Redskins: A look at who may be the odd man out on the defensive line

The Washington Redskins did a lot to address the weakness they had on the defensive line. As a result, they will be able to part with some dead wood before the 2018 NFL season.

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins did a great job of adding to their defensive line. The team was one nose tackle away from having a potentially elite front seven, and the team added two quality candidates in Da’Ron Payne and Tim Settle in the draft. Both should help them address the issues they had against the run, and that will get them a chance to earn early playing time.

However, as is usually the case, additions to the roster will often mean that teams have to subtract at the same position later. The Redskins already got started on this by releasing Terrell McClain and A.J. Francis after the draft, and they will definitely need to cut a potential contributor on the defensive line when they pare down their roster.

As it stands, Payne and Settle seem like locks on the roster, while former first rounder Jonathan Allen, solid pass rusher Matt Ioannidis, and high-upside third year man Anthony Lanier figure to be the five players who will almost certainly make the team’s final roster. However, the team will probably carry six or maybe even seven linemen, but they have three candidates to fill those roles.

The trio of veterans on the bubble are Stacy McGee, Ziggy Hood, and Phil Taylor. All could have a potential role on the Redskins, and here’s a deep dive into how each might fit in on the team’s final roster.