Here’s how the Redskins become a problem in the NFC East

It’s a new era for Washington Redskins football in the nation’s capital. Here is how they become a problem for the NFC East to deal with very soon.

Ron Rivera will get this thing right with the Washington Redskins.

Or at least, we hope he will. It’s an exciting time for be a fan of the Washington professional football franchise. Sure, there have been a few good years this century, but this feels like the first time the team will be well-run since Daniel Snyder bought the team over two decades ago. Here is how Washington becomes a powerhouse in the NFC East once again.

It’s a critical offseason for the Washington franchise. Snyder did the unthinkable by firing longtime team president and general manager Bruce Allen, which led to Rivera accepting the job to be the franchise’s next head coach. Rivera had previously built the longest period of sustained success in Carolina Panthers football history. New ownership is really what led him to be fired in Charlotte.

As long as Rivera is allowed to do what is necessary, Washington will be a competitive team in the NFC East within only a year or so. Not only do they have the coach right and for now, the organizational structure in place to get it right, but the Redskins are swimming in cap space and have one of the most important picks in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.

Washington has the eighth-best cap situation entering the new season. The Redskins can pay a slight premium to bring in the right positional fits in free agency, as well as high-character guys who can help fix this rotten culture from the outside in. Winning in free agency will help, but it won’t translate to a winning record on the gridiron alone in 2020. Washington can win in the draft.

The Redskins have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. They can either stand pat and draft the best prospect in Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young or they can move back to collect more draft capital. Young won’t go No. 1 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals because they need a starting quarterback and are expected to go with Joe Burrow of the LSU Tigers.

Young will be an impactful pass rusher from day one. He projects as the next Bosa Brother coming out of Columbus. The Redskins could also move back and take some like Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Derrick Brown inside of the top 10 and load up on more picks. Also, Washington will need to see what it has at quarterback in second-year pro Dwayne Haskins.

If Haskins improves on his so-so rookie season out of Ohio State, then Washington won’t have to address the quarterback position in the 2021 NFL Draft. His growth and development as a quarterback in year two will go a long way in how quickly Washington can ascend up the NFC East pecking order. Regardless, Rivera is the man perfectly capable of fixing this broken football culture.