Redskins: 3 players the team could target with one-year, ‘prove it’ deals

The Redskins could still add at the safety position. They have some young pieces they could try to pair with Landon Collins on the back end, but their interest in retaining Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is telling that they could look for another veteran option.

Clinton-Dix’s loss will have a bigger impact than most except, as he was one of the matches on the free agent market that would pair well with Collins’ skill set. There are still some out there that make sense, and Eric Berry is one of them.

Berry was released by the Chiefs just after the league year officially began. At that time, I explored whether or not the Redskins going after Berry would make sense, and said the following of that possibility.

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"The past couple of seasons have been a rough go for Berry. He has only played in a total of four games, including the postseason, as Achilles and heel issues have plagued him. And when on the field, he clearly wasn’t 100 percent. Still, when healthy, Berry is one of the best safeties in the league. So, he should draw interest on a market that paid Earl Thomas $55 million over four years. Comparatively, Berry is similarly excellent in coverage, like Thomas, and they are both entering their 30s, but his health has been worse than Thomas’. So, he will likely command less on the open market and could get a one-year, “prove it” deal. The Redskins should certainly have an interest in getting Berry. Though they are displaying interest in bringing back Clinton-Dix, they may not be able to get the job done. He might simply be too costly if he has multiple suitors. If that ends up being the case, the ‘Skins will have to look for an alternative, and Berry could be the fit."

Berry’s concerns are well-documented, but if he can get back to being fully healthy, he should have a good chance to be one of the better starting safeties in the NFL. He would be a risk, but if the price is a one-year deal, why not take it?

Of course, the ‘Skins could opt to go for a younger player. A guy like Tre Boston would stand out, and it is curious as to why the talented defensive back has had to settle for cheap one-year deals in recent reasons. The team could also go after a guy like Deionte Thompson on Day 2 of the draft.