Washington Redskins: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

Excellence is often too tall of a demand for a free agent acquisition. In its place, competence is a much more tempered expectation. Many competent pieces, put in the right place, can make an excellent team. Although the Redskins never quite got that far from 2005 to 2010, they had some very competent pieces to show for their progress.

Casey Rabach was the competent piece the Redskins needed to solidify their offensive line in 2005, but even he was somewhat of an unknown at the time. Released to the free agent market after just three healthy seasons with the team that drafted him, Rabach was regarded as a starting quality center, but not much else after that.

Sometimes, free agents exceed the expectations placed upon them. Rabach didn’t do that; for the Redskins, he was a competent starting center, and not much else after that.

But there is a certain value in, at the very least, fulfilling that kind of expectation. Rabach gave the Redskins little to worry about at center, week in and week out.

Over six years as the starting center for the Redskins, Rabach appeared in 95 games, starting all of them. In six years, he only missed one game, with his track record serving as a testament to his durability.

Rabach’s success would ultimately hurt the team; the Redskins signed Rabach to a three-year extension worth over $12 million in 2010, when Rabach was 33 years old. He’d be released in July of 2011, giving the Redskins more dead cap to deal with.

But that is of no fault to Rabach. He earned his keep with his extended competence, and his example is now the mold the Redskins hope to fill at center with upstart sixth-rounder Chase Roullier.