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Faces of the 2021 Washington Football Team

Heading into the 2021 season, the Washington Football Team has a few blue-chip players. Here are the faces for the Washington Football Team.
2021 Washington Football Team

After an eventful off-season, the Washington Football Team enters the 2021 NFL season as the reigning NFC East Division Champions and holds expectations that may be at their highest in the past decade. Washington added Ryan Fitzpatrick to man their offense, despite Taylor Heincke’s unbelievable game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card game. Ron Rivera and company also added weapons for Fitzpatrick by signing Curtis Samuel to a three-year contract and adding speedster Dyami Brown in the third round of the NFL Draft. They also added Kentucky star Jamin Davis to bolster a front seven that led the burgundy and gold to the fourth-best scoring defense in the league. With these moves, Washington arguably has its most talented roster in the Daniel Snyder era. Here are the three faces of the 2021 Washington Football Team. 

2021 Washington Football Team: Faces of the Team

Chase Young

There aren’t that many second-year players across the NFL that will headline their team’s list, but Chase Young’s playmaking ability and leadership make him a prime candidate to do just that. As a rookie, the Ohio State product notched 7.5 sacks and recovered three fumbles, including a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers that reminded some fans of Sean Taylor. Young was also named to the pro bowl as a rookie as his case was bolstered with 10 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits in 2020. 

Young’s skillset is transcendent, a trait that Washington has lacked on their roster in recent years, especially on the defensive side. Pro Football Focus ranked Young as the eighth-best edge rusher in the NFL with a grade of 87.1 He is truly a blue-chip player who could not only be a perennial Pro Bowler, but also a perennial All-Pro. In addition to his pass-rushing ability, Young was a force against the run in his rookie season. He remained disciplined on the edge, a rare trait for a rookie. This is exemplified by his excellence against various read options throughout the season where he was responsible for both options. 

Finally, Chase Young has stepped into a significant leadership role on a relatively young defense in just his second year. After Dwayne Haskins was stripped of his captaincy in 2020, Ron Rivera named Young as another defense captain, citing, “the way he brings this energy to us as a football team, the way he handles who he is, there is an infectiousness to it and his teammates feed off of it.” This trait has carried into the 2021 season as head coach Ron Rivera has continued to praise Young regarding his leadership. 

Terry McLaurin

From one Ohio State standout to the other, Terry McLaurin is the second face of the Washington Football Team. Initially, McLaurin was thought to be an ace special teams player, but he has turned into a much more valuable piece for Washington. for The 25-year old wide receiver is heading into his third professional season after being sensational in his first two. 

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As a rookie, McLaurin caught 58 passes for 919 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 125-yard affair in his NFL debut against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. To add on, McLaurin led the league in contested catch percentage, at 68.4%. He was even better last season, catching 87 passes for 1118 yards. However, these statistics do not take into account the quarterback play and lack of receiving options that Washington has battled over the first two seasons. Washington has had six quarterbacks start games the past two seasons and they ranked 28th in passer rating in 2020, while ranking 25th in 2019. With Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm and Taylor Heinicke as the backup, McLaurin could see his best season to date in 2021. 

Like Young, Terry McLaurin has had an impact on Washington that is much greater than his numbers on the field. McLaurin was also voted as a team captain last year and has had a few leadership moments that were open to the public, including this speech following a win against Dallas. 

Jonathan Allen

There are many possible options for the third face, such as Brandon Scherff, Montez Sweat, and even punter Tress Way, but Jonathan Allen is an intricate piece of the “culture” change that has occurred in the Washington Football Team organization. Drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Allen has been a consistent contributor on the defensive side as he began as a 3-4 defensive end before transitioning to a 4-3 interior linemen. After having six quarterback hits in his first five games, Allen had his rookie season come to an end after just five games following a Lisfranc injury. Then, in 2018, Allen had his most productive season for his hometown Washington Football Team, notching eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 15 quarterback hits. Over the last two seasons, Allen has posted eight sacks and 131 tackles combined. 

Just like the previous two players, Allen has cemented his footprint as an “all business” leader for the team. From a military family, Allen has been an incredible presence in the Washington community as he has been active in addressing homeless youth in the Washington D.C. area. This contributed to him being named the Walter Payton Man of the Year Nominee for the Washington Football Team. 

Allen, a two-time captain, has also displayed this personality on the field and in the locker room. 

As contract talks are underway between Allen and Washington, there is no question that Allen’s well-rounded game as a defensive lineman and leadership make him a prime candidate to spend a good portion of his career in Washington. 

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Akshaj Gaur

Akshaj Gaur

Akshaj Gaur is a passionate sports fan and writes for the baseball department of Last Word on Sports. He is also a follower of the NFL, NBA, NCAAM, and NCAAF.

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