Washington Redskins: 3 major concerns heading to training camp

3. Tight End

The tight end situation is the one that puzzles me the most.

Jordan Reed was once one of the best pass catching TEs in the NFL. But, that was a long time ago in a land far, far away. It is certainly possible that Reed still possesses the skills that befuddled defensive coordinators and made defensive backs look foolish but we really have no way of knowing.

Reed has never played a complete 16 game season without getting hurt and has only twice been healthy enough to play 14 games. In that one of his 14 game seasons was last year, although he only started seven of those games, maybe the coaches are convinced that he’s going to roar into the 2019 season, stay healthy and perform the way he did earlier in his career.

That seems to be overly optimistic to the point of delusion. What is the back up plan? Are they expecting 35 year Vernon Davis to play like he did 10 years ago? It seems that the Redskins, at least at the TE position, are stuck in the past and don’t know how to move on.

The third TE, actually the starter, Jeremy Sprinkle has established himself as one of the best blocking TEs in the league. He started nine games last year and was a big reason Adrian Peterson had such a good year. Maybe the Redskins plan to play Reed and Davis until the wheels fall off and let Sprinkle and second year beast Matt Flanagan man the TE positions in a run heavy scheme.

Another possibility, admittedly a long shot, is that the ‘Skins are so impressed with the blocking talents of their wide receivers they aren’t too worried about Reed’s health or Davis’ advanced years.

It’s not too much of a stretch to suggest that Doctson, Quinn, and Richardson can already block as well as either Reed or Davis.

Washington’s other triumvirate of receivers, Cam Sims, Terry McLaurin, and Kelvin Harmon, who I think will all be starting by mid-season, are all better blockers than either Jordan Reed or Vernon Davis. With those three on the field maybe the Redskins feel they don’t need a pass catching tight end.

I will reiterate that, all things considered, the Redskins are in much better shape than I expected at this point. It was just a few months ago that Josh Johnson was lining up under center and Chase Rollier was playing on an offensive line with four other guys that are no longer on the team. Still, a quality backup to Trent Williams would help a lot. I’m not ruling out Catalina or Christian.

The other two issues are more concerning. Unless UFA Jeremy Reaves has something that 31 other teams missed I think the lack of depth at safety is going to haunt this team all year.

But the head scratcher of this young season is going all-in on a tight end that has never been able to stay healthy.

Assuming he is going to do it this year just because you absolutely, positively need him to is the kind of wishful thinking, or poor planning, that has the Snyder era Redskins stuck in a repetitive loop of mediocrity.