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Washington Football Team likely to trade up in 2022 NFL Draft?

By Sayre Bedinger

Jun 10, 2021; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Football Team quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) talks with Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin (L) during drills as part of minicamp at Inova Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2021; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Football Team quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) talks with Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin (L) during drills as part of minicamp at Inova Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2022 NFL Draft is way too far out to accurately predict which teams will be moving up for quarterbacks, right? Maybe, but we’re calling this shot. The Washington Football Team should be considered prime candidates to move up in the 2022 NFL Draft, specifically for a quarterback prospect.

Washington was aggressive in the 2021 free agency period, signing veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year contract. The NFC East was weak in 2020 and it was the Washington Football Team that went from worst to first, winning just seven games but making a postseason appearance.

Although winning just seven games and making the postseason is the exception, Washington is clearly a team on the rise and you could see that even a year ago with how good their defense was shaping up to be and the impact of head coach Ron Rivera.

With an even more improved roster in the 2021 season, the Washington Football Team should be considered a possible playoff team once again and nine or 10 victories should be within reach.

Washington Football Team: Obvious trade-up candidates in 2022 NFL Draft

Washington should be considered an obvious trade-up candidate in the 2022 NFL Draft for a variety of reasons.

The first? This roster is pretty good and is getting better. They made the playoffs as a 7-9 squad and they could easily improve to a 9-8 or 10-7 team — if not better — in 2021 with a strong defense and improved offensive arsenal.

The next reason is Ryan Fitzpatrick. The grizzled veteran signed a one-year deal in Washington and is obviously not a long-term solution at the position. Still, the team can win with him this year if he can limit turnovers.

Along with the presence of Fitzpatrick, another reason to believe Washington is an obvious trade-up team in 2022 is the fact that they have no future prospects at the position. None of Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen, or Steven Montez represent long-term options at QB at this point.

The Washington Football Team used a first-round pick on Dwayne Haskins in 2019, but he’s been cut from the team already and is hoping to rebound in Pittsburgh.

Another primary reason beyond not having a future presence at the position already on the roster is the 2022 free agency class is extremely weak.

Washington could try to get in on the quarterback trade market, whatever might materialize there. Who knows what Deshaun Watson’s status will be in the future.

For now, you can’t really bank on anything like that.

There will always be other “bridge” options, but with a relatively deep-looking class at QB in 2022, it’s possible that Washington, which has a legitimate shot of landing somewhere at pick 20 or beyond, is the most likely team to trade up for a quarterback and get aggressive in 2022, all things considered.

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