Long Snapper Nick Sundberg Re-Signs With Washington Redskins

Nick Sundberg has been the Washington Redskins long snapper since 2010. That will not change in 2017, as he re-signed with the team on Monday.

One of the least heralded positions in the NFL is the long snapper. Playing only a few snaps per game, the long snapper has the critical job of making sure that a ball can get to the kicking specialist prior to making their big time play. Often, you do not know the name of a long snapper until they make a major mistake. Then, they are often ostracized by the fans and are never heard from again.

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The Redskins long snapper Nick Sundberg did make some headlines this year. However, it was not because of poor play. In fact, it was the opposite. He held down the fort very well for the team but dealt with some injuries over the course of the season. Because of this, he missed some time and the team replaced him with free agent Rick Lovato. The biggest story, however, was that Colt McCoy, the team’s backup quarterback, was set to be their emergency long snapper. The nature of that story got many talking about Sundberg and McCoy for weeks before the former returned to the lineup.

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Since 2010, Sundberg has been rock solid for the Redskins. He has played in 91 games, and has only missed two contests over the course of the last couple of seasons. He rarely makes mistakes, and according to ESPN’s John Keim, Sundberg’s “consistency has been repeatedly praised by coaches and the other specialists.” He really is a valuable part of the team and retaining him was a priority.

One has to imagine that the negotiations for this deal were fairly simple. Long snappers are often happy just to have a job in the league, so Sundberg was probably chomping at the bit to return to the Redskins. The interest was mutual and that is how a deal was done so quickly.

This signing will also help the Redskins a great deal in free agency. They have some big names hitting the market in Kirk Cousins, Chris Baker, and Pierre Garcon, and they have to focus on retaining them. Getting Sundberg’s deal done now will allow them more time to work with those parties and investigate other free agent opportunities.

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At the end of the day, this is a solid signing. The Redskins keep their man at the long snapper position while Sundberg gets to keep his job long term. Provided that he does not make any mistakes and stays healthy, expect Sundberg to avoid the headlines and continue to play some solid football.

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