Riggo's Rag
FanSided

It’s time for the Redskins to sign Preston Smith before he gets too expensive

By Tim Payne

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 15: Linebacker Preston Smith #94 of the Washington Redskins waits to be introduced before playing the New Orleans Saints at FedExField on November 15, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 15: Linebacker Preston Smith #94 of the Washington Redskins waits to be introduced before playing the New Orleans Saints at FedExField on November 15, 2015 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 17: Outside Linebacker Preston Smith #94 of the Washington Redskins recovers a fumble in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field on December 17, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 17: Outside Linebacker Preston Smith #94 of the Washington Redskins recovers a fumble in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field on December 17, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The Redskins should bet on their coaches, Smith, and the rest of the team by signing him before this season gets started.

Most sane Redskins fans expect an improved D-Line this year (between getting full years out of Jon Allen and Matt Ioannidis and adding Daron Payne and Tim Settle). If that comes to fruition, we could fully expect a significant uptick in production from Preston Smith. Good teams get deals done in anticipation of putting players in position for a career year. They don’t wait to get into the bidding war after the player “pops”.

According to OverTheCap.com, Washington still has over $13M in cap space for 2019. This means they could sign Smith and retain the flexibility they’ll need to pursue extensions for Crowder, Scherff, and others. Smith should be their priority because his value has the most likelihood to jump if things go according to plan for the Redskins this year.

Before Smith has a chance to impress in camp and the preseason, the Redskins should lock him up long-term to a deal that won’t seem expensive this time next year.

Next: Top 30 players in Redskins franchise history

Book it. If they don’t extend him before October, they will regret it. The reality is, they can’t afford any more of these kinds of regrets.

Home/Commanders News