NFL Trade Rumors: Washington Football Team to trade for a quarterback?
The NFC East is a mess, and the Washington Football Team is part of that unfortunate division.
The team is coming off a much-needed win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7, an opponent that was devastated to lose star quarterback Dak Prescott for the season after fracturing and dislocating his right ankle. The Washington Football Team dominated Dallas, winning 25-3 with a majority of the domination occurring on defense.
Coming into Week 8, Washington is on their bye week, and the defense is ranked No. 1 overall. Since the start of the season, Washington has solidified itself defensively. But where the team lacks is on offense, especially in the quarterback department.
As of now, third-year QB Kyle Allen is under center for the Washington Football Team. He was given the starting job after head coach Ron Rivera benched Dwayne Haskins, demoting him all the way to third-string and making veteran Alex Smith the backup. But one thing everyone believes is that Allen is not the long-term solution to the quarterback problem that Washington has.
NFL Trade Rumors: The Washington Football Team wants to trade Dwayne Haskins
Currently, the rumor is that Haskins being traded is "inevitable," but no offers have been reported. By being demoted to third-string, Rivera and the coaching staff have likely given up on the Haskins project. It is certainly time for both parties to move on, allowing Haskins a fresh start and for Washington to gain back some capital.
For now, there are no rumors saying the Washington Football Team is interested in trading for a quarterback. Several teams have been rumored to be putting their signal-caller on the trading block, including the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan, the Indianapolis Colts' Jacoby Brissett, and the Chicago Bears' Mitchell Trubisky.
Of those three, Ryan would be the best solution in terms of performance. But getting Ryan would require the Washington Football Team to release Smith, as they cannot take on both contracts at the same time.
Another option that was considered before the season started was Cam Newton, who was signed by the New England Patriots.
Newton has been struggling since his return to the field after being diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. It was previously reported that the Patriots were worried about Washington signing Newton and thus made the move before them. Considering Rivera and Newton worked together in Carolina for nine seasons, it makes sense for Washington to bring Newton to Rivera and the coaching staff that he would be very familiar with.
Right now, Rivera and the Washington Football Team front office have made it clear that they want to win. They are not openly tanking, unlike some teams in the league that are doing so for higher draft picks. Washington has a great chance of making it to the top of the division and into the playoffs. The time is right now to do so, and they are certainly an elite quarterback away from dominating.