The Washington Football Team has been slowly building a playoff contender over the last few years. After the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft, the franchise was able to acquire another solid group of rookies to the roster. In a weak NFC East division, WFT has a real shot at running away as the favorite to win the division.
The front office did a great job in navigating the draft and didn't reach for anyone either. First-round pick, Jamin Davis has the potential to be a star in the NFL, especially now that he's joining one of the best front sevens in football. Additionally, guys like Samuel Cosmi (OT) and Benjamin St-Juste (CB) will add depth to their positional groups. They also could be starters one day, which would be the ideal situation for Washington. Dyami Brown and John Bates should help bring a new element to the passing game. They're each speedy targets that can create a mismatch against opposing defenses.
The Washington Football Team nailed the draft, however, it wasn't perfect by any means. This franchise is close to becoming a yearly playoff contender, but the front office stayed away from two key positions that could have put this team over the top. With that said, here are 2 mistakes made by the Washington Football Team in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Didn't draft a quarterback
Drafting a young quarterback is still high on the list of needs for this team. Many are excited to have Ryan Fitzpatrick be named the starter for Washington. He's a solid bridge quarterback, but it's also important to remember he's bounced around the entire league due to his inconsistency. They do have Taylor Heinicke listed as the backup, but he's had just one exciting playoff game under his belt after struggling to make an NFL roster the last few years.
The front office had interest in selecting Justin Fields but didn't want to move up to acquire him. Instead, Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team are building their roster in a similar way as the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs roster was already solid throughout before they moved up in the 2017 NFL Draft to select him. A smart strategy if it pans out. However, considering this was one of the deepest quarterback classes we've seen, the Washington Football Team may have missed their opportunity on drafting a future superstar in that position.
Avoided free safety
Free safety was a known need coming into the 2021 NFL Draft. It came as a surprise that the front office didn't take a single free safety at all. They did draft, Darrick Forrest, in the 5th round, however, he plays much more like a strong safety. He's better suited to help stop the run than he is to help in pass coverage.
The Washington Football Team already has a solid strong safety in Landon Collins and Jeremy Reaves serves as a great backup. According to ESPN, Forrest is third on the depth chart, which means he's likely to be a special teams player to start his career. He might be needed in that area, but Washington's defense has a chink in its armor at the free safety position.
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