Is Washington on a Path to Success?

By Jayden Phelps

Jayden’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/washcapital

Since NFL free agency began 11 days ago, the Washington Football Team’s offseason has been a success. First, Washington’s free agency kicked off with a signing of the 38 year old journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick on a slim 1 year, 10 million dollar contract. Currently, the team has not found a long-term solution at the quarterback position, so Fitzpatrick is a part-time solution to a noticeable hole on the roster last season. Even at age 38, Fitzpatrick continues to play at a high level and is a great veteran presence in the locker room, as we saw last season with Miami’s rookie quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Fitzpatrick will look to repeat his past success on his 9th NFL team here in Washington. The second player that Washington signed in free agency was wide receiver Curtis Samuel. Personally, I was very happy about the signing because Samuel is only 24 years old and now pairs alongside his former roommate and teammate at Ohio State, Terry McLaurin. Samuel agreed to a three-year, 34.5 million per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Standing just 5’11” and weighing only 195 pounds, Samuel’s does not let his size limit his success as he can burn defenders with his speed, quickness, and route running. In 2017, Samuel showed off his speed by running a 4.31 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which is one of the fastest of all time. Lastly, Washington managed to land cornerback William Jackson, formerly of the Cincinatti Bengals. At 28 years old, Jackson is entering the prime of his career and entering one of the best defensive units in the NFL in Washington. This signing came as a replacement for the departure of cornerback Ronald Darby earlier this offseason. Darby signed a 3 year, 30 million dollar deal to join the Denver Broncos and was a key piece of Washington’s defense last season. However, Jackson is an upgrade because of his 4.37 speed and great coverage skills which he exemplified as the top cornerback in Cincinnatti for the past few years. Jackson provides another leadership and veteran presence on an already strong Washington defense. Overall, I am extremely happy with what general manager Martin Mayhew has done with this team, and I believe this young and talented Washington Football Team is on a path to greatness.