NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
In typical Washington football fashion, people have already begun the debate on whether or not they should tank and solidify a top pick in the upcoming draft. Washington currently sits at second place in the NFC East and is one and a half games out of first place. After their week six loss to the Giants, many fans gave up on the season. However, their dominant win over the Cowboys brought back hope.
Here is why Washington should and shouldn’t tank
Why They Should Compete
Development of Younger Players
This may be the strongest reason for Washington to put their head down and fight for a division title. This is a very young team that needs to develop. In order to develop, they need to experience the ups and downs of a season. Losing week in and week out limits the situations these players experience.
Haskins was benched because he was not helping them win games. The offense and defense need to know how to play when they are both winning and losing.
Can’t Lose the Locker Room
Rivera was brought in to build a new culture in Washington. For too long, they have been labeled as dysfunctional, and Rivera is working to change that. No one expected Washington to contend for a Super Bowl this season. However, the players in the locker room are tired of losing.
We have seen numerous cases where head coaches lose the locker room. There is no coming back from players turning their back on a coach. If Rivera went out each week with little effort or drive to win, the players will pick up on it and may lose respect.
Could Help the Rebuild
Many see picking lower in the draft as a negative with respect to a rebuild. However, the draft is just one area in the offseason that you build your team. If free agents see a team is building something, it may spark their interest.
There are two major factors when free agents decide where to sign. One is the money, which Washington will have plenty of (possibly around $100 million in cap space). Two is a contending team. While Washington may not be contending for a title in 2021, free agents may see that the team heading in the right direction.
The Team and Fans Need This
For too long, Washington football has been plagued by the endless spiral of disappointment and misery, while fans have had to endure countless losing seasons. A division title may go a long way in giving fans hope again. FedEx Field has been more of a venue for the opposing team’s fans than actual Washington fans. If we can, at some point, return to full capacity games, it would be a great sight to see fans finally fill the seats in FedEx.
Why They Should Tank
Need to draft a Quarterback
It is extremely difficult to win in the NFL without a quarterback. As of now, Washington is in desperate need of one. Dwayne Haskins struggled immensely through the first four weeks, which led to Kyle Allen getting the nod as the starter. There has been a fairly significant improvement in the offense with Allen. Even with the improvement, he is not the long term answer.
Winning is only going to hurt their chance at snagging a top QB prospect.
Will Get Nowhere in the Playoffs
An honest opinion isn’t always the favorite. If Washington wins the division, they will face the #1 wild card in the NFC. There is a good chance that the team will be somewhere around 11-5. Barring a miracle, they should have no problem ending Washington’s season.
A division championship may seem great, but doing it in one of the worst divisions in NFL history is not very impressive.
Overall, there seems to be more reason to continue to fight for the division. Yes, I understand this team is going to need a new quarterback in 2021. However, if they are desperate enough, they can trade up in the first round. This quarterback class seems to be very deep. I believe there is a chance five QBs are taken in the top 15.
If they cannot draft a top QB, Sam Darnold may be available, assuming the Jets replace him in the draft. Some may roll their eyes at this decision, but much of Darnold’s failure can be put on the Jets. A new team may be just what he needs.
