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Washington Redskins could have a fearsome duo at safety in 2018

By Ian Cummings

LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins makes a interception over wide receiver Amari Cooper #89 of the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at FedExField on September 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins makes a interception over wide receiver Amari Cooper #89 of the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at FedExField on September 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Injuries restricted the Washington Redskins from experiencing the privilege of an elite safety pairing through 2017. But if things go according to plan in the offseason, they could have a duo to be feared next year.

When D.J. Swearinger was brought in for the Washington Redskins, the excitement around him had a clear basis. Swearinger was just 25 years old, coming off a career year in Arizona. The Washington Redskins locked him up cheap, for three years, ensuring the presence of a young difference maker for seasons to come.

When the team drafted Montae Nicholson in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, fans and pundits alike were less certain. Nicholson had a long frame at 6-foot-2, and his athletic ability was impossible to deny. But the Michigan State product never implemented his skills on the football field at the collegiate level, and his lack of production caused some scouts to go as far as relegating him to the undrafted pool.

The Washington Redskins didn’t. And now, they could have an elite safety unit in 2018.

Bleacher Report’s NFL1000 Scouts recently released their list of the Top 45 safeties in the NFL in 2018. D.J. Swearinger came in at No. 14, and Montae Nicholson, just a rookie one year ago, was ranked as the No. 7 best safety in the NFL in 2018. Here’s what one scout, Kyle Posey, had to say about Nicholson:

"Montae Nicholson was one of the bigger steals of the 2017 draft. Selected in the fourth round, he was an immediate impact player who was trending in a star direction before concussion symptoms ended his season in December. Nicholson is a big-time hitter with ridiculous range but has a reckless playing style that he’ll need to change to stay on the field for 16 games. Not only does he make splashy plays in coverage, but he also takes away plenty of routes. The 22-year-old has a chance to be great."

Given that Nicholson can get healthy and stay healthy this season, and provided that both he and D.J. Swearinger continue to develop under the tutelage of Torrian Gray, his presence would indeed create conversation over whether the Redskins’ starting safety duo should be considered elite.

Nicholson is a long, strong, and rangy player with the speed to cover the entire field, and Swearinger, while a beneficiary of Nicholson’s talent, is more than serviceable in his own right, providing solid run defense and a penchant for big plays that few on the Washington Redskins’ defense share.

The Washington Redskins must look to improve the depth of the safety unit in 2018.  Fish Smithson is the only other safety left on contract, and both Deshazor Everett and DeAngelo Hall could be out the door, with their contracts expired. In the draft, and in free agency, the Washington Redskins must ensure that they aren’t paper thin at the position. Otherwise, a repeat of 2017 could occur.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Redskins grab an offensive stud

But in terms of the starters they have in place, the Washington Redskins could be set for the foreseeable future. D.J. Swearinger and Montae Nicholson are already being recognized across the league as a partnership on the rise. In time, they could realize their full potential.

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