The NFL offseason is a series of teams, executives, coaches, personnel people, and everybody else coming to a series of two roads diverged in a wood.
And these travelers sometimes stand long in the road sorry they can not travel both. One of those such travelers is the Washington Football Team, who once again find themselves starring at two roads trying to determine which path to a quarterback they should take.
Washington, with Ron Rivera in his second year as head coach and his new regime of familiar faces in position to make decisions, is already on a different path than in years past. But despite the NFC East title in year one, their new path still landed them stuck at seven wins for the third time in four seasons and without a long-term answer at football's most important position.
Of course, simply finding a quarterback who will start every regular-season game would be a big win. Since Kirk Cousins hit the road in free agency and joined the Minnesota Vikings, Washington has started eight different people under center with none starting more than 10 games in a season. And nearly all of those quarterbacks were veterans, re-treads, and other team’s leftovers.
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But still, in 2021, Washington hasn't diverged from that path.
This offseason, Washington signed 38-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick a veteran of over a half dozen teams. And they retained 28-year-old Taylor Heinkicke (an NFL and XFL veteran) and 25-year-old Kyle Allen (in his second-stint with Rivera).
With the path to quarterback salvation bent in the undergrowth, many have speculated another QB could be added before training camp begins.
Rumors swirled that person would be the New York Jets’ Sam Darnold, who had become unwanted by the team that drafted him just three years ago but was still young enough for many to argue his potential remained untapped. Potential Washington reportedly seemed interested in exploring.
Alas, New York sent Darnold farther south than Washington and he landed in Carolina in exchange for a trio of draft picks.
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But while Rivera and Washington did not tread down that path, did they make overtures to New York about having the 23-year-old passer join them?
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Washington and the Jets had conversations about making a deal.
After the Jets made the trade, JP Finlay of 106.7 The Fan reported Washington was not “very interested” in Darnold and wished to avoid a path of reclamation in adding quarterbacks.
Of course, earlier this offseason, ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Washington would not pursue Darnold after signing Fitzpatrick to a one-year deal.
“I spoke to a source in Washington about the possibility of the WFT trading with the Jets for QB Sam Darnold,” Russini tweeted. “I was simply told ‘don’t waste your time.’”
Someday Washington may be telling this rueful story and punctuate it with a sigh.
For the moment, Washington looks poised to stick with Fitzpatrick and a path that is grassy and wanting wear with Rivera hoping that makes all the difference.
Follow @BenKrimmel for the latest.
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