With the ending of the NBA season, all eyes are pointed towards the opening of the NFL season. Coming off a positive season that resulted in an NFC East division crown and a playoff loss in the first round, many Redskins fans were left wondering where the team goes from there, and no, it's not a Super Bowl appearance.
In short, I think you can expect a 10-6 season from the Redskins this year. I'll explain why.
First, much of the performance of this team will be determined by the growth of Kirk Cousins. He took strides last year and down the stretch really proved he could be the quarterback this franchise has desperately needed for a while. Being a total workhorse and with further developed (and healthy) weapons around him, I expect Cousins not only to repeat his success of last year but to improve off it. The backfield certainly took a hit; Darrel Young wasn't resigned, but in the Redskin's offense there is little need for a fullback. The hit really comes from Alfred Morris' departure to Dallas, leaving the young, fumble-prone Matt Jones in the backfield. I think he offers more potential, but will need to rein in his fumbling problems before he can be truly effective. The receivers corps has been touted as one of the best in the league this off season; Jordan Reed earned a hefty extension after his superb performance last year, and should only get better with another healthy offseason under his belt. The ever-reliable Pierre Garçon will continue to start, and speedster DeSean Jackson should be primed for a big year after an injury plagued 2015-2016. Second-year pro, Jamison Crowder, should get some more work in the slot after a big rookie season. Josh Doctson, this summer's first-round pick, will more than likely be brought upon slowly and should be utilized as a red-zone threat until Pierre Garçon more than likely departs next summer. The line continues to grow; no big pieces departed, and another summer under offensive line guru Bill Callahan should only further develop the big men up front.
Just as much as the offensive success rests on the performance of Cousins, so does Josh Norman on the defensive success. Signed to a massive contract after he was released from his franchise tag with Carolina, the No. 11 player in the "NFL Top 100 for 2016" is a huge boost for a sagging secondary. He will line up opposite Bashaud Breeland, a starter in his own right. DeAngelo Hall will line up in his new position of free safety after his first full summer at the position and give some quality leadership to this unit. The strong safety is a bit of a toss up, but my guess is Duke Ihenacho gets the go-ahead. The linebacking corps comes back strong too. Will Compton, a total grinder and a fierce competitor, should man the middle. Ryan Kerrigan will start opposite the now healthy Junior Galette, and don't forget about second-year man Preston Smith snagging a couple sacks too. Su'a Cravens, this years second-round draft pick, will be a hybrid defender, switching between being a box safety and a linebacker. The defensive line is probably the weakest point of this team right now, but it should be Chris Backer and Kedric Golston on the ends, with the NT to be determined later.
Overall it has been a strong summer for the Redskins. The Giants had coaching staff turnover, the Eagles also had coaching staff turnover and are going through a minor rebuild, and seemingly half the Cowboys' defense is suspended for the first part of the season. Given this, I'm not too terrified by the competition in the NFC East currently. By biggest fear is Ezekiel Elliott for the Cowboys has a monster season behind their All-Pro line.
It seems every year Redskins fans have big hopes for the season ahead, sometimes too big. My guess is we probably won't see the Super Bowl for 2-3 more years, but if things progress as they have been, maybe it isn't too wild to anticipate a Super Bowl with D.C. in it in the next 5-ish years. We'll see though.
#HTTR
