterback, Watson would hit everything Washington needs on the field, but with the team trying to move past the sins of the owner and his former staff, it would be tough to then bring in Watson.
After the three big names, we have to move into the next tier of quarterbacks. Derek Carr would be the next best option. The Raiders are still searching for their new coach at the time of writing, so it’s unclear what Carr’s situation will be. Josh McDaniels is the current favorite and he famously traded Jay Cutler just months after becoming the Head Coach in Denver. After Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo is the next best passer and he has been linked with Washington plenty already. He’d probably cost the least to trade for, given the 49ers have little leverage after trading up for his replacement in Trey Lance last year, but Garoppolo also moves the needle the least and might not be enough of an upgrade to help Washington challenge for the playoffs.
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