Zach Brown Signing Means Washington Redskins Can Take Best Player Available In First Round

The Washington Redskins are holding the No. 17 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Thanks to the addition of linebacker Zach Brown, they now will not be forced to take a linebacker with that selection.

The NFL Draft is always a difficult event to project. There is no certainty about what will happen with any of the players that are selected, but one thing is certain. Different players are valued differently by different organizations. At the same time, there is general agreement across the league about where players belong. That is why there are only a few egregious reaches in each round of the draft.

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That said, some were questioning if the Washington Redskins were going to reach with their first round pick. There was some concern that if they had a need at a defensive position entering the draft, they may draft based off need and eschew the best player available strategy. Drafting based off need often backfires, as the players available do not always match the value of the draft pick. Thus, the expectations can crush the weaker players and make them into busts.

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However, the Redskins were able to protect against the need to reach for a player on Monday afternoon. When they signed linebacker Zach Brown, they ensured that they had addressed each level of the defense in the free agent period. They added safety D.J. Swearinger, defensive linemen Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee, and then they finished up by adding Brown. At the same time, they added two receivers to replace their departed veterans and really worked the roster back into decent shape.

Now, the Redskins have more freedom to select players based off of talent as opposed to need. This is not to say that they will ignore positions of need. Rather, they will be able to look across all positions and decide which player has the most value at that point in the draft. In particular, this is important in the first round, as the team will be in a sweet spot to grab a potential falling player. They could end up having a shot at Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, though that seems unlikely. Other players that could interest them are Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp, and safety Obi Melifonwu.

Essentially, without the glaring need at linebacker staring them in the face, the Redskins will feel less pressure. They do not have to take a player like Zach Cunningham or Haason Reddick unless they think that they are truly strong players. They can follow their big board and just grab a player that they feel will be a quality guy. Considering that the team is operating without a general manager, this is a huge freedom to have as it gives the team more flexibility.

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Overall, this is just another positive that the Brown signing will bring to the table. The Redskins were already getting praise for that move, but this is another under the radar aspect that could help improve the team.

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