Speculation ran rampant in the days leading up to the NFL trade deadline. The Washington Redskins came to this junction at 5-2, coming off a 20-13 win against their division rivals, the New York Giants.
It’s common knowledge that certain moves, such as robust midseason trades, are reserved only for teams that believe they have a shot to make a playoff run in their current state. Otherwise, the move would be pointless; a waste of time that could be better spent rebuilding.
The Redskins may have surprised themselves this season, in the sense that they have a young defense blossoming very early.