Ron Rivera: Washington needs 'big step forward' in offseason

The Washington Football Team managed to win the NFC East title with a losing record in the 2020 season but wasn't so fortunate this time around. Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went down with a right hip subluxation in the campaign's opener that ultimately cost him the remainder of the season, and Washington lost its past four games to fall to 6-10 and out of the NFC playoff spots. 

On Monday, Washington head coach Ron Rivera seemingly delivered a challenge to those running the team's front office for the winter months.

"This offseason is going to be very important, very vital to what I see is the plan . . . It’s time we see this team take that big step forward," Rivera told reporters, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. 

Washington's first order of business either before or when the new NFL year opens in March should be to find an upgrade from quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who performed admirably in Fitzpatrick's place but who also likely isn't the team's long-term answer at the sport's most important position. Per ESPN stats, Heinicke enters Week 18 23rd among eligible signal-callers with an 86.5 passer rating and 22nd with a 43.4 total QBR. 

Washington wraps things up at the 4-12 New York Giants this coming Sunday.