The problem is he’s not there yet, and the growing pains will linger. Scherff already was moved from tackle to guard, though that’s not all on him. Part of the reason Washington did this stemmed from the improvement by second-year tackle Morgan Moses. He looked better in camp, providing another option at right tackle.
The Redskins liked that combination better than having Spencer Long at guard and Scherff at tackle. It didn’t help, either, that Scherff struggled in one-on-one drills vs. better pass-rushers (such as Ryan Kerrigan). But even before the draft, many around the NFL suggested guard was a much better fit for Scherff.
Scherff offers power as a run-blocker, which the Redskins need. There are times he does that very well. But what they also need is a good pass-protector and that’s another part of the learning curve for Scherff. Last week, he was driven back by Detroit’s Tyrunn Walker, who has 3.5 career sacks in three seasons, for what eventually was a sack.