Eagles 2020 Opponent Preview: Washington

Bleeding Green Nation’s 2020 Philadelphia Eagles opponent preview series begins today with the Week 1 and Week 17 enemy: Washington.

Perpetually a dumpster fire both on and off the field, Washington is once again expected to be one of the league’s worst teams in 2020. Some early projections have them landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Why so bad? Well, just look at their roster.

Who should Washington feel really good about on offense outside of Terry McLaurin? Starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins still has much to prove after going 2-5 in seven rookie starts. He only completed 58.6% of his attempts for 6.7 yards per attempt, seven touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 76.1 passer rating. And it’s not like Haskins is going to get a ton of help from his supporting cast. The tight end situation is laughably bad; Richard Rodgers is in the mix for a starting job there!

Washington’s defensive line is shaping up nicely, especially with the addition of No. 2 overall pick Chase Young. He’s already a strong favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and could be a thorn in the NFC East’s side for years to come. But then they have a 37-year-old Thomas Davis starting at linebacker. Ronald Darby (!) could potentially be a starting cornerback.

To their credit, Washington did add some credibility to their much-maligned organization by hiring Ron Rivera. The new head coach’s presence likely raises their floor, though one must remain skeptical about their ceiling under a team that’s still ultimately owned by Dan Snyder.

Speaking of that beloved DC sports figure, Snyder was finally forced to change his team’s racist name after financial motivations backed him into a corner. Snyder is also being forced to address an organizational culture that prompted sexual harassment allegations.

The Eagles are 6-0 in their last six games against Washington and there’s reason to believe they can extend the winning streak to eight straight. Or maybe not if Philly’s resting starters in the regular season finale ...

Read on for more Washington insight from our SB Nation colleagues over at Hogs Haven.

Notable free agency additions: CB Kendall Fuller, S Sean Davis, CB Ronald Darby, TE Richard Rodgers, RB Peyton Barber, RB J.D. McKissic, LB Thomas Davis, Sr., QB Kyle Allen

Over/under 10 wins? The general consensus...on the planet...is that this team will win less than ten games.

Rookie I’m most excited about: Chase Young...How many times does your team get to draft what many have called a generational talent? At one of the most important positions on the field, Chase Young can put his stamp on games by getting to the passer and disrupting opponents’ game plans.

Best position battle heading into training camp: The tight end position is unquestionably important in any offense, much less one with a second year quarterback playing for his second offensive coordinator. Washington has no proven tight end, and few heading into training camp that inspire fear in opponents. Jeremy Sprinkle and Hale Hentges return to battle free agents Richard Rodgers and Logan Thomas for a chance to start in Scott Turner’s offense. Rookie Thaddeus Moss—son of Randy Moss—will also be vying for a chance to make the squad. This position is truly up for grabs.

Biggest storyline heading into training camp: Uhhhhh...ummmmmmmmmm...you see...there’s like...more than one.

Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp: Will Derrius Guice return to full health and give this offense a chance in 2020?

Notable injuries heading into training camp: Alex Smith is still on the roster...and his leg was like...REALLY broken. He has supposedly been working to get back into playing, so we shall see. Second-year wide receiver Kelvin Harmon tore his ACL and will miss the season which is a blow because he had a real chance to get significant targets this upcoming season.