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Washington Redskins Must Retain John Sullivan After Kory Lichtensteiger’s Retirement

By Jacob Camenker

Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson (25) reacts with center John Sullivan (56) after his touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Washington Redskins won 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson (25) reacts with center John Sullivan (56) after his touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Washington Redskins won 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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After Kory Lichtensteiger’s retirement, the Washington Redskins center position is lacking depth. The team has to retain free agent John Sullivan to ensure they fix that issue.

Heading into the 2016 NFL season, there were  a lot of questions about the Washington Redskins center position. Veteran Kory Lichtensteiger was slated to be the starter, but his poor performance in the preseason made many question the decision to play him. After Lichtensteiger went down with an injury, Spencer Long took over and held the position for a majority of the season. However, the team had to add depth after Lichtensteiger’s injury, and they will find themselves in that same position after he announced his retirement on Friday.

Related Story: Kory Lichtensteiger Retires As A Redskin

Now, the Redskins are tasked with finding a potential backup on the interior line. They should not have to look far for a replacement, as John Sullivan could be the guy to get the job done.

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Sullivan was the man that the Redskins signed to add center depth midway through the 2016 season. A former Minnesota Viking, Sullivan provided excellent depth in a backup role. He has plenty of starting experience, and he did well in a spot start after Long was diagnosed with a concussion. He should continue to play at a high level, especially if he remains in a backup role.

The only question with Sullivan is that he is a free agent. There may be some teams that are looking for a starting center, and Sullivan could intrigue them as a stopgap option. He has a couple of good years left in the tank, so a team may bank on his experience to fill a need on the offensive line.

However, it seems more likely that he would take a short term contract and serve as a backup. There was not much of a market for Sullivan when the Vikings released him prior to the 2016 season, so history may repeat itself. If that happens, then the Redskins should be the favorite to land him on a one or two year deal.

Next: DeSean Jackson Hopes To Remain With Redskins

Moving forward, Sullivan will be a player to monitor for the Redskins. He may not be the most well-known Redskins free agent, but he certainly is an important one.

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