Redskins Decline WR Josh Doctson’s Option
The Redskins have declined wide receiver Josh Doctson‘s fifth-year option for 2020, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).
[RELATED: 2020 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Doctson was part of a 2016 first-round receiver class that has — for the most part — failed to live up to expectations. Of the four wideouts selected in the top-32 of that draft, only the Texans’ Will Fuller had his fifth-year option exercised. Vikings pass-catcher Laquon Treadwell joined Doctson in having his option declined, while Corey Coleman‘s option wasn’t even applicable given that he’s been released multiple times.
Had the Redskins picked up his option, Docston would have been due $10.162MM for the 2020 campaign, an untenable figure given his lack of NFL production. Doctson appeared in only two games in his rookie season due to injury, and he averaged just 40 receptions, 517 yards, and four touchdowns in each of the past two years. Efficiency was a problem for the 26-year-old in 2018, as he ranked 96th out of 107 qualifying receivers in yards per route run, per Pro Football Focus.
Washington added two receivers in the 2019 draft, taking Ohio State’s Terry McLaurin in the third round and North Carolina State’s Kelvin Harmon in the sixth. They’ll join a roster that already includes Doctson, Paul Richardson, Brian Quick, and Trey Quinn, among others.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/19
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Marcus Baugh (AAF), TE Cole Hunt (AAF)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers from 49ers: LB James Onwualu
New York Giants
- Waived: T Jylan Ware
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: RB James Butler, LB Cayson Collins, WR Rashard Davis, G/C Cameron Hunt, WR De’Mornay Pierson-El
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers from 49ers: S Godwin Igwebuike
Washington Redskins
- Waived: DB Alex Carter, G Kyle Fuller, T Darius James, WR Tre McBride, DB Harlan Miller, OL Salesi Uhatafe
Latest On Dolphins, Josh Rosen
Sent to the Dolphins for second- and fifth-round picks, Josh Rosen apparently did not go on the trade block until minutes before the Cardinals selected Kyler Murray.
Steve Keim texted Rosen’s agent, Ryan Williams, just before the Murray pick to give him permission to join the Cardinals in finding a Rosen trade partner, Robert Klemko of SI.com reports. When Keim asked Williams if the Patriots were interested in making Rosen Tom Brady‘s heir apparent, Williams wondered why this wasn’t worked out weeks ago — when the Murray-to-Arizona rumors started.
The Redskins laughed at the Cardinals’ request for a first-round pick, per Klemko, who adds Keim did have a contingency plan that involved keeping both Murray and Rosen on the roster.
The Dolphins did not enter into the Rosen equation until the draft was 20 minutes old, with the Giants’ and Redskins’ first-round quarterback picks eliminating the other primary Rosen suitors. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the NFL was responsible for the Cardinals’ 11th-hour approach to dealing their previous starter, with a pre-draft Rosen trade removing the drama surrounding the first overall pick.
When Keim and Chris Grier spoke at the Combine, Rosen’s name did not come up, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Grier called Keim about Rosen 20 minutes into the draft, but Breer adds the GMs did not reconnect on the quarterback until Friday afternoon.
“We’d fielded some calls from some people asking if we were willing to move down in the second round,” Grier said, via Breer. “Our goal before the draft was, if we’re able to pick up a first or a second in 2020, that was something we’d consider. But we were more than willing to take a player at (pick No.) 48. There was a player we really liked. And we had a couple calls.
“We were ready to pick at 62 (after a trade with the Saints). And I’m telling you, Steve was pushing hard for what he wanted, and so were we. So we were to a point there where I wasn’t sure if it was going to get done or not.”
Miami’s previous front office studied Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen more closely than Rosen as prospects last year, Breer notes, due to the thinking, at the time, those two had a better chance of dropping to the team’s No. 11 overall draft slot in 2018. Because the Dolphins were able to land Rosen at an extreme discount, compared to his No. 10 overall price last year, Grier said the pick will not stop them from looking at first-round-caliber quarterbacks next year.
“Every team in the league is looking for that guy that’s going to lead them to championships,” Grier said. “And so for us, we’re in a position where we’re trying to find that guy, like a lot of teams in the league. So yeah, it was an easy decision. And it doesn’t stop us from doing anything in the future. Who knows? If things go well and we feel he’s the guy, who knows? But it doesn’t stop us from doing anything.”
The Dolphins were the first team reported to be playing a 2020 long game at quarterback, having been connected to what is expected to be a Tua Tagovailoa– and Justin Herbert-fronted 2020 class for months. They will enter this season with Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick headlining their quarterback room, likely set to observe the former’s development while studying top college prospects. The Cardinals will go into OTAs with Murray and Brett Hundley as the main cogs in their quarterback room.
“I absolutely would have competed if (the Cardinals) kept me, but I would’ve been kind of bummed about it because I knew I wouldn’t get a fair shake,” Rosen said, via Klemko. “A GM’s not going to draft a quarterback and draft another one the next year, higher, and then play the first one. It’s admitting you made two mistakes. It just wouldn’t happen.”
Redskins Sign 8 Undrafted Free Agents
Joining some other teams in announcing their UDFA hauls Tuesday, the Redskins added eight priority free agents to their roster. Here is the octet:
- Ryan Bee, DL (Marshall)
- B.J. Blunt, LB (McNeese State)
- Juwann Bushell-Beatty, T (Michigan)
- Elkanah Dillon, TE (Oregon)
- JoJo McIntosh, S (Washington)
- Chidi Okeke, T (Tennessee State)
- T.J. Rahming, WR (Duke)
- Steven Sims, WR (Kansas)
After the Rams added Daniel Jones‘ second-leading receiver as a UDFA, the Redskins agreed to terms with Duke’s top target from 2018. Rahming led the Blue Devils in receiving, by considerable margins, from 2016-18. The 5-foot-9 wideout totaled 2,919 yards and 13 touchdowns as a four-year contributor in David Cutcliffe’s offense. He and Sims join Terry McLaurin (Round 3) and Kelvin Harmon (Round 6) as Washington’s wideout pickups this offseason.
Washington added both a guard and a center in the draft, but Bushell-Beatty and Okeke represent the team’s top tackle additions this year. The Redskins signed former first-round tackle Ereck Flowers but plan to convert the thus-far-underwhelming blocker to guard. Swing tackle Ty Nsekhe departed as a free agent. Trent Williams and Morgan Moses remain atop the depth chart, but Washington’s offensive line has been one of the most injury-ravaged units in the league over the past two seasons.
Giants GM Dave Gettleman Defends Drafting Daniel Jones At No. 6
Giants GM Dave Gettleman has already dealt with plenty of criticism for selecting Duke QB Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick of this year’s draft. We heard on Friday that Gettleman may have been concerned that the Redskins — who held the No. 15 overall pick — were going to nab Jones, which forced him to take the former Blue Devil at No. 6 rather than wait until the Giants were on the clock again at No. 17.
And as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets, Gettleman says he knows for a fact that at least two teams would have taken Jones between pick nos. 6 and 17. Those two teams, according to Vacchiano’s sources, are the Redskins and Broncos.
However, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets that the Redskins were never going to draft Jones, and Russini says the Broncos were not interested in Jones either. Mike Klis of 9News tweets that Denver was not going to take any QB with its No. 10 overall selection, and that Drew Lock was the team’s top-rated quarterback. Klis says the Broncos were considering a trade into the back end of the first round to take Lock, but Jones was not on the radar at No. 10.
Of course, other clubs, like the Bengals (No. 11) or Dolphins (No. 13), could have been in the market for Jones in the first round, but it appears that the top two purported threats to Gettleman’s favorite QB weren’t threats at all.
If Jones ultimately is successful with Big Blue, this will all become an amusing footnote to the story of his career. But if he’s not, Gettleman will have a major blemish on his run as the team’s GM.
Latest On Redskins’ RB Situation
The Redskins selected Stanford running back Bryce Love in the fourth round of the 2019 draft yesterday, and running back Derrius Guice — whom Washington drafted in the second round last year — promptly tweeted out a nonplussed emoji that drew plenty of attention on the NFL Network’s draft coverage. Guice later said his tweet was not a response to the Love selection at all, but regardless of his thoughts on the matter, the pick does set up an interesting dynamic in the team’s RB room.
Guice, of course, tore his ACL last August, thereby ending his rookie campaign before it started. There was a report in December that his recovery had hit a snag, though he was said to be sprinting at full-speed in February. The last we heard, Guice was aiming for a training camp return, and as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote this morning, head coach Jay Gruden expects the LSU product to be back prior to the start of training camp. Gruden also refuted the December report that Guice’s rehab was delayed, and he added that the Love selection is no reflection on Guice.
Gruden said, “[The Love pick] is no reflection of anybody. We just got an opportunity to draft one heck of a player with an unbelievable production at a big-time school.”
Love entered his final collegiate season as a potential Heisman candidate after a tremendous junior year, but he put together an underwhelming campaign before tearing his ACL in December. There has been some chatter that Love could redshirt his rookie season in Washington as he continues to recover, but Love himself said he plans to be ready to go by the middle of training camp.
That is probably a little ambitious, and Love may very well spend the entire season the PUP list. But if he is ready to suit up at some point this year, it would create a logjam in Washington. The team is also rostering Adrian Peterson — who signed a two-year pact in March — Chris Thompson, and Samaje Perine. As Florio notes, one or more of those players will be on the move when Love is ready to go.
Bills Acquire No. 96 Pick From Redskins
The Bills made a move in the third round, agreeing to a deal with the Redskins to acquire the No. 96 overall pick. For moving down 16 spots, the Redskins will receive a fourth-round pick (No. 131).
With the higher pick, the Bills selected Ole Miss tight end Dawson Knox. He will join Tyler Kroft as part of Buffalo’s new-look tight end corps.
Charles Clay headed the Bills’ tight end group for four years, but the team released their longtime starter earlier this year. They now have Kroft, Knox and converted tackle Jake Fisher in the fold.
Redskins’ Daniel Jones Interest Prompted Giants’ Pick?
At this time Thursday, a divide was believed to have existed among Redskins brass as to whether Dwayne Haskins or Daniel Jones was the right quarterback in which to invest. This may have played into the Giants’ thinking.
The Giants chose Jones at No. 6, prompted plenty of scrutiny. New York took the Duke-developed passer earlier than most expected because of concerns Washington or another team would swoop in before the team’s No. 17 overall pick, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports.
While teams between Nos. 6 and 17 worried the Giants, they also feared the Redskins would trade in front of them — with either the Jets or the Raiders — at 6 to select Jones, per Vacchiano. Potential Bengals and Dolphins interest in Jones also influenced the Giants to act quicker than expected on a quarterback.
The Giants are still planning to start Eli Manning in 2019, and Dave Gettleman said the longtime starter may keep his job into next season. While Manning’s contract expires after 2019, he has said he plans to play in 2020. The Giants have also indicated they would not mind having him back next season. But Jones is now the heir apparent, and having chosen him at No. 6 overall, the Giants are still in need of an edge rusher entering Day 2 of the draft.
New York left Josh Allen on the board to take Jones and took defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence at No. 17. An outside linebacker likely resides as the Giants’ top need as of Friday afternoon.
Latest On Cardinals, Josh Rosen
Josh Rosen is most definitely available after the Cardinals used their No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Kyler Murray. Rosen, meanwhile, appears to be fed up with the Cardinals. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, Rosen unfollowed the Cardinals on Instagram after last night’s draft. 
[RELATED: Dolphins, Cardinals Discussing Rosen Trade]
Rosen, presumably, wants out of Arizona, but this saga could drag on for a while. The Giants, Dolphins, and Chargers previously discussed Rosen with Cardinals GM Steve Keim, but the Giants are presumably out of the hunt after selecting Duke QB Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. The same goes for the Redskins after they landed Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, but head coach Jay Gruden says the team wasn’t interested in Rosen anyway (Twitter link via Dianna Russini of ESPN.com).
Meanwhile, Keim didn’t start taking calls and texts on Rosen trade until minutes before the draft started, sources tell Robert Klemko of The MMQB (on Twitter). Keim’s apparent effort to keep the Murray pick under wraps may have hurt him – multiple potential suitors found young QBs of their own and no one came close to offering the first-round pick the Cardinals wanted.
Colts Trade No. 26 To Redskins
The Redskins now have another selection in the first round. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Washington has acquired pick No. 26 from the Colts. The Redskins will send No. 46 and a 2020 second-rounder to Indy, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
The Redskins have used their new selection on Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat. There were conflicting reports about the lineman’s draft stock following news about an apparent heart condition. There were rumblings that some teams removed Sweat entirely from their draft board, with some teams’ doctors noting that there isn’t an example of a player dealing with this issue in the current NFL. However, we learned yesterday that teams now believe that Sweat’s heart condition was misdiagnosed at the combine, further complicating his draft stock.
Either way, Sweat is clearly one of the most talented edge defenders in the draft. His unique combination of size and speed make him a menace on the outside, and he should continue to develop as a running-game disruptor. Despite the heart condition, Sweat managed to appear in 26 games over his final two seasons with the Bulldogs, compiling 22.5 sacks over that span. His known visits were with the Texans, Bengals, 49ers, Bills, Raiders, Packers and Buccaneers.
The Redskins have invested plenty of draft capital into their defensive line in recent years, as they selected defensive end Jonathan Allen in 2017 and defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne in 2018. Sweat should join the two players to form a formidable front-three.
The Redskins made headlines earlier tonight when they selected Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins with the No. 15 pick.