Washington Redskins ugly loss highlights lack of depth up front

The Washington Redskins had an ugly loss in the standings and on the depth chart last week

It is hard to find a positive in a game for a team who not only got pummeled on both sides of the ball, but also lost their two starting offensive guards for the season. But, the Redskins loss to Atlanta does come with a silver lining.

Fans and pundits have been clamoring for an upgrade to the left guard position since Shawn Lauvao joined the team five years ago. Contrary to the rants of the masses who point to Lauvao’s lack of ability as the reason for such a change to the roster, I wholeheartedly disagree with the premise that Lauvao lacks the necessary talent to be a vital member of the Redskin’s offensive line.

Lauvao’s problem is not a lack of skill but rather an inability to stay healthy enough to suit up on a regular basis. /

For some reason, Washington’s front office insists on postponing upgrades to certain key positions until the need becomes so great that the team’s reluctance to remedy the situation reaches a level that constitutes a crisis. We saw this with the Redskin’s refusal to address the defensive line until they ranked dead last in the NFL against the run.

Many of us sat stunned and baffled as year after year the team tried to run a 3-4 defense without a true nose tackle. Finally, out of sheer necessity, the Redskins used two consecutive first round draft picks to fix the problem.

Although, it could be argued that in 2017 their hand was forced as a talent such as Jonathon Allen dropped all the way to pick 17. That was a gift from the football gods that simply could not be refused.

The 2018 draft on the other hand demonstrated a premeditated commitment to acquire the services of a legitimate, and potentially dominant, nose tackle.

After years of failure to plug this hole, either through the draft or free agency, the Redskins defensive line boasts excellent starters and even some quality depth. For the first time in far too long the opposition’s game plan has to be a little more complicated than simply running the ball down our throats.

Yes, Atlanta was able to do it but it came on the heels of a brilliant short passing game by Matt Ryan. It obviously did not help that the Redskins inside linebackers inexplicably decided to take the afternoon off.

LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 21: Cole Beasley #11 of the Dallas Cowboys runs past Shaun Dion Hamilton #51 of the Washington Redskins during the first half at FedExField on October 21, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

Suffice to say that issue will be addressed in time for the match up with Tampa Bay. If not, I would expect to see much more of Shawn Dion Hamilton, Josh Harvey Clemons, and Zach Vigil, and a lot less of Mason Foster and Zach Brown.

This brings us to Washington’s crisis du jour – the offensive line. To be clear, the crisis of the day precipitated by the predictable loss of Lauvao and the unfortunate injury to Brandon Scherff was a crisis that was years in the making. And one that could have been avoided had the team done a more respectable job building the offensive line. Specifically, the development of some quality depth behind the starting injury prone studs.

Unfortunately, that is not the case and when the Redskins take the field Sunday in Tampa there will be, according to Jay Gruden, a starting right guard that joined the team but a few days before the game.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 23: Brandon Scherff #75 of the Washington Redskins reacts to an injury in the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Seriously?! Half way through the season and there is not a backup to Scherff? Not even on the practice squad? That has to be one of the most stupefying examples of poor planning in the history of the league. Here we sit in first place in the NFC East and we’re bringing in an offensive lineman off the street to replace our All-Pro right guard. I don’t know how the coach explains that to the owner. I’d hate to have to try.

Anyway, the consequences of this travesty are going to force the Redskins hand in the upcoming draft, hence, the silver lining I referenced earlier. I’m sure every Redskin fan is in agreement that with a veteran roster that included Guards such as Alex Balducci, Tyler Catalina, Cameron Jefferson, and John Kling this is an issue that should have been addressed so much earlier.

The fact that the team ultimately went with Tony Bergstrom and Casey Dunn as the backups to Lauvao and Scherff might suggest that someone was asleep at the wheel.

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However, at least at this point in the process, names like Ross Pierschbacher, Cody Ford, Garret Brumfield, Chris Lindstrom, Beau Benzshawel, and Daryl Williams reek of second round picks.

This works in Washington’s favor as it affords them the opportunity to use their first round pick on one of the superstar Tight Ends.

Aside from drafting, or otherwise acquiring, a starting Left Guard, nothing would do more to help Alex Smith manage this offense than drafting an elite Tight End.

As this is an offense that should never be on the field without at least two TEs, and preferably three, Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunan or Iowas’s Noah Fant need to be wearing burgundy and gold next year.

The only way to do that is with a first round pick. This is Vernon Davis’ last year and Jordan Reed’s injury history is well documented. Passing on these once in a generation talents would be catastrophic. Almost as disastrous as not having a capable backup guard on the roster.

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