Washington Redskins may move Ty Nsekhe to guard after passing in draft

The Washington Redskins had an extremely solid draft this year. But one major position of need was left unaddressed: Offensive guard.

The Redskins came into the 2018 NFL Draft with a fairly complete offensive line. But with Arie Kouandjio penciled in at the left guard, it was widely believed that the Washington Redskins needed to add an offensive guard in the NFL Draft.

But as the draft progressed, it became less and less likely that the team would add such a contributor. Round after round passed, and by the end of the event, the Washington Redskins had added eight solid picks to the roster. None of them were interior offensive linemen.

On a strong roster, the void at left guard glares even brighter now. It remains to be seen who will step up to the occasion and assume the starting role at that position for the Washington Redskins. One option that has been floated around in recent weeks is converting swing tackle Ty Nsekhe. It’s an option that the Redskins media has mentioned as well.

The Washington Redskins could benefit from moving Nsekhe to left guard and starting him there. He doesn’t have extensive experience at that position, but he’s played there when necessary, and he has the power and push to be effective. As our own Lawrence Jason Dukes wrote recently, Nsekhe is one of the team’s five best offensive linemen, and a team should always have its five best offensive linemen on the starting lineup.

"Regardless of whether the Washington Redskins elect to draft an interior lineman, Nsekhe could be the best option.  Although he made only one start at guard in 2017, Nsekhe has impressed in game situations. Nsekhe is one of the more versatile players along the offensive line, and while the team should still be prudent and draft an interior lineman, giving Nsekhe a chance to start at left guard is a move that could pay dividends for the Redskins, due to his experience. Moving Nskehe to guard would hurt the depth at tackle, but the Washington Redskins can fix that in the draft as well."

With third-round tackle Geron Christian set to join the roster, the Redskins’ depth at tackle would no longer suffer from a shift to guard by Nsekhe. Nsekhe is 33 years old, so it would be wise to be prepared for a drop-off in play. But the Washington Redskins have depth on the interior with Tony Bergstrom and Tyler Catalina, and Nsekhe should at least be an upgrade over Shawn Lauvao. The Washington Redskins need that.

Next: Grading the Washington Redskins Day 3 picks

The Washington Redskins did not add a left guard in the NFL Draft, but that should not be a cause for worry. Ty Nsekhe is a readily available option, and the team appears to be considering him as a starter there. He will compete this offseason. Time will tell if he can win.