The Washington Football Team has high hopes heading into the regular season. With the addition of veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and a few dynamic weapons such as Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown, this team has the talent to repeat as NFC East champions. Washington enters the final week of the preseason with a 1-1 record after falling to the New England Patriots in the opener, and then defeating the Cincinnati Bengals last Friday night. We have learned much through these two contests, as the depth chart is starting to take shape.
So, who has helped themselves over the past few weeks for Washington, and who has seen their stock drop? Let's take a look.
Patterson might be the MVP of the preseason. The undrafted weapon out of Buffalo led Washington in rushing and receiving in Week 1 against the Patriots with 70 total yards, and then hammered home a memorable performance against the Bengals. Patterson rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries, punched in the game-winning score and caught three passes for 25 yards. He also returned one kick for 37 yards.
While Washington has Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber at running back, it feels like Patterson has earned a spot on the 53-man roster. With his vision, versatility and tough running, I'm not sure what more he can do to convince the coaching staff of this.
Allen was Ron Rivera's No. 2 quarterback last year -- and someone he truly had a lot of faith in. He even said he thought Allen could have led Washington to the postseason last year if he remained healthy. Allen of course didn't, and suffered a devastating ankle injury that not only allowed Taylor Heinicke to shine on a national stage, but also took him out of the quarterback battle this offseason.
With Alex Smith unable to suit up for Washington's playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke got the nod. He turned in a performance that will likely be talked about for years to come in Washington, as he completed 26 of 44 passes for 306 yards, threw one touchdown and one interception, and also led Washington in rushing with 46 yards and a touchdown on six carries. While Fitzpatrick was brought in during free agency, Heinicke was seen by many as the No. 2 -- if not a viable candidate to challenge Fitzpatrick for the throne. Allen was going to have a chance to battle for the first or second-string quarterback spot, but tweaked his surgically repaired ankle in late July.
Allen quickly became the forgotten player in this quarterback battle. He missed valuable reps in training camp due to the setback and missed Washington's first preseason game against the Patriots. When Allen did suit up last week, he didn't take the field until the fourth quarter, as Heinicke was again given plenty of playing time. It appears Heinicke has won the QB2 spot by default, as Allen's injury held him back in the preseason.
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Stock up: WR Dyami Brown
We tabbed the rookie Brown as our offensive surprise for the Washington Football Team in 2021, and it appears he's well on his way to being just that. He has been drawing rave reviews in practice and looks much more like a well-rounded weapon instead of just the speedster he was advertised as. The UNC product averaged at least 20 yards per catch over the past two seasons by crushing teams downfield, but he can make tough catches even when he's not burning cornerbacks. Just throw it up there and let him make a play.
In two games, Brown has caught four passes for 49 yards. Washington's talent at wide receiver is evident, which is why they have already parted ways with Kelvin Harmon and Steven Sims Jr. Brown's emergence was a reason for that as well, as he can play a role in this offense even with Terry McLaurin and Samuel as the top two wideouts. You can do a few different things with this kind of player, which has to be exciting for offensive coordinator Scott Turner.
Stock down: WR Curtis Samuel
It was very difficult to find players still on roster who had their stocks "drop" for Washington. Samuel was Washington's biggest signing this offseason, but we haven't seen much of him at all. He was placed on the PUP list to start training camp with a groin injury and had a stint on the Reserve/COVID list. He hasn't had much practice time with his new team and new quarterback. Just look at this timeline Pete Hailey of NBC Sports Washington constructed:
I believe Samuel will be able to suit up for the regular season, but you would have liked to have him take practice reps with his new teammates. Samuel is going to be fine and should make an impact on this offense in 2021, but this offseason wasn't a great start to his career in Washington.
Washington drafted Cosmi in the second round hoping he could come in and be a legitimate starter, and that's exactly what he has done. In his first preseason game against the Patriots, he registered an 81.8 PFF Grade, which ranked first among tackles, recorded 25 pass-blocking snaps and allowed zero sacks. Even No. 7 overall pick Penei Sewell allowed a sack on his first drive as a pro. Cosmi had another impressive performance in Week 2 against the Bengals -- and while he looks like a young player at times -- the talent is evident. It appears Washington has found its new franchise right tackle.
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August 27, 2021 at 07:19PM
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Washington Football Team stock up, stock down in 2021 preseason: Young offensive players standing out - CBS Sports
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