More Vital to Redskins Success? Haskins or Rivera?

By almost any measure, the 2019 season was a major disappointment for the Washington Redskins. The team went 3-13, scored the fewest points in the league, and went winless within their division.

And that was simply on the field.

Off the field, the team was a mess too. Head Coach Jay Gruden was fired after starting the year 0-5, and many thought he did his rookie QB a disservice by not fully committing to him.

The team also battled with star Left Tackle Trent Williams, who accused the team's medical staff of malpractice and vowed never to play in Washington again. And let's not get started on Team President Bruce Allen, who was fired shortly after the season, after being banished by the owner.

Remember this video?

Ships passing in the night. Bruce Allen goes to the locker room as Dan Snyder gets in his car to leave AT&T Stadium. pic.twitter.com/QtHygt07MZ
— Craig Hoffman (@CraigHoffman) December 30, 2019

As a result, Dan Snyder fired almost everyone affiliated with last season. A new medical staff was hired. A new coaching staff formed. And a full commitment to Dwayne Haskins seems to be in place.

This left me wondering. With all this turnover, how do the Redskins ensure a season like 2019 never happens again? How do they maintain success? And finally, who is the most important piece for long-term sustainability, Dwayne Haskins or Ron Rivera?

The last question is what I address in this article. Obviously, both Haskins and Rivera are extremely important to the long-term success of the organization. But if you could only choose one for the long-term, who would it be?

Below you will find a case for both Haskins and Rivera. And in the final paragraph I make a verdict. Take a look ahead and let me know what you think.

The Case for Haskins:

To start off, let’s define success. I would define success as being a perennial playoff contender. A team who regularly competes for the division crown, and could likely win a playoff game or two.

Unfortunately for the Redskins, they have been far from a successful team. Since 2010, the ‘Skins have finished in the bottom half of the division eight times. Over these last ten years, the team has had only two playoff appearances and zero wins.

Much of this failure has resulted from a lack of stability at the quarterback position. The Redskins haven't had a franchise quarterback in god knows how long. There have been glimmers of hope over the years (see: RG3 2012), but the team hasn't had sustained success at QB since Joe Theismann.

As a result, the team has had a difficult time creating an identity. Instead of building around a quarterback and providing supporting pieces for him to be successful, the team appears to hit the reset button every four years. Leaving the team in a constant state of limbo.

And the Redskins have tried almost everything! They have drafted a QB high (Griffin), they have traded for proven veterans (Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith) and they even developed homegrown talent in the later rounds (Kirk Cousins) as options.

Unfortunately, none of those options have rung true, and the team always seems to be setback.

That being said, the Redskins need Haskins to work in the worst way. With an unquestioned starter at the QB position they can focus their draft capital and finances on supporting him.

And, considering that he is on a rookie contract for the next three years, Haskins is cheap. This provides a window to “win now” as the team can focus on building the offensive line and defense, without the heavy burden of a QB contract that can be upwards of 30M per season.

As seen in Seattle during Russell Wilson’s early years, and currently with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, having a successful QB on a rookie contract is paramount. You can “push the chips in” and essentially go crazy in free agency. Which allows a team to fast-track to contention.

Finally, I believe Haskins’ success will also have a passive effect. If he shines, we are looking at a QB who can hold the position down for 10+ years. With stability at QB, you will likely see stability with the coaching staff as well. This would allow for cohesion and continuity, something that Washington has struggled with over the years.

The Case for Rivera:

When Ron Rivera was hired, it was mentioned repeatedly that the team was interested in a coach-centric model. Dan Snyder referenced the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots as three teams he studied during last season’s coaching search.

Snyder’s theory was that the most successful teams in the league had strong figureheads leading the organization. And that these coaches had the final say on decisions-- schematically and personnel-wise.

He wanted to model the Redskins after these organizations and swung for the fences.

In a masterful stroke, he convinced Rivera to join the Redskins and quite frankly many were shocked. The owner had somehow lured a two-time, NFL AP Coach of the Year to lead what appeared to be a dumpster fire.

How did he do it? By giving the coach full autonomy.

At Rivera’s press conference, Snyder had asserted "Ron Rivera knows how to win as a player, as a coach and as the new head coach of the Redskins. One thing that's very, very important is we're going to have one voice, and only one voice alone, and that's the coach's."

With this singular “voice” the keys were handed to Rivera. He now had the power to select his coaching staff, assemble the scouting department, and choose his medical staff. Essentially he was rebuilding the program from scratch.

Although Rivera is well-regarded, that’s a huge undertaking for one man. Any one of his decisions could hurt the organizations for years.

So far, the organization and Rivera are saying the right things and playing nice. Words such as versatility and culture are rolling off the tongue. But we have yet to see the plan in action, and many of Rivera’s hires have been familiar faces. For fans of the Redskins, let’s hope these hires were based on merit and not friendship.

The team is also still waiting on the most vital decision for the organization, the selection of a General Manager. Although many believe Kyle Smith may be promoted to that position, it hasn’t been confirmed. Smith has a stellar reputation in this league, and many consider him to be a rising star. But what if Rivera lets him walk away? And what if Smith thrives? It could hurt the team for years.

That being said, Rivera’s decisions will have long lasting implications on the success of the team. Both on and off the field. He was tasked to change the culture of the organization, create an identity, and select players that meet this image. If he bungles the job, it would mean five wasted years for the team.

Therefore, his impact transcends that of a QB, because in theory, he could always get another player through his power of personnel. Either in the 2021 class, or a simple phone call to Cam Newton.

The Verdict:

Although Haskins' play is of the utmost importance, I'd argue that Rivera's success will have a more vital impact on the long term success of the organization.

My rationale is that Rivera's impact is systemic. So far, he has provided credibility to the organization and his reputation alone has made the team more appealing. We are seeing proven coaches, such as Jack Del Rio, sign up to join him.

His next challenge is to provide structure and discipline for a team that lacks one. And if he is successful, ‘Skins fans should be optimistic for long-term success. Rivera is building a program. QBs simply play within it.

That being said, in a perfect world Haskins and Rivera will thrive together and Redskins fans will reap the reward of a successful marriage. But considering Rivera’s overall responsibilities, including the oversight of personnel, I tip the cap to him in terms of overall importance.

Who do you think is more vital to the Redskins success? Rivera or Haskins? Tell us what you think! Sign up free, register and join us by voicing your opinion on our community pages and right below!

George Carmi is an editor/contributing writer to FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. He is a native of the DC metropolitan area and is an avid fan of DC Sports. A former journalism major at the University of Maryland, his focus is now in public education. His earliest memories consist of Darrell Green, "The Posse" and Super Bowl XXVI. Follow him on twitter @Gcarmi21