The NFL world will be front-and-center this week and through the weekend from Indianapolis where the annual national Combine convenes. Team personnel, NFL media and fans will make their way to Indiana to get a glimpse of some of the popular faces of the future.
The Washington Redskins will use the Combine to evaluate players that could help them at various positions. Over the past few seasons, the franchise has used the event to help bolster an ever-changing roster that has become increasingly younger.
Washington has also used the event as a way to generate newsworthy material, regardless of how it was met by the general public.
Who could forget the buzz surrounding the Burgundy and Gold in Indy over the past two Combine’s?
In 2017, the team announced an extension of coach Jay Gruden’s contract during the Combine just days before firing then-general manager Scot McCloughan. The way his very public dismissal was handled brought huge criticism and outrage from several NFL circles who noticed McCloughan’s absence from the event.
Also at that Combine, rumors began to swirl that a trade involving ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was taking place. None of the teams’ media in attendance believed the rumor, however, and it never came to fruition.
Last year was about the free agency of QB Kirk Cousins who watched as the Redskins traded with the Kansas City Chiefs for Alex Smith.
The irony this year at the Combine is that the Redskins are back possibly looking for another signal-caller after Smith suffered a horrific leg injury that has left his return and the position with huge question marks.
Could Washington be in the market for one of the top QBs in this year’s Combine? Or, will the Redskins look for the best available talent on the board to bolster their offensive line, wide receiver unit or the secondary?
Whichever way the team decides to go, the 2019 Combine should be more about what’s going on in Lucas Oil Stadium and not outside of it. That alone will be a step in the right direction for an organization that needs to win back fan support.
Today will be the first day of public comments about the team’s plans during the Combine and/or the NFL Draft. Gruden and Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, Doug Williams, are scheduled to talk to team media members this morning.