On Saturday Jan. 9, the Washington Football Teams 2020 season came to an end with a loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs with a score of, 31-23.

Like every year, with the season coming to an end that leaves some players with their contract expiring and a need to either re-sign them or let them go into free agency. With this off-season especially the Washington Football Team has some big decisions to make on some of their players and their futures.

Going into the 2021 off season fan favorite defensive end Ryan Kerrigan’s contract is expired, and there is speculation on whether the Washington Football Team will sign him again or not. This past season was Kerrigans 10th season with the team since they drafted him 16th in the 2011 NFL draft. One problem for Kerrigan and Washington is that Kerrigan wants to be a starter again as he was for so many years. But that seems to be very unlikely as there’s been a changing of the guard in Washington, that now sees rookie second-overall pick Chase Young and former 26th-overall pick Montez Sweat leading the charge off of the edges instead of the veteran Kerrigan.

“I really hope Ryan Kerrigan signs with Washington again,” sophomore Keyshawn Stancil-Anderson said. ”He’s been a beast for us these past couple of years, and he’s definitely one of my favorite players. I just don’t think he has what it takes to start over Chase Young and Montez Sweat anymore, but he would be great coming off the bench.”

In Washington’s last game of the year against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, Washington couldn’t pull off the upset and came up short. But an NFL journeyman and usual third string quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, gave them the performance of the year. Heinicke threw for 306 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for another score and ended the day 26 for 44 passing.

“Heinicke played great against the Buccaneers,” sophomore Piero Vernazza-Cortez. “I was honestly super surprised to see how good he played. I was nervous going into the game because we were already the underdogs and now we have to play with a quarterback who doesn’t have playoff experience. But after that game I’m all with him, and I really think Washington should re-sign him.”

The Washington Football team also has a big decision to make about the quarterback position. Heinicke is set to become a free agent but has made clear that he would like to be back with Washington. The franchise ended their relationship with underperforming first round pick Dwayne Haskins when they released him last month. Another option for Washington is to stay with veteran Alex Smith as he is still under contract, although he will be 37 by the time the next regular season begins.

A handful of Important decisions are still up in the air for Washington to make this offseason to try and come back better for the 2021-22 NFL season. As they try to follow in last year’s footsteps and win the NFC East Division to automatically put them in the playoffs for a chance at the prized Super Bowl.