The Washington Redskins are doing their best to downplay interest in a quarterback heading into the draft. They have made it clear Robert Griffin III is their starting quarterback for 2015 while denying the idea of trading up for either Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston. So what does the team do at No. 5 in the NFL Draft? According to head coach Jay Gruden, getting playmakers is a priority.
Last season, DeSean Jackson was supposed to be that big-time wide receiver that helped out Griffin. That never came to fruition mainly due to injuries and quarterback inconsistencies. Now Ian Rapoport of NFL.com is reporting the Redskins are aiming to acquire Amari Cooper in the first round of the draft to hopefully round out their offense. That may or may not happen considering teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders also like Cooper and draft before Washington, but if the Alabama standout is available then the Redskins will make the move.
The Redskins do not necessarily need to take a wide receiver in the first round of the draft considering they have Jackson, Andre Roberts and Pierre Garcon, but Cooper or even Kevin White could be a game changer for the Washington offensive and give Griffin one more player to help him improve. General manager Scot McCloughan has maintained the stance that the Redskins will draft the best player available at No. 5 which could easily be either wide receiver.
That stance could also mean a player like Todd Gurley gets drafted. The run game is also not a huge need for Washington, but again if Gurley is available in the second round when Washington makes a move, he could be the favored player. The Redskins have Alfred Morris headlining the run game, but Gruden made it clear he would like to add one more back to the mix to help the offense. Gurley might not be totally ready to play Week 1 after a knee injury ended his college season, but that would be ok since Morris is already on the roster. The chances Gurley is around at No. 38 in the second round are slim to none. Washington could take aim at players like Melvin Gordon or TJ Yeldon instead.