Redskins: Why Zach Brown’s re-signing was the best move the Redskins could have made

Jacob Camenker

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 2: Running back Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs makes a jump cut to try and avoid the tackle attempt of inside linebacker Zach Brown #53 of the Washington Redskins during the third quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on October 2, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. ( Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images )

For a time, it seemed like Zach Brown wouldn’t re-sign with the Washington Redskins. But the team brought him back, and that was a critical move.

On Thursday afternoon, the Washington Redskins made one of the biggest moves of the offseason. The team was able to reach an agreement with Zach Brown to bring him back to the team on a three-year deal.

Brown had been on a one-year deal in each of the previous offseasons with the Buffalo Bills and then the Redskins. With each team, Brown had performed well and did a lot to improve his teams.

The importance of bringing back Brown cannot be understated. He was one of the biggest keys to the defense in his first season in Washington, and the Redskins would have had a big hole in the defense if he had departed in free agency.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 23: Zach Brown #53 and Mason Foster #54 of the Washington Redskins sack quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter of the game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 23, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Brown’s 2017 performance

In his first season with the Redskins, Brown was nothing short of fantastic. Operating as the team’s top inside linebacker, Brown brought something to the team that they had been lacking for a long time. Elite tackling ability.

In 2016, the Redskins linebackers, and chiefly starter Will Compton, had issues in run support with tackling. Too often, running backs were able to break off massive carries because of a lack of presence at the nose tackle position and the mediocre tackling abilities of the starting linebackers. That changed when Brown joined the team.

In the first four games of the season, when the Redskins were still mostly healthy, Brown helped to invigorate Greg Manusky‘s defensive unit. They had the looks of a potential top 10 defense at the time. Brown’s excellent athleticism, instincts, and fundamentals allowed him to make plays in the middle of the defense. His strong performance, and his ability to bring down opponents with his tackling ability, allowed more freedom for other players on the defense to make big plays.

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After 13 games, Brown had racked up 127 tackles which was ranked first in the whole league in terms of tackles. Had he played any of the last three games, which he didn’t after suffering a myriad of nagging injuries, he could have finished the year as the league’s top tackler.

The one area that Brown could stand to improve is his coverage ability. Last year, the Redskins linebackers struggled to stay with tight ends for the most part. That was one of their major weaknesses in the rare event when they had all their personnel on the field. Brown’s lesser coverage ability was likely part of what drove down his average annual value to $8 million, which was a great deal for both sides.

Still, Brown has the athletic ability to potentially improve in that area going forward. And as it stands, that was the only weakness that he really showed in 2017. For that reason, bringing back Brown was a no-brainer for the team.

OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 04: Michael Crabtree (15) of the Oakland Raiders is tackled by Zach Brown (53) of the Buffalo Bills during their NFL game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on December 4, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Brown’s contract was somewhat of a steal

The three-year, $24 million deal that Brown signed was a bargain compared to what he was expected to sign. When Anthony Hitchens signed a deal that paid him $9 million a year, it was expected that Brown could possibly land $10 million or more on a deal. Not because Brown is necessarily that much better than Hitchens, but because Brown was more of a proven commodity and a better tackler.

There had been many talks about how Brown wanted to be paid like a top-three linebacker, and it was possible that he could get that kind of money. As has been seen in the past, teams are usually willing to pay a premium for quality, athletic players at a position of need. Especially considering how much cap space was available across the league in 2017. Instead, Brown stayed where he was comfortable and landed a long-term deal, which had to be refreshing after playing the last two seasons on one-year deals.

Comparatively, Brown’s contract is a solid value. He landed the sixth most in terms of average annual value at the $8 million figure. It tied the number from Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall‘s deal, though Brown’s deal is one year shorter. This seems to be an adequate representation of what he is worth, so it seems that he and the organization reached a perfect middle ground.

There’s no doubt that Brown did well for himself. Given that he’s 28, he will hit free agency again when he turns 31. And if he can keep performing at the same level, he will give himself a shot to earn one more solid, two or three year contract before hitting the twilight of his career. That will be a good future opportunity for him while he still gets the present value he deserves.

For the Redskins, they got a deal that not many expected them to get. It was a bargain relative to the Hitchens deal, so that’s a win for the front office.

ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Josh Jacobs #8 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is tackled by Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs after a catch during the first quarter in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Linebacker is no longer a need in the draft

Because both of the starters at linebacker, Brown and Mason Foster, returned for the next two years at least, the Redskins aren’t going to need to add a linebacker in the draft.

In addition to the starters, the team already has some young talent in former seventh round pick Josh Harvey-Clemons, who flashed at times as a rookie, and Zach Vigil, a man who was cut before the 2017 season but was re-signed and showed excellent tackling ability. Also, the team has Martrell Spaight, who flashed at times last year, but has been inconsistent. That trio should do enough to fill in backup roles behind Brown and Foster, so now the team doesn’t need to take a linebacker.

If Brown had left, the team would have had major holes in the middle of their defense. The first, and still, foremost need, would come at the nose tackle position, where the team has long lacked an interior presence. But if Brown was gone too, the team would have to add two starters to their front seven, which might have created a conflict in the first round.

Overall

In the first couple of days of legal tampering and free agency, the Redskins weren’t doing well. They had a lot of players walk away, and it was looking like they might lose Brown too. They had been trying to negotiate a long term deal with him since the end of the season, but he wasn’t biting. So, it looked like he might get better value on the open market.

Instead, the two sides agreed on a mutually beneficial deal. Brown is a perfect fit in Greg Manusky’s defense, and he gets the long-term deal he had been searching for over the course of the past couple offseasons.

Moving forward, the Redskins will have to focus on finding some other free agents to fit their team. Whether that’s retaining some of their other guys or finding players on the open market, the team will be able to add another quality player or two to improve their roster.

Next: Redskins should go after Ryan Grant after voided deal

As for Brown, he can start focusing on next season. His second with the Burgundy and Gold.

Jacob Camenker