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Washington Redskins: Why re-signing Junior Galette is now critical

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 24: Quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 of the Denver Broncos is tackled by linebacker Junior Galette #58 of the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 24: Quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 of the Denver Broncos is tackled by linebacker Junior Galette #58 of the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 23: Kenjon Barner #38 of the Philadelphia Eagles returns a kick-return against the Washington Redskins during the first quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 23: Kenjon Barner #38 of the Philadelphia Eagles returns a kick-return against the Washington Redskins during the first quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Ryan Anderson likely isn’t ready for a primary backup role

For those wondering, I didn’t forget about Ryan Anderson. The former Alabama product logged action in 14 games as a rookie, but he didn’t do much to impress. He played more of a role on special teams snaps (30 percent) than he did on defense (17.6 percent).

When Anderson saw action on defense, he wasn’t able to have much of an impact as a pass rusher. Granted, he was behind three other quality players in the rotation, but it was still a bit discouraging to see the former second-round pick do virtually nothing in that area. It’s also a bit worrisome that Anderson’s weaknesses were on display a bit.

Coming into the NFL, Anderson wasn’t considered to be a great athlete. He was considered to be a strong edge rusher with a little burst who would have to rely more on power than on speed to get the job done. That’s exactly how he looked at the next level, as he struggled to beat tackles with his strength alone.

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While some may say that’s exactly how Trent Murphy got the job done in 2016, it’s worth noting that he is a bigger and longer player and it also took him three years to develop into a primary backup. Anderson appears to be further behind in his development than Murphy, solely because Murphy was a better athlete. So, it may take him an extra year to live up to expectations. And given that the Redskins are working in a shorter window with Alex Smith as their quarterback, the team shouldn’t yet rely on Anderson to be a top backup.

This isn’t to knock on the potential of Anderson. It’s quite possible he will become a good, physical edge rusher who is a perfect complement to Kerrigan and Smith. But for now, he’s not the answer as a primary backup. For that reason, keeping Galette is appealing as it will give Anderson another year to continue honing his craft before he’s thrust into a big role.

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