Redskins will sign former Unheralded Player ILB Zach Vigil to roster

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 23: Washington Redskins helmets on the sideline during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 23, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 23: Washington Redskins helmets on the sideline during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 23, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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If Zach Vigil passes his physical, then he will be the Redskins’ final signing of the day.

The third-year pro out of Utah State spent most of the offseason with the Redskins as a reserve linebacker. He didn’t make it past cut day, but it appears he’ll be coming back to a team in need, midway through the season. John Keim first reported the news on Twitter.

Zach Vigil’s signing comes when the Redskins need him most. Will Compton was recently placed on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury, and before that, Mason Foster was already on injured reserve as well. With Compton gone, the unit was down to just three able players: Zach Brown, Martrell Spaight, and Josh Harvey-Clemons. Now, they have some added depth that they’ll need heading into the final stretch.

Vigil was the subject of one of our Unheralded Players segments earlier in the offseason. He was known to be a solid, high-energy player, but there were questions about whether he could adjust to the speed of the game after playing college at a relatively small school. Despite receiving good reviews in camp, Vigil couldn’t stick in September, and he was promptly cut and signed to the Bills’ practice squad.

He stayed there until late October, when he was let go. He was floating in the free agency pool for a while, but now, the Redskins want to bring him back. He’ll have to pass his physical before joining back, but assuming he does, he’ll add depth to the team’s linebacking core in wake of the injuries that have spiked in recent weeks.

It remains to be seen what kind of impact Vigil will have in-game. He could see the most action of his career in these final seven games, but it all depends on how confident the Redskins are in Josh Harvey-Clemons. Harvey-Clemons has spent the entire year on the roster, but Vigil’s two extra years of experience may give him a boost. He projects well as a special teamer for the Redskins, but they may need him to be more.

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Vigil will occupy the final open spot on the 53-man roster, for now. With injuries popping up every week, the roster is sure to change a little bit more before the conclusion of the season. For more on signings and transaction news, stay tuned to Riggo’s Rag, as we’ll keep you in the loop.