Washington Redskins Josh Harvey-Clemons starts at LB at OTAs

Zach Brown was unable to attend OTAs on Wednesday, as he was moving into the area. As a result, someone had to take his spot. That someone was, surprisingly, Josh Harvey-Clemons.

All developments in May usually come with an asterisk. After all, it’s May. It’s early. There are still three months before training camp officially starts, and preseason doesn’t start until late August. But now is the time of year where coaches work with the potential they have on the roster. From today’s events, among other things, we can gather that the Washington Redskins may have heightened confidence in one of their later-round picks from last year.

While the Washington Redskins initiated day two of organized team activities, Zach Brown, the team’s starting inside linebacker, was unable to attend. After having signed a long-term deal with the Washington Redskins, the linebacker, who spent 2015 and 2016 with the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills, decided to move into the area, taking up a more permanent residence. As a result, someone needed to take his place at OTAs.

The team went with Josh Harvey-Clemons at linebacker beside Mason Foster, and per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Washington Redskins kept Harvey-Clemons at that spot for the majority of practice. Here’s what Phillips had to say in an article recapping today’s events:

"Depth charts aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on this time of year, but can provide an interesting glimpse into what the coaches see, or hope  to see. With linebacker Zach Brown absent, the staff gave the second starting spot to Josh Harvey-Clemons, and are clearly hoping for big things in his second year."

Of all the players in the Washington Redskins’ linebacking core, Harvey-Clemons perhaps has the most upside. Shaun Dion Hamilton, as a young player, is more of a proven commodity; He showcased starting talent at Alabama when healthy. But Harvey-Clemons flashed for the Washington Redskins last year, and it appears as if they’re pleased with how he’s developing.

Harvey-Clemons, a former linebacker-safety hybrid who stands at 6-foot-4, 226, has the size, speed, and length to be a unique threat for the Washington Redskins to use at inside linebacker in their base 3-4 scheme. He made some plays in limited action last year, notching half a sack and a pass deflection in the last five weeks of the season. If Harvey-Clemons can realize his full potential, he could be a very good player.

Next: Analyzing the Redskins quarterback group

The Washington Redskins coaches seem to know this. Although Jay Gruden said in a press conference that the Washington Redskins’ linebacking core is in flux while Zach Brown is gone, they clearly wanted to get a look at Harvey-Clemons in the starting spot first, as opposed to starting off with Martrell Spaight, Zach Vigil, or Shaun Dion Hamilton. It’s still early, but at the very least, this subtle preference should be monitored. Zach Brown will be the starter once he’s back. But the Washington Redskins know they can make something special out of Harvey-Clemons. The seventh-round pick has the potential to blossom in due time.