Redskins sign free agent corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is reportedly joining the Redskins. He would add veteran depth to their cornerback room.
Last offseason, the Washington Redskins brought in free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for a visit. They never ended up signing him, and instead opted to add Orlando Scandrick to be the veteran slot-man in their secondary. That experiment didn’t end well, as Scandrick was cut before the season started in favor of several other younger players.
Rodgers-Cromartie ended up signing with the Oakland Raiders and played half a season with them. In late October, he decided to retire, but he has since elected to return to the NFL for a 12th season. At age 32, he may still be able to serve as veteran depth and maybe hold down a slot job.
One of DRC’s first stops on his potential return tour comes with the Redskins, as NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay is reporting that Cromartie is visiting the team.
Dominique Rodgers Cromartie visiting Redskins today, per source. Veteran cornerback that team had interest in last season too.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) March 15, 2019
And just as quickly as the visit was reported, so was the signing, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
He’s back: FA CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is done with retirement and is signing a deal with the #Redskins, source said. He’ll play alongside his former #Giants teammate Landon Collins, too.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2019
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It’s not entirely surprising to see the ‘Skins target some veteran depth at corner. They obviously wanted Scandrick to serve in that role last year but felt he wasn’t good enough to keep over the other candidates on the roster. Perhaps Rodgers-Cromartie will have a chance to be better.
At the same time, it’s also important to note that the Redskins do have ample young talent at the corner position, so bringing in DRC could stunt their respective growths. Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson flashed at times when inserted into the lineup, and former third-round pick Fabian Moreau also looked good when on the field. It may be nice to have some extra depth, especially given Quinton Dunbar‘s leg issue that plagued him last year, but they shouldn’t look to overspend for Rodgers-Cromartie.
In all likelihood, Rodgers-Cromartie didn’t get a lot of money. He justs want a chance to earn a role with a team. The Redskins could easily afford him on a cheap deal and if they obviously think he could be a good fit as veteran slot depth.
Of course, the possibility remains that Rodgers-Cromartie could be asked to play safety. He didn’t want to do that when the Giants cut him last offseason, so that may be a long shot. But if he’s willing, having another veteran there could be interesting.
Rodgers-Cromartie’s presence could also allow one of the Redskins’ corners to convert to safety if the team wanted to go that route. Adonis Alexander played well at that position at times in college, so perhaps that will garner some consideration.
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Bringing in Rodgers-Cromartie is a solid acquisition. He will provide decent depth, versatility, and a veteran presence in the secondary. Provided that the contract is a short-term one, this should be a fine move by the squad.