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3 Ron Rivera linked free agents who could alter Redskins 2020 NFL Draft plans

By Randy Gurzi

SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 07: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers and Daryl Williams #60 react prior to Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 07: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers and Daryl Williams #60 react prior to Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 28: Kenjon Barner #38 of the Atlanta Falcons rushes with the ball during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Could Rivera target him and bring him to the Redskins, thus altering their 2020 NFL Draft plans? (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 28: Kenjon Barner #38 of the Atlanta Falcons rushes with the ball during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Could Rivera target him and bring him to the Redskins, thus altering their 2020 NFL Draft plans? (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

The Redskins have a new head coach in Ron Rivera, who could look to some of his former players in free agency; could this alter their 2020 NFL Draft plans?

After 12 games in the 2019 season, the Carolina Panthers decided to cut ties with head coach Ron Rivera. In nine seasons with the Panthers, Rivera was 76-63-1 and even took them to the Super Bowl following the 2015 season. He now has landed with the Washington Redskins, and could bring some familiar faces with him that could alter their 2020 NFL Draft boards.

What he couldn’t do was put together back-to-back winning season, which is something the organization itself has never accomplished. But after going 7-9 in 2018 and 5-7 in 2019, the organization ran out of patience.

He wasn’t out of work long though as Rivera was named head coach of the Washington Redskins on New Year’s Day. Now set to revitalize this struggling franchise, Rivera could look to free agency where he will have some familiar faces that could help them improve.

While they will need to use the draft to build a consistent winner, free agency could help them along the way — and it could also impact their draft plans. Here we look at three players scheduled for free agency who could do just that in 2020.

Notable omission: Kenjon Barner, RB

This one goes all the way back to 2013 as former Oregon running back Kenjon Barner was a sixth-round pick of Rivera’s with the Panthers. He hardly saw the field as a rookie but has still carved out a long career — one that even included a second stint with the Panthers in 2018.

Barner is a decent option in the return game and for the Redskins who cannot keep running backs healthy, he would be a good depth piece. However, he doesn’t crack the top three simply because he wouldn’t have a big enough impact on their draft plans. Still, he could find his way to the nation’s capital.

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