Tight ends, wide receivers, linebackers, backup quarterbacks, offensive lineman…
The Washington Redskins have several needs to fill this offseason in either the draft or free agency and they’ll likely have a good chance to do so considering that they could have upwards of $90 million of available salary-cap space should they make a few expected moves in the next couple of months.
One of the growing areas of need for the Redskins is at the cornerback position. Though they realized a great NFL talent in Quinton Dunbar last season, plus the expected continued rise of Fabian Moreau and Jimmy Moreland, it still would greatly help them to add another piece this coming season in order to increase their depth.
During the last few weeks of the season, when their starting lineup was dealing with injuries, the Redskins were led to start a number of practice squad players out on the numbers, which had a result that should have been expected. To make sure that doesn’t happen again, Washington should pay attention to these players in NFL free agency.
Bradley Roby — Houston Texans
Roby is the first player that comes to mind for us because of his time spent with Redskins defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio, in Denver with the Broncos. Roby has never had a season without an interception, and he’s defended more than 10 passes in all but two years of his career. Roby is also an adept tackler at the corner position, and he’s forced eight fumbles in his career.
Roby is coming off of a one-year contract with the Texans and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. He may not be the best cornerback on the open market, but for what the Redskins need, and the price they will be willing to pay, he could be a perfect fit in Washington.
Kendall Fuller — Kansas City Chiefs
I know, I know, but just hear me out. Fuller had the best season of his career with the Redskins in 2017 before being sent to Kansas City as a part of the trade for Alex Smith. Since then, Fuller has struggled to get back to the form he once realized in Washington.
This signing would be done more based on faith in what Fuller can become once again, rather than proof of what he currently is with the Chiefs. In 2019, Fuller started only five games, and he didn’t record an interception in that time. However, his past performances have shown some promise. In his last year with the Redskins, Fuller had four interceptions, 10 passes defended and 55 total tackles. That performance surely helped his trade value, and now that he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent, the door is open for him to come back to Washington, where the Redskins never truly found a replacement for him. His contract will likely be relatively cheap too until he can prove that he’s worth the type of money that the NFL’s best cornerbacks garner.
Byron Jones — Dallas Cowboys
The Redskins know first-hand how dominant Jones can be on the outside, as they’ve faced him twice a year for the past handful of seasons. Just as a tackler, Jones has had over 65 tackles in all but one season in his career, and he is an adept pass defender, though it doesn’t always result in interceptions.
Ever since switching from safety to corner in 2018, Jones has been one of the best CBs in the NFL according to PFF, and he’s recorded a 74.1 passer grade in single coverage over that time, 11th best in the league. Jones also has great size and speed for a CB, standing at 6-1 with a 4.36 40-time.
What makes Jones the most impressive is his ability to defend in man-to-man coverage, where he forced a 15.1 percent incompletion rate in 2019. If the Redskins were to sign him this offseason, it would allow him to pair with Dunbar on the edges and give the team to focus more on the inside of the field, knowing well that they have it locked down outside.
