Redskins should have plenty of trade options with the 5th pick

It’s no secret that the Washington Redskins are open to trading the 5th overall pick in the NFL Draft to move down and stockpile picks as they look to start their rebuilding efforts, the only question is will they have a partner willing to jump up to make the deal? While anything can happen on draft day, right now it looks like regardless of how the top 4 picks go the Redskins should have a player (or more) on the board that should draw serious trade-up interest.

QB Marcus Mariota (or Jameis Winston):

Teams that could be in the market: Jets, Bears, Rams, Browns, Texans, Chargers, Eagles.  wildcard options: Bengals, Chiefs, Cardinals

How he could be available:

-It is basically a foregone conclusion that the Buccaneers are taking one of the top 2 quarterbacks with the first overall pick in this draft, with the clear favorite being Jameis Winston at this time. That leaves Marcus Mariota as the next desirable franchise QB. Of the three remaining teams between the 2nd overall pick and the Redskins selection only the Tennessee Titans at #2 would be interested and many think they could pass on Mariota. Now Mariota (or Winston) would be such a major trade chip that it’s very possible that even if the Titans didn’t take him another team would trade up for a quarterback. The chance might not be high that he’s still on the board at five, but if there isn’t a trade up and the Titans select Leonard Williams or a top pass rusher it could happen.

Would the Redskins make the move back:

-While there has been some chatter that the Redskins themselves could be interested in Mariota, if he was still on the board I think they would make a deal. Quarterbacks are the one position that can make trading teams really break the trade value chart (each team weighs it differently, but will have some sort of value chart), so this scenario could lead to the biggest return for the Redskins.

WRs Amari Cooper or Kevin White:

Teams that could be in the market: Bears, Giants, Rams, Vikings, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, 49ers, Eagles. wildcard options: Ravens, Chargers, Panthers, Patriots

How they could be available:

-Cooper and White are considered clearly the top two receivers in the draft and both worthy of top 10 selections in this class. With two guys teams could be clamoring for to add to their offensive arsenal, it’s nearly a certainty that at least one will still be on the board by the time the Redskins draft. The Buccaneers are going to take a QB and the Jaguars have zero interest in wide receivers so barring a trade up the chances that both the Titans and Raiders take  receivers are fairly slim. It’s also very possible that both receivers will be on the board for the Redskins to shop as the Titans are likely to take the other quarterback or a top defender and the Raiders could go the defender route as well.

Would the Redskins make the move back:

-While some may say the Redskins should draft the best player available and take the receiver here it really is impractical for them. They have so much money invested in the receiver position at this point, and their offense doesn’t have the quarterback play or scheme to really maximize the talents of another big name receiver. The Redskins should definitely be interested in any trade back scenarios involving these two receivers.

DL Leonard Williams:

Teams that could be in the market: Bears, Falcons, Giants, Vikings, Browns, Saints, Dolphins, 49ers. wildcard options: Texans, Patriots, Ravens, Chiefs, Chargers

How he could be available:

-Leonard Williams is widely considered the top prospect in this class and appears to be one of the safer overall prospects in this group. So how could he be sitting there at 5? Well if quarterbacks go 1-2 (either with the Titans selecting or with a trade back), the Jaguars take a top pass rusher, and the Raiders take a receiver or pass rusher, Williams could fall into the Redskins laps. It’s not the most likely scenario, but definitely plausible.

Would the Redskins make the move back:

-This would be an interesting discussion in the Redskins War Room. On one hand Williams is probably the best player in this class, and capable of making an immediate impact. On the flip side is the Redskins have invested a ton of money into the defensive line, including adding 3 free agents this offseason. That definitely doesn’t entirely rule out taking Williams, because only one of those signings was significant money over the long term, but it does mean the Redskins don’t have to take Williams. If there isn’t a fair value trade being offered (unlikely given Williams potential) then you select him, but if a trade is offered they should probably take the deal.

OLB/DE Dante Fowler and Vic Beasley:

Teams that could be in the market: Jets, Bears, Falcons, Giants, Vikings, Browns, Saints, Chargers. wildcard options: Eagles, Steelers, Cardinals, Panthers, Cowboys, Colts

How they could be available:

-Dante Fowler Jr. and Vic Beasley are the consensus top pass rushers in this class, and both could get serious consideration for picks 2-4, but it’s definitely possible that one or both are still on the board when the Redskins select. The Titans made a serious effort to address their pass rush this offseason with re-signing Derrick Morgan and signing Brian Orakpo. They could still consider one of these edge guys, but it’s more likely the draft Mariota (or trade the pick to someone who will) or Leonard Williams. The Jaguars definitely are in the market for an edge rusher so it’s very likely they select one of these two guys, but if Leonard Williams is on the board they could consider him instead. The Raiders definitely are looking at edge options as well, but wide receiver is high on their list and they could decide to build their defense around Leonard Williams as well.

Would the Redskins make the move back: 

-There is a twofold problem for the Redskins with potentially moving this pick. One they have a serious need at ROLB where Brian Orakpo left in free agency and rookie Trent Murphy doesn’t really fit as a quick edge rusher capable of putting significant pressure on the quarterback. Either Beasley or Fowler Jr. would be considered a great pick for the Redskins defense. The other problem is that it’s generally considered a very deep edge pass rushing group so there might not be the motivation for teams to move up. A lot will depend on how individual teams view Fowler/Beasley compared to the rest of the class. If Fowler/Beasley are considered to have a big gap between them and the rest of the edge rushers (as some definitely believe), teams could still consider it worth trading to land one of them rather than settling for the 2nd tier group.

Overall:

-With Jameis Winston basically a lock for a top 5 selection, that means at least three of the six players above will be still available when the Redskins are on the clock so they should have plenty of interest in moving that pick. With multiple teams likely interested in moving up, the Redskins should be able to play them off one another to ensure they are getting good value to trade back. The Redskins could still decide to just take one of the players available instead, but I think they will likely make a move if a good deal comes along.