With the first wave of free agency in the rear view mirror, the Redskins will now look to acquire low-risk players.
The second wave of free agency isn’t as flashy as the first wave, but it serves a purpose almost as important. Teams with depth issues use this time of year to fill looming holes that might’ve opened up in the first wave, at a cheap cost. Early on, we’re seeing the Washington Redskins indulge in the secondary market.
At the tail end of the first wave of free agency, the Redskins lost veteran swing tackle Ty Nsekhe to the Buffalo Bills, and now their depth is extremely shoddy at tackle. Geron Christian is the team’s top returning depth tackle, but he has considerable development yet to undergo. Thus, the Redskins are surveying options to pair with him.
Per NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Redskins plan to host former Jaguars and Giants offensive tackle Ereck Flowers to a visit. Flowers was traded to the Jaguars midway through the 2018 season, and after the season, his contract was not renewed.
Former Jaguars’ and Giants’ OT Ereck Flowers is visiting the Redskins tonight, per source. Could rejoin former Giants’ teammate Landon Collins in Washington.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2019
Flowers, who turns 25 later this year, was drafted No. 9 overall by the New York Giants in the 2015 NFL Draft, notably four picks after the Redskins selected Brandon Scherff out of Iowa.
Flowers spent three and a half years with the Giants, starting 48 games over that span, before he finished the 2018 season with the Jaguars, starting seven games as their left tackle. He was not moved to guard, but one shouldn’t rule out the possibility of such an experiment in D.C., as the Redskins have a need both at tackle and on the interior.
Flowers’ career hasn’t panned out how many had hoped it would. Per Pro Football Focus, in 59 games over his career, he’s allowed 212 total pressures, averaging over four pressures allowed per game. With the Jaguars he allowed 27 pressures over a seven-game span, further displaying his lack of development since entering the league.
That said, Flowers could be a low-risk signing for the Redskins. He’s 6-foot-6, 330, and he logged 37 bench reps at the NFL Combine so many years ago. He won’t be asked to start, but to instead simply provide depth and modest upside. Bill Callahan’s track record developing linemen isn’t stellar, but at this point, the Redskins simply need to add players at tackle, and in Flowers, they’d get a former first-round pick with starting experience. It’s a deal with fairly few downsides, and that’s why it could get done in the near future.