Whether intended or not, Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera’s choice of words towards the team’s intentions with the No. 2 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft has drawn intrigue.
Rivera said “everything is an option” for the second overall pick including drafting a quarterback. Thursday, ESPN’s “First Take” used Rivera’s presser as a topic of conversation. That prompted draft pundit Mel Kiper to suggest Washington draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa over Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young, if Tagovailoa is fully medically cleared from his injured hip.
“You can have all the Chase Young’s you want, if you don’t have the quarterback you’re spinning your wheels… You take Tua at 2. No doubt about that… If [Dwayne] Haskins turns out to be better than trade Tua. Let them battle it, see who the best man is.”
Considering the Redskins drafted Dwayne Haskins in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft, the possibility of them drafting another quarterback isn’t high. However, just like last year when the Arizona Cardinals drafted Kyler Murray a year after taking Josh Rosen, there is still a possibility.
Rivera being publicly non-committal to Haskins as the starting quarterback in 2020 opens the door for intrigue. Rivera has also repeatedly commented he wants a competition for Haskins as he is not ready to anoint the QB the previous regime selected. He’s even brought up injured Alex Smith multiple times.
Kiper’s wording may stir the pot, and maybe that’s what Rivera wanted. However, what the ESPN analyst stating wasn’t far-fetched — not on the front of possibly drafting Tagovailoa. Even his reasoning makes sense.
Would it be possible the Redskins hold on to Haskins while Tagovailoa completely heals form his hip injury? It’s very possible.
Yet it’s hard to imagine a team holding on to two-first round quarterbacks from consecutive drafts.
If Tagovailoa is granted a full medical clearance as he expects, there will be a lot of intrigue with how the Redskins will handle the No. 2 until it’s official. From now until April 23 there won’t be nothing off the table for the Redskins.
