Backup Slot: CB Joshua Holsey
Joshua Holsey didn’t do a lot as a rookie. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t find a role in the secondary for the 2017 season.
Holsey has gotten a lot of praise during his time with the Redskins. Jay Gruden seems to love him. He presents himself as a smart individual who knows how to read defenses, and that’s part of why the coaching staff at Auburn thought of him as a coach on the field.
Thanks to Holsey’s intelligence and the fact that he got to spend a full year learning from Torrian Gray, he could be ready to make a bigger impact. That said, it seems more likely that he will be a backup than a starter at this point. He’s clearly behind Moreau on the depth chart and barring a decline from Scandrick, he’s probably behind the former Cowboy too.
Holsey’s best spot with this team, for the moment, is as a backup slot man. Holsey has a 5-foot-11 frame, good quickness, and an ability to read and react to opposing receivers very well. That will give him a chance to find success in the slot, and there’s a good chance that he could fight Moreau and Scandrick for playing time at the position. At the end of the day, it seems likely that he will find a way to earn some minor playing time on defense and continue to play a role on special teams.
Holsey probably won’t be active every week to start the season unless there’s an injury. But, he’s a talented young player who could have an impact on the Redskins secondary. Of course, he too will have to stay healthy which, to this point, hasn’t been a given for the Auburn product. Still, he has more than enough talent to make the roster as a backup.