The Washington Football Team remains in quarterback purgatory following a down season in the nation’s capital. Ron Rivera’s squad now enters the offseason with veteran journeyman Taylor Heinicke as the only quarterback on the roster.
From a league-wide perspective, we’re expecting a ton of quarterback movement on the trade block. That could potentially lead to Washington pulling off a blockbuster trade.
“The Washington Football Team is preparing to take a big swing at a quarterback this offseason, per team sources. The team has just one quarterback, veteran Taylor Heinicke, under contract for next year, more than $40 million of cap space to work with and the 11th pick in the draft to potentially dangle in a trade,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported.
The question now becomes what general manager Martin Mayhew and Co. might do at the quarterback position with Washington boasting the necessary assets to pull off a trade.
Related: Ideal Jimmy Garoppolo trade scenarios
Jimmy Garoppolo could be headed to the Washington Football Team
Betting odds point to Washington being among the favorites to land Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Garoppolo will likely be dealt here within the next several weeks with a trade not being made official until March.
Garoppolo, 30, just led San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game. Unfortunately, he performance in said game left a whole lot to be desired. With 2021 No. 3 pick Trey Lance ready to take over, Garoppolo will be dealt here soon.
Why the Washington Football Team? Well, there’s numerous reasons for this.
- Garoppolo’s cap hit of $26.9 million for next season ranks 11th among NFL quarterbacks. There’s also a darn good chance he’ll sign an extension wherever he lands to lower that number big time.
- Acquiring Garoppolo wouldn’t cost Washington its first-round pick (11th overall). While there promises to be a strong market for his services, we’re probably looking at compensation similar to what San Francisco received from Kansas City for Alex Smith following the 2012 season. That is to say, two second-round picks.
- Washington general manager Martin Mayhew has a built-in relationship with both Garoppolo and the 49ers’ organization. He was a member of the 49ers’ front office from 2017-20.
Related: Where does the Washington Football Team go in the 2022 NFL Draft?
Washington Football Team could look for bigger name
Would Garoppolo be an upgrade in D.C.? Sure. But he’s obviously not the cream of the crop when it comes to the trade market around the NFL this offseason.
The likes of Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson could all be dealt. In particular, Watson will likely be moved by the Houston Texans within the next several weeks. The three-time Pro Bowler sat out the entire 2021 season after requesting a trade and following north of 20 women accusing him of sexual misconduct.
Pending the outcome of a grand jury inquiry into the allegations and remaining civil suits, Watson could end up being a tremendous option for Washington.
- Deshaun Watson stats (career): 67.8% completion, 14,539 passing yards, 1,677 rushing yards, 121 TD, 36 INT, 104.5 rating
Any move to acquire Watson from Houston would require the 11th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, other first-round selections and at least one starter-caliber player. Could this be what Breer means by the Washington Football Team taking a big swing?
As for Rodgers and Wilson, those two possibilities seem less likely. The Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks want to join a team that has a built-in roster capable of Super Bowl contention. It’s an open question whether Washington could be viewed in this manner following a 7-10 season.