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Redskins vs. Ravens: 5 position battles to watch in preseason finale

By Ian Cummings

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 21: Cam Sims #17 of the Alabama Crimson Tide fails to pull in this reception against Rashaan Gaulden #7 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 21: Cam Sims #17 of the Alabama Crimson Tide fails to pull in this reception against Rashaan Gaulden #7 of the Tennessee Volunteers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 9 : Fish Smithson #37 of the Washington Redskins and Troy Apke #30 celebrate during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 9 : Fish Smithson #37 of the Washington Redskins and Troy Apke #30 celebrate during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

No. 4 – Safety

This battle might already be concluded. But as long as there are still snaps to give, no one is safe.

Deshazor Everett and Troy Apke appear to be the third and fourth safeties on the roster, and there’s no reason anyone else should be in their places right now.

Everett is a known quantity as a solid special teams player, something that teams still need, even with the modified kickoff rules. He’s only average when asked to play on defense, but his experience is something all other options behind him lack.

Troy Apke, meanwhile, has flashed some of his breakneck speed that got him drafted by the Redskins in Round 4 of the 2018 NFL Draft. He’s been rather inconsistent this preseason; he has trouble controlling his speed, and his tackling, as a result, has been spotty. But no one should have expected anything different from Apke at this point. He’s a project, and a project that has the potential for bountiful returns. No smart team would cut the cord this early, especially when nothing more than a backup spot is at stake.

Still, with the No. 3 and No. 4 spots locked up, there’s a chance, albeit a small one, that the Redskins keep five safeties. Why? Because the two players behind Everett and Apke are surprisingly adequate in their own right. Kenny Ladler has shined so far in preseason, and he could be kept as a solid special teamer, at the very least. Second-year undrafted free agent Fish Smithson hasn’t stood out nearly enough to earn a spot, but a solid performance in Week 4, much like his outing against the Bengals last August, could change his fate.

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