The Washington Redskins have scheduled a visit with free agent inside linebacker Zach Brown on Monday. Skilled and still young, Brown would, on paper, provide Greg Manusky with a stout defender on day one.
Zach Brown is coming off a career season and a Pro Bowl berth, registering 149 combined tackles, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception. The sixth-year pro impressed on a one-year deal with the Bills, and now he’s back on the market. Unsurprisingly, the Redskins have gained an interest. However, there are questions surrounding the Pro Bowler. Why hasn’t he been signed yet? What are the risks and rewards? Let’s take a look.
Originally ranked as the 20th best available free agent by NFL.com, Brown has withstood multiple waves of free agency, thus he still remains unsigned. It was only a matter of time before the Redskins went shopping again with their remaining cap space.
Brown has made stops on his free agency tour, visiting the Raiders and Dolphins, and a return to the Bills remains a possibility. Washington is late to the parade, but that doesn’t appear to matter. Brown has yet to come away with a deal, and depending on how much the Redskins are willing to pay, Brown could have a deal tomorrow.
How much should the Redskins pay, anyway? What does signing Brown entail? In the next couple of slides, we’ll take a look at some rewards the Redskins could reap with this signing, and also some drawbacks that may pressure the Redskins into looking elsewhere for linebacker help.
Should the Redskins sign Brown?
What does Zach Brown do well?
Brown would be a good fit in Washington’s 3-4 defensive scheme, and he has multiple talents that would cause him to not only fit, but excel, on the Redskins’ defense.
Obviously, he’s a very active player on the field. He recorded almost 150 tackles in the 2016 season, and a majority of those tackles were individual. He would provide the Redskins with speed and athleticism in the middle tier, areas in which the Redskins have plenty of room for improvement. 2016 starters Will Compton and Mason Foster are both lacking in these departments, and adding Brown would help improve the versatility of the linebacking unit.
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Brown also is known to have good coverage skills. His speed allows for this. He’s very mobile in the middle tier, and his quick and precise play would undoubtedly add an edge to the defense, provided he consistently provides adequate effort on every down. Covering the middle was an area of concern for the Redskins last year. By adding Brown, Washington would shore up the overall coverage ability of the defense. This would also alleviate some pressure off of the defensive line by giving them more time to reach the quarterback. Brown could be the solution to the Redskins’ defensive woes.
2016 was a breakout season for Brown, but there’s no reason to think he can’t do it again. He’s still young, at 27 years old, and his early success suggests that he could be a regular in the Pro Bowl from here on out. By acquiring Brown, the Redskins could complete their defensive overhaul, and this defense could be in store for major improvements. Nevertheless, there are risks the Redskins must address if they consider signing Brown. It’s not a perfect picture.
What are the causes for concern?
There’s a reason or two that Brown hasn’t been signed yet.
Brown is commanding top dollar. Naturally, it’s the way to play the business. Sell high. But many teams are skeptical of his true worth. After all, this story has been told many times, and the Redskins have too often been the tragic hero of free agency.
Brown has made clear he can play, but there are lingering questions about his drive and intangibles. According to ESPN’s John Keim, Brown’s lack of ability to partake in defensive play calling is a cause for concern, and his love for the game has been questioned multiple times throughout his career. In a game where the locker room culture permeates onto the football field, caution must be taken with Brown. His breakout season suggests that there are no mental issues, but football is an unpredictable sport. Relapses can happen.
Athletically, however, Brown appears to be sound. He showed last year that he has innate speed, toughness, and focus. But he’s asking for quite a bit of money. And even though he’ll likely have to decrease his desired price due to the fading furor of free agency, the Redskins are running low on cap space. It could be in their best interests to nab a young talent in the draft, or possibly join in late on the pursuit for Gerald Hodges.
Brown is a talented player, but the Redskins could hinder their future buying prospects if they choose to make him an offer he can’t refuse. Other options may yield greater value as time goes on.
Only if he’s willing to take a discount.
Brown is undoubtedly a good player. And he was a game changer for the Bills defense this past season. There appeared to be no issues with his drive and love for the game, and physically, he’s a gifted specimen who could increase the quality of defensive play for the Redskins rather quickly.
However, with only one solid season, Brown remains a bit of a mystery. It would be unwise for any team to pay more than they prefer for the linebacker. If Brown isn’t willing to decrease his desired amount, it would be in the Redskins’ best interests to look elsewhere. There are still cheaper options remaining in free agency, and the draft is filled to the brim with defensive talent.
Brown will be a valuable addition wherever he goes. But because Washington is running low on funds, they may want to turn to the draft boards. Brown should only be signed if its for the right price. And handcuffing the team’s buying power for future free agency periods could be a price too steep.