Getting to Know Brandon Scherff

Brandon Scherff, the Washington Redskins' fifth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, is quite the outdoorsman.

Pop Quiz! Is the following statement fact or fiction regarding the 25-year-old lineman?

When not mauling opponents' defensive linemen, Scherff enjoys time with Mother Nature; bird watching, smelling flowers, and wine tasting at local vineyards—among other things of that nature (excuse the terrible pun.)

The correct answer is both: fact and fiction. Though it has not been verified that Scherff actually enjoys birds, flowers, and vineyards, it can be confirmed that he's an avid hunter and fisherman.

Proof?

While many would describe an ideal vacation as somewhere tropical; relaxing on the sand, overpaying for hotels, and sipping out of coconuts, Scherff envisions a different scene. His ideal getaway is a Texas hunting excursion where he can shoot wild boars from a helicopter.

Further proof?

The Iowa Hawkeye skipped his college graduation to go deer hunting.

More recently in Scherff's outdoor adventures, he and fellow teammate Tress Way were out golfing. Seems safe, right? Wrong.

Thanks to Way and his savvy Twitter skills, he displayed a photo of Scherff holding a large snapping turtle by its tail. Not only that, but Scherff looks perfectly calm in doing so.

Perhaps the prehistoric-looking creature heard what Scherff is capable of, and decided to play dead.

Good thing he's not holding a watermelon.

Kirk Cousins' Cousin Drafted by Washington

Kirk Cousins confidently calls cousin Jake Cousins, congratulating him on being drafted.

How is that for a tongue-twister?

Number 2 (Jake's new nickname as of right now) was selected in the 20th round of the MLB draft, by none other than the Washington Nationals.

Much like Kirk, Number 2 is a strong-armed thrower and well-respected teammate. He grew up in Chicago before attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as the ace on their pitching staff.

During his senior year, Number 2 was a First-Team All-Ivy League selection, boasting a 3.15 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 7-2 record on the season. Number 2 holds a career 2.91 ERA—good for sixth best in the history of the university's baseball program.

While not likely that Number 2 is big-league ready this season, the Nationals bullpen needs a major overhaul. When he does make his debut, with any luck, fans will chant, "Who does Number 2 work for?"

Doug Williams Earns New Role With Redskins

After starting this offseason with more questions than answers, the Washington Redskins' scattered puzzle pieces have finally begun to take form.

The firing of Washington's then-general manager, Scot McCloughan, created media frenzy and, to put it nicely, a total [expletive]storm. Instead of letting the pressure affect their decision making, however, the Redskins marched on and promoted several names from within. The most prominent name being Doug Williams, who is now senior vice president of personnel.

Photo: WJLA.com

Williams, 61, has been a personnel executive with the Redskins since rejoining them in 2014. Both he and Bruce Allen served on Tampa Bay's staff from 2004-08, with Williams as their personnel executive and Allen as the general manager.

Most known for his Super Bowl XXII heroics, Williams made history in 1988 as the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Only Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks has won the Big Game since then.

Meanwhile, Allen's role as Redskins team president will not change—Williams and head coach Jay Gruden will report to him.

Washington Redskins Jersey Number Updates

Several returning Redskins players have changed their previous jersey numbers; ahead of the upcoming season. Additionally, this year's free agent newcomers and those who signed Future/Reserve contracts have been given new numbers.

INCUMBENT VETERANS

Colt McCoy: Quarterback
No. 16 to No. 12

Robert Kelley: Running Back
No. 32 to No. 20

Kendal Thompson: Wide Receiver
No. 87 to No. 10

Su'a Cravens: Safety
No. 36 to No. 30

Kendall Fuller: Cornerback
No. 38 to No. 29

Josh Evans: Safety
No. 45 to No. 39

FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

Terrelle Pryor: Wide Receiver
No. 11

Brian Quick: Wide Receiver
No. 83

John Kling: Offensive Lineman
No. 69

D.J. Swearinger: Safety
No. 36

Zach Brown: Linebacker
No. 56

Chris Carter: Linebacker
No. 55

Stacy McGee: Defensive Lineman
No. 92

Terrell McClain: Defensive Lineman
No. 97

FUTURE/RESERVE SIGNINGS

Khairi Fortt: Linebacker
No. 46

Phil Taylor: Defensive Lineman
No. 99

Tharold Simon: Cornerback
No. 37

Earl Wolff IV: Safety
No. 32

Pete Robertson: Linebacker
No. 45

Redskins Extend Contract with Key Offensive Lineman

The Washington Redskins quietly made an impact move that was overshadowed by Day 1 of the NFL Draft.

Morgan Moses, the team's starting right tackle, agreed to a five-year extension to stay in Washington. At 26 years old, Moses is now the second-highest-paid right tackle in the game. The new deal prevents the humble Virginia native from hitting the open market next offseason.

"I look back at three years ago where I was at the draft—to be here where I'm one of the first guys in my class to sign a big extension, it just shows you that if you stay blessed and you stay true to your process, anything can happen," Moses said in a team-released statement.

Photo: The Washington Post

Moses, selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft, has been a key contributor to Washington's improved offensive line over the past two seasons. His emergence as a starter allowed the team to shift last year's first-round pick, Brandon Scherff, to right guard.

The ability to stay healthy, though, was a concern for Moses after missing half of his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury. After landing on injured reserve, he was determined to bounce back and brush himself off.

Since the foot injury, Moses has not missed a regular season game. In 2016, he received the Ed Block Courage award, which honors one player from each team who displays professionalism, courage, and sportsmanship while facing adversity.

Off the field, Moses stays busy with charitable work in the community. A strong believer in education, he created the Morgan Moses Foundation, which strives to motivate children through fun and educational activities.

Khairi Fortt Coming to a Small Screen Near You

Washington Redskins linebacker Khairi Fortt may not be a household name to NFL fans, but he will soon tackle a big endeavor. No, the second part is not copied from a fortune cookie.

Fortt, 25, will portray the late Redskins legend Sean Taylor on an Investigation Discovery program. He auditioned for the part last year, and ironically, the role of Taylor's father (Pedro) will be played by Fortt's father, Guy Fortt. The show, titled "The Perfect Murder," incorporates real-life interviews and reenactments of homicide cases to detail how detectives solve intricate mysteries.

Photo: washingtontimes.com

Taylor's death occurred nearly a decade ago, on November 27, 2007, when intruders entered his Miami home attempting to steal money. Taylor and his girlfriend, Jackie Garcia Haley, were awakened by loud noises, which prompted Taylor to grab a machete for protection. Garcia Haley and their then-18-month old daughter hid under the bedding. An armed intruder broke into the bedroom, confronting the NFL star by firing two shots—the first one missed, but not the second.

The femoral artery in Taylor's leg was severely damaged from the bullet, leading to significant blood loss. He went into a coma and never regained consciousness; dying one day later. Only 24 years old, Taylor was a family man with a promising football career ahead of him.

Redskins Sign Low-Risk, High-Reward Playmaker

Continuing to overhaul their woeful defense, the Washington Redskins agreed to terms with a big-name free agent, not named Haynesworth.

Inside linebacker Zach Brown signed a one-year deal worth up to $4.65 million, according to his agent.

After four seasons with the Tennessee Titans—the team that drafted him No. 52 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft—Brown signed with the Buffalo Bills on a one-year deal. The 27-year-old notched 149 tackles last season in Buffalo, earning his first Pro Bowl appearance.

Considered an excellent athlete, Brown provides the Redskins with more stability at the inside linebacker spot—something they have missed since London Fletcher's playing days. Incumbent starters Will Compton and Mason Foster are decent, but Compton is a restricted free agent, and better suited in a backup role. Foster, meanwhile, has a good chance of starting alongside Brown, unless the team finds a better option in the draft.

Speaking of Compton, his April Fools' Day antics upset many fans; tweeting a [fake] congratulations message to Kirk Cousins for signing a new deal. The addition of Brown, for those at home doing the math, occurred just two days after Compton's not-so-funny tweet. See definition of Karma (noun): fate or destiny resulting from one's previous actions.

The Redskins Were Quick to Sign Offensive Help

Photo: espn.com

The Washington Redskins are continuing to assemble a formidable group of pass-catchers for Kirk Cousins, signing wide receiver Brian Quick.

Selected 33rd overall by the Rams back in 2012, Quick was expected to help improve their beleaguered offense. Instead, his career in St. Louis consisted of 105 catches, 1,499 yards, and 10 touchdowns over the course of 67 games. However, of those numbers, 41 catches for 564 yards and three touchdowns came during the 2016 season—suggesting he has potential with the Redskins.

Regardless of his less-than-stellar résumé, Quick, 27, should help ease Washington's pain of losing Pierre Garcon (49ers) and DeSean Jackson (Buccaneers) to free agency. At 6-foot-3, 218-pounds, he brings size that was missing with both Garcon and Jackson, but lacks the experience they each possess. Quick, however, is not the only big-bodied receiver Washington has brought aboard this offseason.

Earlier this month, the team signed offensive weapon Terrelle Pryor to a cap-friendly one-year, $8 million contract. The 6-foot-4 Pryor resurrected his career in Cleveland by transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver, where he amassed 77 receptions for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. Both Pryor and Quick are expected to produce in the red zone; an area where Cousins and company struggled greatly last season.

Kirk Cousins' Busy Offseason Continues

Over one million football fanatics tuned in to watch the Big Game on Sunday—the Puppy Bowl, of course.

Perhaps the biggest supporter, is none other than Redskins signal caller Kirk Cousins, who served as the Puppy Bowl ambassador.

The 28-year-old quarterback and his wife, Julie, are dog foster parents—having already helped nearly 10 dogs find permanent homes. They even adopted one of their own; a five-year-old Goldendoodle named Bentley.

"It's a great way to find out what you like and help dogs. It's a win-win for everyone," said Cousins when speaking to People Magazine about why others should consider fostering dogs.

Cousins went on to praise Animal Planet's annual event.

"I love that people tune in. They have had a 100% adoption success rate for every dog involved over the past 13 years," he shared. "In this bowl, there are no losers."

This NFL offseason will certainly be one to remember for Cousins: Puppy Bowl ambassador, Pro Bowl defensive specialist, and soon-to-be one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.

YOU LIKE THAT, BENTLEY?!

The Sack Man Lives Again

Pass rush specialist Junior Galette has re-signed with the Redskins on a team-friendly deal. Galette, 28, spent the last two seasons in Washington, but has yet to play a single down for the team.

The hybrid outside linebacker announced the news on his Instagram profile, stating, "5 years of my Prime Left I Promise to give it everything I have... Thankful to be signing another Contract W/ The @redskins Tomorrow #Blessed"

Prior to joining Washington, Galette was a talented pass rusher with the Saints, notching double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons. Those numbers earned him a four-year contract extension worth $41.5 million in The Big Easy.

However, during the 2015 offseason, Galette was arrested on simple battery and domestic violence charges for allegedly injuring a woman over text messages he found on her phone. Those charges were eventually dropped, but the Saints cut ties with him on July 24, 2015.

One week after his release, Galette signed a one-year contract with Washington, prior to suffering a season-ending injury during training camp. He was brought back on another one-year deal signed on March 15, 2016. Four months later, he suffered another Achilles injury, on the opposite leg, and missed the entire season—again.

Regardless, the Redskins need a defensive makeover, and re-signing a player of Galette's [potential] caliber makes sense. He desperately wants to prove himself not only to this organization, but to the fanbase as well.