Redskins: 5 best free agent fits still on the board late in the process
Jonathan Cooper is the only one of the Redskins’ internal free agents to make the list. Cooper showed well for the team in limited run last year, and bringing him back to compete as depth would be a good move.
Cooper was signed off the streets by the Redskins last year, yet he started four games for the team. And his first start came the week that he was signed. All things considered, he held his own and certainly wasn’t a downgrade from incumbent starter Shawn Lauvao. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn biceps against the Eagles and missed the rest of the season.
The injury to Cooper might be what’s keeping him from getting much traction on the free agent market. Biceps injuries are tough to recover from, so teams might be waiting to see how he looks until he’s fully healthy. That said, the Redskins could and should opt to try and bring him back on a cheap deal as depth before any other team gets involved.
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So far this offseason, the Redskins have only added Ereck Flowers to their offensive line. They are planning on moving him to guard, but they should invest in competition for him. That could come via the draft, but Cooper could also fill that role. Cooper would be, at the very least, a good interior backup and could man the guard or center slot. For that reason, the team should definitely consider him.
Also, adding Cooper wouldn’t prevent them from drafting other talented players to compete on the offensive line. The team could still add one or two linemen in the draft and have them push for the starting guard and swing tackle roles.
In short, adding Cooper would do a lot to shore up depth. And, it would give the team a backup center, something it lacks in the wake of Tony Bergstrom still being a free agent. So, re-signing Cooper would be a prudent and sensible move.