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WFT's Brandon Scherff Named All-Pro

Brandon Scherff is getting honored for a second-time this week. Perfect timing for the fifth-year franchise tag player

Chris Russell

ASHBURN, Va. -- Brandon Scherff picked a heck of a time to be named to his first Associated Press All-Pro first-team honor. 

It's the first time a Washington player has won a first-team All-Pro honor since punter Matt Turk in 1996

In years past, he's had to compete with Dallas Cowboys stud right guard Zack Martin and Brandon Brooks of the Eagles, who is every bit as good as Martin. 

READ MORE: Chase Young Honored by NFL Twice

Scherff has always been good but perhaps not good enough until now.

Martin and Brooks have been hurt for much of the season and the Washington Football Team's franchise-tagged player is primed to cash in. He collected just over $15 million this season and made a fourth Pro Bowl despite missing three-and-a-half games. 

Scherff is getting paid no matter what and where. There's no question about that. Will it be in Washington? That might be a question for another day, as the NFL Playoffs are about upon us. But maybe there is room to discuss both angles ...

The WFT drafted Scherff out of Iowa with the No. 5 overall pick in 2015 by Scot McCloughan and Jay Gruden but he's missed 18 games over the last four seasons combined after playing in all 16 games in each of his first two seasons. 

Scherff graded as the seventh-best guard in the NFL this year according to ProFootballFocus.com (PFF). Scherff played 857 snaps in the regular season and allowed three sacks, two quarterback hits and 16 hurries per PFF with two penalties. 

He won the Ed Block Courage Award for the WFT this week, which was a bit of a surprise considering Alex Smith's comeback, but Scherff has overcome being beat up as well.

READ MORE: Brandon Scherff Wins Courage Award

Hopefully the two sides can get a reasonable deal done; maybe a four-year deal worth an average of $15 million is too rich? Or maybe Scherff is going to get more than that because of his leadership and the way he's viewed by coach Ron Rivera, his staff and much of the league. 

Especially with Chase Roullier signed long-term. ...

READ MORE: Roullier to Stay

Tight decisions will have to be made. It's believed that Washington would have the ability to franchise tag Scherff again but that would put a long-term deal in even more jeopardy.

That's an important decision for down the line. First: Scherff among the leaders in the WFT playoff effort against the Bucs on Saturday night.

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Chris Russell
CHRIS RUSSELL

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