Ricky Jean-Francois Released By Washington Redskins

Ricky Jean-Francois was a valuable backup for the Washington Redskins in the past couple of years. He was released on Wednesday to clear cap space.

There were many who thought it was unlikely for Ricky Jean-Francois to return to the Washington Redskins. Despite starting for nearly half of the season and performing at a decent level, the struggles that the Redskins had on the defensive line were just too much. The team was always going to rebuild the unit, and Jean-Francois was a prime candidate for release.

Jean-Francois carried with him a $4 million cap hit. Parting ways with him would allow the Redskins to save $3 million in cap space, and that is just what the Redskins did, per their official Twitter page:

Though Jean-Francois did have an impact on the team during his time in Washington, the team is not likely to miss him all that much.

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Jean-Francois was a very solid fourth defensive lineman. He was a good backup at the 3-4 end spot, and he was a consistent player in his two seasons with the team. He had some pass rushing ability and was generally able to help out against the run. At his core, Jean-Francois was a jack-of-all-trades type of player. He had no real strengths, but no glaring weaknesses.

However, the Redskins elected to part with him because he was just a bit too expensive. Besides, the team had already added Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain in free agency while they just re-signed Ziggy Hood today. Hood figures to slide into Jean-Francois’ role as the primary backup, and that made the veteran expendable. The main reason that Hood got the nod was the fact that he has the ability to play nose tackle, though he was far from a strength at that position last season.

Next: Washington Redskins Re-Sign Ziggy Hood

The Redskins had to make a choice on the defensive line. They needed to add some new players while still retaining some of their players to be backups. The team had to get rid of at least one of their players, and Jean-Francois was the one who got the ax. He will likely find a job with another team, but he will no longer be a member of the Redskins.