Former Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger claimed by Arizona Cardinals on waivers

D.J. Swearinger was unceremoniously waived by the Redskins on Christmas Eve. By Christmas Day, he had a new job with the Arizona Cardinals.

D.J. Swearinger made some comments this weekend that were the final straws for Redskins management. After warning Swearinger not to speak out about teammates and coaches to the media, Swearinger put defensive coordinator Greg Manusky on blast for his late-game coaching against the Titans. And just a few days later, the Redskins elected to release him.

Some may not agree with the decision to part with Swearinger, but simply put, NFL coaching staffs and front offices don’t tolerate consistent insubordination, as it can poison a locker room. And that’s why the squad moved Swearinger in hopes of changing their defensive culture a bit. Again, not all may agree with that, but that is the explanation for why the team released Swearinger.

Of course, Swearinger wasn’t out of work long. The Pro Bowl alternate ended up being claimed by the Arizona Cardinals on waivers on Christmas Day. Swearinger had previously played for the Cardinals before signing with the Redskins, and that was really where he was able to resurrect his career after a rough start.

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In a year and a quarter with the Cardinals, Swearinger became one of the team’s starting safeties and racked up some solid stats, playing 20 games while recording 134 tackles, nine pass defenses, three picks, and two sacks. He became an all-around solid player, and he will likely have a chance to regain a starting job with the Cardinals.

The Cardinals currently are using the trio of Tre Boston, Budda Baker, and Antoine Bethea as their primary safeties. Swearinger’s arrival could allow the team to move Baker to a permanent nickel role or just create more rotation with their safeties to help out their weak No. 2 cornerback situation. Either way, Swearinger is a solid player who will be a good option for the Cardinals. He will allow some big plays and miss some tackles, but his playmaking ability will be on display for sure.

The one thing Redskins fans should be upset about this decision is that the team didn’t wait until the offseason to try and trade him. The team could have suspended him for the finale and tried to get anything for him during the offseason. With Swearinger on a reasonable deal, some team may have elected to give up a pick for him. Even if it was just a late rounder, that would be enough to justify keeping him around, as opposed to losing him for nothing. And given that the Cardinals had a high waiver priority, there was obviously at least some interest in Swearinger. But alas, that decision wasn’t made.

Losing Swearinger might not have as massive an impact as some might think, as the team will likely look to replace him in the 2019 offseason. Sure, it’s frustrating to lose a talented player for nothing, but Swearinger was becoming a distraction for the team. And for that reason, he needed a change of scenery and was unlikely to be on the team in 2019 anyway.

Hopefully, the Redskins will continue to purge players, coaches, and executives that continue to underperform or become distractions. If they don’t, then the Swearinger release will be for naught. We’ll soon know what direction this organization is heading in once the 2018 season comes to a close.