For Redskins, the appropriate time to bank on a young secondary is now
By Ian Cummings
Solid coaching
We’ll close it out with the most obvious factor in the equation: Torrian Gray is the Redskins defensive backs coach, and he’s very good at what he does.
To see Gray’s work up close, look no further than the young defensive backs that are the very sources of worry. Quinton Dunbar was once an undrafted free agent receiver. Now he’s an ascending NFL cornerback with a clear lane to become a starter in 2018. Montae Nicholson was a fourth-round pick with below-average college game tape. Torrian Gray quickly took his traits and molded him into an effective, rangy center fielder.
Having traits only gets a player so far; it takes a good position coach to help players hone their traits and use them to the best of their abilities. Otherwise, projects go unfinished, and even unrealized. Torrian Gray has proven that he can generate results out of raw traits. Thus, the Redskins’ secondary shouldn’t be a source of uneasiness. Many of the team’s young defensive backs have plus traits. With Torrian Gray, they’re in very good hands.
Next: Redskins Training Camp Profile: Pernell McPhee
The Redskins’ secondary is the weakest position group on the team, but it has the potential to be one of the strongest by year’s end. In this sense, the Redskins’ secondary is not unlike the unified body it belongs to. The Redskins, as a team, are unproven. But if a few things go their way in 2018, they can be a playoff team.