Today is Super Bowl Sunday, and while America prepares for what should be an incredible game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, I am going to put my own little twist on it and build out a potential NFL team with some Nationals players both past, present, and future.
This team will be comprised of some current players, past players, and perhaps even a couple of future prospects as well. By the way, this team does not have any punters or kickers, because if you play for my team we will not be punting, kicking field goals, or attempting extra points. We go for everything no matter the down and distance. So without further ado, let's see who made the roster in this scenario.
Head Coach: Ryan Zimmerman
The coach of this team has to be Ryan Zimmerman, who is better known as Mr. National. The one thing that likely should have been given to him during his time in DC was the title of being Captain, and he gets the opportunity to lead this team from the sidelines. He would have these guys ready to run through a brick wall, and his leadership would be a valuable commodity.
Coordinators: Jayson Werth (Offense), Kurt Suzuki (Defense)
My picks for the coordinators would be Jayson Werth for the offense and Kurt Suzuki for the defense. Both of these picks have a lot in common, but mostly because they both had a savvy veteran understanding of the game, and their overall impact went far beyond numbers on the field.
Werth of course was a key cog to the culture change and mentality of the Nationals upon his arrival, and while he never quite had an incredible season or put up eye-popping numbers, he did a lot of things very well, and his baseball knowledge ran deep. Similarly, Suzuki was a savvy veteran backstop for a number of very good Nationals teams, and his multiple stints in the Nation's Capital showed him to be a fan favorite that would certainly be welcomed on the coaching staff.
Quarterbacks (3): Stephen Strasburg, Brenner Cox, DJ Herz
To start out, I went with the guy who is probably known as the most clutch pitcher in team history in Stephen Strasburg as the quarterback of the team. We know he had a rocket arm when he first came up, and while his mobility might not have been the greatest, I had to include him here. My only concern with him on this team would be durability, due to the size of our offensive line, but if it comes down to it, there is nobody I would rather have with the ball in their hands in a big moment than Strasburg.
Current Nationals prospect Brenner Cox was an athletic quarterback that played Texas high school who might have had a chance to play Division 1 in college, and that experience is good enough to bolster the room with his youth and athleticism. DJ Herz might have had a chance to walk-on as a quarterback had he honored his commitment to the University of North Carolina out of high school, so he will get a nod here as a backup quarterback as well.
Running Backs (3): Alfonso Soriano, Stone Garrett, Dylan Crews
The running back position was a tough one to choose, because some notable speedsters in team history just would not be big enough to hold up with the workload of an NFL running back. I chose to go with a mixture at the position, with Soriano serving as more of a 3rd down/speed back, due to his blazing speed in his one season with the Nationals.
Garrett is more of a bruising running back, who would likely be very valuable in goal line situations, and while the top end speed might not be there, him and Soriano would form a very solid 1-2 punch at the position with their thunder and lightning capabilities. Dylan Crews is more of a well-rounded back who is solidly built and will offer a bit of everything at the position. Given the fact he played college baseball at a perennial football powerhouse in LSU, maybe he could have learned a thing or two from the guys over there as well.
Fullback (1): Matt Stairs
Nothing much to report here, as fullback is more of an under-utilized position in today's NFL, but Matt Stairs just screams fullback to me. Listed at 5'9" and 200 pounds, he is solidly built although undersized, and has the grit I am looking for when building out this team.
Wide Receivers (3): Trea Turner, Denard Span, Michael Morse
The wide receiver position was an interesting one to build out, and I went with a mixed bag here similar to how I built out the running back spot. Trea Turner's speed will be very valuable down the field, and despite his slight frame, if he can outrun everyone then he doesn't have to worry about getting hit. He profiles as a speedy slot guy like Kansas City's Xavier Worthy.
Denard Span has a solid wideout frame at 6 foot, 210 pounds, and was a steady presence in center field with his glove. Michael Morse is going to be a valuable red zone threat given his 6'5", 245 pound frame, and he might end up being a guy that has to play a couple of positions, but I see his value being the highest in this group.
Tight Ends (2): Elijah Green, James Wood
Elijah Green gets the nod here simply because his father, Eric Green, was a Pro Bowl tight end in the NFL for a number of years. Under his tutelage and mentorship, Elijah, who is an extremely athletic and solidly built outfielder at 6'3", and 225 pounds, would likely be able to blossom at the position.
The other tight end in the room would be James Wood, because when you have a guy who is as good of an all-around athlete as Wood with a 6'7" frame, you have to find a spot for him on the field. A red zone package with him and Morse would be an absolute nightmare for defensive backs.
Offensive Line (5): Livan Hernandez, Matt Albers, Wilson Ramos, Matt Adams, Adam Dunn
For the offensive line, I mostly just chose to choose guys who were pretty big in stature off the top of my head, and while the unit as a whole might be a bit undersized, there is no doubt that this unit should be able to move some mass.
Defensive Line (4): Dmitri Young, Wily Mo Peña, Jerome Williams, Josh Bell
I built the defensive line similarly to the offensive line, but this side of the ball is led by Dmitri Young, who honestly fits the size of an NFL defensive tackle at 6'2" and 295 pounds, and the rest of the unit will need to spell him in rotation. Wily Mo Peña and Bell would likely serve as the defensive ends with Jerome Williams spelling Young at the DT spot.
Linebackers (4): Bryce Harper, Aaron Barrett, Koda Glover, Max Scherzer
My linebackers all had a theme, in that I chose 3 guys who had an absolute psycho mentality during their time with the Nationals, and another guy who's nickname was literally "The Bear" in Aaron Barrett. Bryce Harper in his younger days had the sort of reckless abandon to his game that would make him a perfect linebacker, reminding me of a young Brian Bosworth with his flair and charisma.
While Max Scherzer might have been lacking the athleticism to be a 3-down player, his pure mentality made him a must-include at the position. Koda Glover was a straight up psycho, and that is exactly the mentality that I am looking for in a linebacker. I will take 3 guys who, in the heat of a game you might genuinely be thinking that they have a screw loose who will give me 110% effort every game. Oh, and having a guy that's named after one of the most ferocious animals ever should help as well.
Defensive Backs (5): Victor Robles, Jacob Young, Roger Bernadina, Howie Kendrick, Ian Desmond
This position was a tricky one to pick, but I ultimately went with a trio of corners and a pair of safeties to round out my defensive backs. Victor Robles, Jacob Young, and Roger Bernadina were all stellar defensive outfielders during their time in DC, and their speed combined with natural defensive instincts should make them fantastic cornerback trio.
Howie Kendrick and Ian Desmond represent a pair of players who were athletic enough to have long and successful careers in the big leagues, and their solid frames would likely have them better suited to be safeties than cornerbacks.
Who got snubbed from my Washington Nationals NFL team? What changes would you make to the squad? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.