Redskins reportedly set to sign former AAF player Andrew Ankrah

The recent folding of the American Alliance of Football opened up a new market of players to the NFL, and now, it appears as if the Redskins are taking advantage of that.

The Washington Redskins still have plenty of spots to fill before their 90-man roster is packed to the brim. Of course, the 2019 NFL Draft, along with the undrafted free agent frenzy afterward, will contribute to that roster building. But for now, the Redskins have some flexibility.

With the recent folding of the AAF, the Redskins flexibility is serving a purpose. Many intriguing developmental players were released to the open market, and some have already signed with NFL teams. Rashad Ross was claimed by the Panthers recently, and former Orlando Apollos cornerback Keith Reaser was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now, per ESPN’s John Keim, the Redskins have entered the action. Although there haven’t been any signatures just yet, Keim says that the Redskins are closing in on signing former James Madison and Orlando Apollos defensive end Andrew Ankrah. Damond Talbot of NFL Draft Diamonds first reported the move.

Although there is confirmed interest, as Keim said, nothing is set in stone yet, so when and if Ankrah is officially signed by the Redskins, an update will be added at the bottom of this article.

Ankrah was a standout defender with the James Madison Dukes in college. In four years in the Colonial Athletic Conference, Ankrah logged 172 total tackles and 26.5 sacks, peaking in 2015, his sophomore season, when he logged 10.5 sacks. Two years later, he had another solid year, logging 8.5 sacks en route to earning Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Despite his efforts in college, Ankrah went undrafted, and when the Alliance of American Football started up, he joined the Orlando Apollos. There, he logged three sacks in eight games, proving himself as a reliable member of a solid defensive rotation.

Ankrah is a bit undersized as an edge rusher, measuring at around 6-foot-3, 240. He went undrafted because of his size and the questions surrounding the translatability of his game. That said, with his latest opportunity with the Redskins, he could prove to be a solid depth player. He used his opportunity in the AAF. Now, his next challenge is ahead.