Washington Signs Chase Young
It’s a done deal. No. 2 overall pick Chase Young has formally signed his rookie deal with Washington, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. 
Young was widely viewed as the top talent in this year’s class. Ron Rivera & Co. tried their best, but they couldn’t hide their affinity for the Ohio State sack machine. In fact, most teams didn’t even bother to reach out to Young – there was little chance that he’d be available after No. 2.
Young dominated in the Big Ten, racking up 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in only 12 games last year. Meanwhile, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus show that Young’s performance was positively off the charts. His 2019 score slotted him ahead of Josh Allen (Kentucky, 2018), Nick Bosa (Ohio State, 2017), Myles Garrett (Texas A&M, 2015), and every other collegiate edge rusher dating back to 2014.
It’s all even more impressive when you consider that Young was the focus of every opposing offensive line, including some of the nation’s most elite units. He was frequently double-teamed, and it rarely worked. He was slowed a bit by the extra attention against Michigan in December, but that only served to open up wider lanes for the rest of the front seven. In the end, Ohio State rolled to a 56-27 blowout.
Young’s four-year deal will pay him $34.56MM in total, including a $22.7MM signing bonus, paid up front.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 7/22/20
Here are the latest draft pick signings. With rookies set to report to teams’ training camps this week, teams are busy on this front.
- The Vikings were the busiest team in the draft, making 15 picks this year. They have been active signing them Wednesday. Beyond first-rounder Justin Jefferson, Minnesota has agreed to terms with second-round tackle Ezra Cleveland, fourth-round linebacker Troy Dye, fourth-round defensive tackle James Lynch and seventh-round offensive lineman Kyle Hinton. Cleveland, rumored as a possible late-first-round selection, will be groomed to become a near-future starter for the Vikings.
- The Broncos began signing some of their picks, most notably getting third-rounders Michael Ojemudia and McTelvin Agim under contract. A cornerback, Ojemudia is set to compete for a starting job opposite A.J. Bouye; Agim profiles as D-line depth behind established starters this season. Denver also signed fourth-round tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, a Mizzou alum set to rejoin his former quarterback (Drew Lock) in the Mile High City. The Broncos also reached an agreement with seventh-round outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka.
- Despite having T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree under contract, the Steelers used a third-round pick on outside linebacker Alex Highsmith. The Charlotte alum agreed to terms on his four-year rookie deal. Highsmith recorded 15 sacks at the mid-major program last season.
- Packers third-round pick Josiah Deguara also agreed on his four-year rookie contract. Green Bay eschewed its wide receiver need throughout the draft, using Day 2 to add a running back (A.J. Dillon) and Deguara, who profiles as a tight end/fullback. The Cincinnati product surpassed 900 yards between his final two college seasons, totaling 12 touchdown grabs in that span.
- Tennessee third-round running back Darrynton Evans signed his rookie deal as well. Evans looks set to replace Dion Lewis as the Titans‘ Derrick Henry change-of-pace back. The Appalachian State alum rushed for 1,480 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. He added five receiving TDs.
- The Giants used first- and third-round picks on tackles. The latter selection, UConn’s Matt Peart, agreed to the terms of his rookie deal Wednesday. Peart profiles as a developmental lineman, working behind expected starters Nate Solder and Andrew Thomas. He stands to join Cameron Fleming as depth for Big Blue.
- Washington has agreed to terms with third-round running back/wideout Antonio Gibson, fourth-round receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden and fifth-round center Keith Ismael. Gibson and Gandy-Golden figure to be key parts of a Washington offense that is limited, beyond Terry McLaurin, in the passing game. Gibson totaled 1,104 yards from scrimmage at Memphis last season, while Gandy-Golden caught 20 touchdown passes in two years at Liberty.
- Fourth-round Cowboys pick Reggie Robinson agreed to terms as well. The Tulsa cornerback joins a Cowboys team that lost Byron Jones in free agency. Dallas was active in an effort to replace the Pro Bowler, drafting Trevon Diggs in Round 2 and signing Daryl Worley.
- Sixth-round Chargers safety Alohi Gilman, a Notre Dame alum, signed his Chargers contract Wednesday. Gillman joins a deep Bolts safety corps.
- The Buccaneers drafted two running backs this year. On Wednesday, they agreed to terms with the second of those picks — seventh-rounder Raymond Calais. In addition to his work as a running back at Louisiana, Calais was a four-year kick returner for the Rajin’ Cajuns.
Redskins To Face League Discipline?
TODAY: Any punishment the Redskins face is likely to be limited to fines, Maske writes in a full-length story. Because Snyder himself was not directly involved in any harassment, this situation is different from the one that culminated in former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson selling his team several years ago. It’s also why the league is likely to defer to Wilkinson’s findings rather than conduct a separate investigation.
So unless there are new developments with respect to Snyder’s role, it seems he will keep his team and his draft picks. Snyder and his wife, Tanya, emailed an apology letter to every member of the organization on Friday night (via Schefter on Twitter).
JULY 17: The much-ballyhooed story concerning the Redskins’ organizational culture broke last night via a Washington Post article that details sexual abuse allegations made by 15 former female employees of the team. As a preemptive strike, the club hired DC-based attorney Beth Wilkinson to conduct a thorough review of its protocols, and depending on what Wilkinson finds, the Redskins could be subject to league discipline.
The NFL released the following statement in response to the story (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com on Twitter):
“These matters as reported are serious, disturbing and contrary to the NFL’s values. Everyone in the NFL has the right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment. Washington has engaged outside counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations. The club has pledged that it will give its full cooperation to the investigator and we expect the club and all employees to do so. We will meet with the attorneys upon the conclusion of their investigation and take any action based on the findings.”
So it certainly sounds as if a fine and/or draft pick forfeiture could be in the cards. And while owner Dan Snyder was not accused of harassment himself, this report will doubtlessly intensify the already loud cries for him to sell the team.
It will also be interesting to see if the NFL undertakes its own investigation once Wilkinson’s is complete. After all, the Redskins are Wilkinson’s client, so her duty is to them. As Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv suggests, it would be a bad look for the league to allow the organizational review to be handled exclusively by a person hand-picked by the organization (Twitter link). Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has also called on commissioner Roger Goodell to get to the bottom of the matter, as Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets.
Snyder, meanwhile, issued the following statement (via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com on Twitter):
“The behavior described in yesterday’s Washington Post article has no place in our franchise or society. This story has strengthened my commitment to setting a new culture and standard for our team, a process that began with the hiring of Coach [Ron] Rivera earlier this year. Beth Wilkinson and her firm are empowered to do a full, unbiased investigation and make any and all requisite recommendations. Upon completion of her work, we will institute new policies and procedures and strengthen our human resources infrastructure to not only avoid these issues in the future but most importantly create a team culture that is respectful and inclusive of all.”
In other Redskins news, the team announced that it has promoted Jeff Scott to the role of assistant director of pro scouting/advance coordinator. Scott will oversee advance scouting of opponents and evaluate potential talent in NFL free agency and all other pro leagues. He will still assist with the evaluation of trade scenarios during the draft (Twitter links via NFL Insider Adam Caplan).
15 Former Female Redskins Employees Allege Sexual Harassment
15 former female Redskins employees told Will Hobson and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post that they were sexually harassed during their tenure with the organization. This follows news from earlier today that the team had hired DC-based attorney Beth Wilkinson in anticipation of the story.
“The Washington Redskins football team takes issues of employee conduct seriously … While we do not speak to specific employee situations publicly, when new allegations of conduct are brought forward that are contrary to these policies, we address them promptly,” the team said in a statement.
14 of the women spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing litigation after signing nondisclosure agreements that prevented them from speaking negatively about the organization. The Redskins declined a request from the Washington Post to release those individuals from those agreements. Owner Dan Snyder also declined “several requests” for an interview.
Notably, three team employees have abruptly left the organization in recent weeks. Director of pro personnel Alex Santos and assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II were fired from their positions, while longtime radio personality Larry Michael left his position earlier this week.
As the article details, the allegations stem from 2006 to 2019, and the allegations include “unwelcome overtures or comments of a sexual nature, and exhortations to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients to close sales deals.” Among those accused of harassment are “three former members of Snyder’s inner circle and two longtime members of the personnel department.” Besides the aforementioned individuals, the Post identifies former president of business operations Dennis Greene and former COO Mitch Gershman as harassers.
While none of the women accused Snyder nor former team president Bruce Allen of harassment, the women “expressed skepticism the men were unaware of the behavior they allege.” The women also cited Snyder’s “understaffed human resources department” and a “sophomoric culture of verbal abuse among top executives.”
The article is filled with anecdotes, text messages, and internal company documents that seem to substantiate the claims. As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes, this certainly won’t be the end of the story. While Snyder refused to be interviewed for the Washington Post story, he can’t stay silent forever, and there will surely be increased calls for him to sell the team.
Redskins Hire Attorney To Review Organizational Culture
Much has been made of the Redskins’ impending name change over the past several weeks, but it sounds as if the organization has bigger fish to fry at the moment. Twitter has been buzzing with rumors of a potentially explosive report that the Washington Post is preparing to publish, and while we are still awaiting that story, we felt we should pass along some context.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms that the Post is drafting a story that will feature (presumably negative) aspects of the Redskins’ organizational culture (Twitter link). In response, the club has hired DC-based attorney Beth Wilkinson to conduct a thorough review of its protocols (Twitter link). Schefter’s tweet says that Wilkinson will be reviewing “past” culture, which suggests that the team has since addressed any problems that may have existed.
But there are troubling signs. For instance, Schefter also reports that minority shareholders have hired an investment bank to facilitate a sale of their stake in the team (Twitter link), and this all comes on the heels of the departures of two front office execs. In addition to those firings, radio play-by-play announcer Larry Michael has left the organization.
Per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), at least two minority owners have been trying to sell their interest in the team for months, so that may not be at all related to any organization issues that the Post will be covering. And the team is said to be frustrated by the rampant speculation that stories about the story have engendered. Nonetheless, the report will certainly be worth a read, as will the ensuing damage control from the team’s side of things.
Redskins’ Brandon Scherff Won’t Sign Before Deadline
No surprise here, but Brandon Scherff‘s extension talks will be tabled until next year, according to sources who spoke with John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With that, the franchise-tagged offensive lineman is set to play out 2020 on a $15.03MM deal. 
[RELATED: Kelvin Harmon Tears ACL]
Scherff, a three-time Pro Bowler, signed his tag almost immediately, quelling any possibility of a holdout. He’s the first guard to receive the franchise tag since 2011, and that’s largely due to the league’s arcane rules regarding offensive lineman. Per the collective bargaining agreement, guards and tackles are classified under the same “offensive lineman” banner. Those franchise tender salaries are calculated off of the average of the top five at any given position, and teams aren’t keen on paying tackle money to guards.
Since entering the league as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Scherff has started in all 65 of his games. Unfortunately, he’s also missed a good chunk of time. Between 2018 and 2019, he’s been sidelined for 13 games. Still, he’s one of the league’s very best interior protectors when he’s healthy, and the Redskins are glad to have him in the fold.
In the long run, Ron Rivera would love to keep Scherff for years to come. But, as we’ve heard with just about every other franchise-tagged player, the current economic climate has brought extension talks to a screeching halt.
“I want to sign a long-term deal with them,” Scherff said earlier this year. “I love it there, and I’ve always said I wanted to be a Redskin for the rest of my career. So, hopefully we can work towards that.”
Redskins WR Kelvin Harmon Tears ACL
Redskins wide receiver Kelvin Harmon suffered a torn ACL while working out, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Needless to say, he’ll be unavailable for the 2020 season.
[RELATED: Three Teams Interested In Jordan Reed]
A sixth-round pick in 2019, Harmon showed serious promise as a rookie. He reeled in 30 catches for 365 yards, but he’ll have to wait until 2021 to build on that performance. His collegiate track record also indicates that there are bigger things to come. At N.C. State, Harmon finished out with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. In his final year on campus, he went off for 81 grabs, 1,186 yards, and seven touchdowns.
Harmon was set to feature as one of the Redskins’ top receivers, alongside Terry McLaurin and Trey Quinn. With Harmon no longer in the picture for 2020, Cam Sims, Steven Sims Jr., and fourth-round pick Antonio Gandy-Golden figure to move up the pecking order. Emanuel Hall, who was set to fight for a job while on the 90-man roster, is also out for the season. Meanwhile, the team is waiting to see what happens with Cody Latimer following his May arrest.
Three Teams Interested In Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed has drawn interest from three teams as he looks to make his NFL return (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The identities of those clubs are not yet known, but it sounds like Reed could be on the cusp of landing his next deal. 
Reed has a troubling history with head trauma and he has only played in 13 games over the past three seasons. Since the start of his collegiate career, he’s suffered at least seven concussions. His latest one sidelined him for the entire 2019 campaign.
However, when he’s been healthy and on the field, he’s performed as one of the league’s most dangerous tight ends. Between 2013 and 2018, Reed tallied 329 receptions for 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns for Washington. Reed has been available since February, when he was released from the two seasons left on his five-year, $47MM contract.
In March, we heard that the Seahawks had some interest in signing him, but they now seem pretty well set at tight end with Greg Olsen, Will Dissly, Luke Willson, and Jacob Hollister on the depth chart. They’ll also have rookie Colby Parkinson, whenever he’s ready to return from his Jones fracture.
A reminder of exactly how good Reed has been over the years: He’s in the Redskins’ all-time top-10 for touchdowns and receptions, despite all of the missed games.
Washington Redskins To Change Name
The Washington Redskins will no longer be the Redskins. On Monday morning, the team announced that they will be taking on a new nickname and a new logo.
“On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team’s name. That review has begun in earnest. As part of this process, we want to keep our sponsors, fans and community apprised of our thinking as we go forward.
Today, we are announcing we will be retiring the [current] name and logo upon completion of this review. Dan Snyder and Ron Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise that inspires our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.”
The team has not set a timetable for the rebrand, so it’s not immediately clear whether there will be a new name in place for the start of the 2020 season. However, given the mounting pressure against the team – including pressure from FedEx, the team’s stadium sponsor – it seems likely that they will make the change between now and September.
Redskins To Fire Two Front Office Execs
Despite previous reports indicating Washington was planning to hire a GM after the draft, the franchise remains without one. The Ron Rivera-led team did move further away from previous regimes Sunday, however.
The Redskins are firing their top two executives in the pro personnel department, moving on from director of pro personnel Alex Santos and assistant pro personnel director Richard Mann II, Les Carpenter of the Washington Post reports.
Santos joined the franchise in 2006, before since-fired team president Bruce Allen‘s arrival, and had held the pro personnel director position since 2014. Mann resided in his post since 2017, having previously been a Redskins scout for seven years.
This will leave Washington shorthanded, for the time being, in terms of evaluating potential free agency additions going into training camp. Santos and Mann played a key role for recent Redskins teams, given the injury trouble they have run into — especially on offense.