For Redskins, the appropriate time to bank on a young secondary is now
By Ian Cummings
The Redskins’ secondary has a considerable amount of upside. But until the 2018 season, it’s upside, and nothing more.
After losing two starting cornerbacks in the offseason of 2018, the Washington Redskins‘ secondary is arguably their weakest, or least proven, position on the roster.
Josh Norman and D.J. Swearinger provide some security on the third level, but the rest of the unit is rife with uncertainty. Quinton Dunbar is in line to start his first season at cornerback opposite Josh Norman, and Fabian Moreau, last year’s third-round pick, will compete for the same job. Orlando Scandrick provides some depth, but aside from the presence of the longtime veteran, the Redskins’ cornerback group is flush with young, unproven players.
A similar statement can be applied to the team’s safety position. Montae Nicholson, the assumed starter at free safety, and a promising young player, has less than half a season of experience and battled injuries in 2017. Behind him, Deshazor Everett, Fish Smithson, and Troy Apke litter the ranks. Promising traits can be found all across the group, but assurances aren’t as easy to come by.
The Redskins will have to bank on their young secondary in 2018. There will be no avoiding it. But having unproven youth isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The circumstances offer the Redskins’ young players a chance to prove themselves. And 2018 is the perfect time to put them to the test, for a number of reasons.