Redskins waive Alex McCalister, sign edge rusher to replace him

Ahead of the Redskins’ first full-speed football clash of 2018, the team has made a roster move.

The Washington Redskins edge depth has had room for improvement all offseason. Behind presumed starters Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith, there is little security. Ryan Anderson is a complete unknown heading into his second year with the Redskins, and Pernell McPhee, for the high-quality veteran insurance he provides, has an injury history, and isn’t getting any younger.

There has been hope throughout the offseason that someone would step up and help the Redskins in that department. Recently, Pete Robertson has been getting recognition from coaches, but before training camp, a name that stood out as a possible sleeper was Alex McCalister.

McCalister was one of our Unheralded Players of 2018, as his physical traits looked tantalizing on paper. He was one of the top performers at the 2016 NFL Combine, and it was believed that if he could put it together, he could be a productive edge rusher in the NFL.

If he does break out, it won’t happen with the Redskins. McCalister was waived this morning, as the team’s official Twitter account announced. In his place, the Redskins signed edge rusher Cassanova McKinzy, who has a brief history with the burgundy and gold.

The loss of McCalister will be relatively inconsequential, as McCalister was at the bottom of the depth chart. But McKinzy doesn’t bring nearly as much upside. He tested poorly athletically, and his 6-foot-3, 257-pound frame isn’t as imposing as McCalister’s. He did produce on a modest scale in college, amassing 21.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in his final two years at Auburn University.

McKinzy was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He spent that offseason with the team before being cut late in August. The next offseason, the Rams took him in, and a similar result materialized. The Redskins signed McKinzy to a futures contract earlier this offseason, releasing him just after the conclusion of the NFL Draft. Now they’ve brought him back as a familiar face. He’s unlikely to stick around, however. McKinzy, in two years, has never spent more than two weeks on a team’s practice squad.

McCalister was a name to watch in the Redskins’ upcoming preseason game, but now, he won’t get a chance to show off his talents. Instead, McKinzy will take his place. As preseason plays out, more roster developments are sure to come to light. Stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag, as we’ll keep you in the loop with all the latest updates!