Riggo's Rag
FanSided

Redskins Depth Chart: Analyzing the team’s safety group

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree #15 of the Oakland Raider tires to match a catch over strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins in the third quarter at FedExField on September 4, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Wide receiver Michael Crabtree #15 of the Oakland Raider tires to match a catch over strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins in the third quarter at FedExField on September 4, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 of the Washington Redskins intercepts a pass thrown by quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 (not pictured) in the second quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 of the Washington Redskins intercepts a pass thrown by quarterback Brock Osweiler #17 (not pictured) in the second quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Starter: S D.J. Swearinger

Signing D.J. Swearinger as a free agent in the 2017 offseason was arguably the best move the Redskins made all year. Swearinger immediately established himself as a vocal team leader, and he was voted captain by his teammates in his first season.

In addition to his leadership ability, Swearinger did something that hadn’t been done in a long time. He locked down a starting spot at safety and played very well.

Swearinger was one of the few Redskins defensive starters to appear in all 16 games, and he put forth what was arguably his best season to date. He notched a career-high in tackles with 79 and also added a career-high four interceptions to his resume. And beyond the stats, Swearinger functioned as a strong, well-rounded player.

More from Riggo's Rag

As a tackler, Swearinger used his hard-hitting nature and very good strength to bring down his opponents. And in the passing game, Swearinger generally provided good coverage and ensured that the man he was responsible for didn’t get open. Sure, he did have a couple of coverage busts during the season, but they were infrequent. All around, Swearinger performed very well.

It’s also worth noting that Swearinger never really had an established partner to work with, but he handled the transitions between starters seamlessly. Before the season, he was supposed to work with Su’a Cravens. When that changed, he endured numerous different players as his complement, including Deshazor Everett, Montae Nicholson, and DeAngelo Hall. With an offseason to develop chemistry with his counterpart, he could get even better.

Swearinger is the top safety on the Redskins roster, at least for now. He’s just a very solid player who doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses. And best of all, he always gives full effort. He should continue in his role as a starter for the duration of his deal with Washington.

Home/Commanders News