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Redskins sign two players to complete their practice squad for 2018

By Jacob Camenker

BIRMINGHAM, AL - DECEMBER 23: Nic Shimonek #16 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders throws a pass against the South Florida Bulls in the first half of the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field on December 23, 2017 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, AL - DECEMBER 23: Nic Shimonek #16 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders throws a pass against the South Florida Bulls in the first half of the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field on December 23, 2017 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Redskins now have 10 players on their practice squad for the 2018 season. They filled the final two spots on Monday.

The busiest part of the NFL offseason is (mostly) over. After a few days of complete roster turmoil throughout the league, the rosters for most of the teams across the league are set. Of course, there will still be moves made throughout the season, but we won’t see another weekend like this past one, where thousands of transactions were made in just a few days.

After the dust settled, the Redskins 53-man roster was set. Since then, they have added a new player while surprisingly waiving another and announced eight of their practice squad members. On Monday, the final two practice squaders trickled in, and per Ben Standig of The Sports Capitol, those two players are QB Nic Shimonek and DL Caushaud Lyons.

Shimonek is the bigger name of the two because of the position he plays. He was the successor to Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, and he had a solid senior season. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for almost 4,000 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. However, he struggled later in the season which hurt his draft stock a bit. That’s why he went undrafted in 2018.

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Still, Shimonek has a 6-foot-3 frame, a solid arm, and good accuracy. Perhaps with some development, he could turn into a good NFL quarterback. He may never be a starter, but adding him as a developmental guy on the practice squad is a smart move.

And for those wondering, Shimonek is not better than Kevin Hogan. However, after the Broncos claimed Hogan on waivers, Shimonek fit the bill as a young backup with upside who could be stored on the practice squad. And thus, he was.

As for Lyons, he is certainly an interesting story. He played his college ball at Tusculum and finished with 89 tackles and 8.5 sacks during his final season. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2015, but he never made the roster. Since then, Lyons has played for a whopping eight teams, and the Redskins will be his ninth. Considering how many chances Lyons has gotten, teams have to like something about this 6-foot-5 defensive line prospect.

Next. 25 Redskins bold predictions for 2018. dark

The practice squad is bound to change throughout the season as players get called up to the active roster due to injuries, and as teams need depth at other positions. For now, the Redskins have a decent looking group and have a few guys who they can be comfortable with adding to the active roster during the season. It will be interesting to see who their first call-up may be for 2018.

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