The Washington Redskins will have a few months to evaluate their 90-man roster and think about how they want to cut it down to 53 men. Here are some dark horses that could impress and make the roster.
Every year, there are players that qualify for 53-man rosters across the NFL that are surprises. Often, these are undrafted free agents or young players with a bit of NFL experience who are just looking for opportunities. But no matter what, dark horses emerge and capitalize on the chances they are offered.
The Redskins roster will be no different. In recent seasons, we have seen several players be given a shot to prove themselves in bigger roles. Guys like Deshazor Everett, Rob Kelley, Tyler Catalina, and Casey Dunn have made the 53-man roster with the former two operating as spot starters and top backups during their tenures with the squad.
Heading into the 2019 season, the Redskins have a lot of questions about the depth on their roster. After a couple of years in which they were devastated by injuries, it will be important for the team to stock up on quality depth that could have a chance to make an impact. Additionally, the team will search for upside-based guys that could develop well on the back end of the roster.
Not all of these dark horses will make the roster. In the end, only one or two might qualify. But here’s a look at a handful of sleepers that could make the ‘Skins’ 53-man roster for the 2019 season.
Honorable Mention: S JoJo McIntosh
The Redskins lost a key piece of their offense in the offseason. No, it wasn’t Jamison Crowder. It was Ty Nsekhe.
While Nsekhe didn’t get quite as much attention as Crowder, Preston Smith, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, he was one of the team’s biggest difference-making free agents this offseason. Nsekhe was one of the best swing tackles in the NFL and did a great job of filling in for Trent Williams over the course of the past few seasons. Nsekhe ended up signing with the Buffalo Bills, and now, the ‘Skins are a bit thin at tackle.
Former third-round pick Geron Christian will likely get the first crack at replacing Nsekhe as the primary swing tackle. Christian struggled immensely as a rookie in limited action, but he does have athletic upside. However, behind him, the team has little tackle depth and they will likely try to find someone to develop, as they did with Nsekhe.
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Jylan Ware could be a nice candidate to do just that. If you haven’t heard of Ware, it’s because he was literally signed yesterday by the ‘Skins. He joins the roster as a 6-7, 313-pound tackle with really good athletic ability. He was a seventh-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2017 and spent time on the Giants practice squad last season.
Ware played college ball at Alabama State, so he was raw coming into the NFL. That said, if Bill Callahan can work with Ware and refine his technique a bit, he could eventually emerge as quality depth at the position. And if he impresses enough in the offseason, Ware could lock down the fourth tackle role for the team.
Of course, it is worth noting that the ‘Skins have been moving on from tackles like crazy. They already parted with Chidi Okeke and Juwann Bushell-Beatty, two undrafted free agents they signed at the position, and they already cut the guy they replaced Okeke with, Adam Bisnowaty. It seems that they are looking for specific traits in a tackle, so they may just shuffle the roster until they can find a guy they like. But, perhaps Ware could end up being that guy.
The Redskins don’t necessarily have a need at the tight end position, but Jordan Reed is injury prone and Vernon Davis is aging. They may soon have a youth movement at the position, and they have a few intriguing options on the roster.
One of them is Matt Flanagan. The undrafted free agent from 2018 has been on the team (whether it be the 90-man roster, practice squad, or 53-man roster) since after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has had praise heaped on him by Chris Cooley, and he could end up being a solid blocking tight end with receiving upside.
Flanagan wasn’t much of a receiver in college, and he only got one target in his rookie season. He did catch it and turned it into 14 yards. He played in just three games after injuries struck at tight end, but he may have done enough to showcase his strong blocking ability. If the Redskins decide they want a primary blocking tight end, Flanagan could get consideration.
Flanagan’s path to a roster spot may be a bit difficult, as the ‘Skins probably will only keep three tight ends. That said, if they decide that they want to move on from Davis’ salary (he has a cap hit of about $6.3 million) they could have an opening at the position. And Flanagan would be one of the players competing for that spot.
The other main competitor here would be JP Holtz, who emerge as a quality TE/H-back last year in the preseason. If Davis is cut, either Flanagan or Holtz could get consideration for that role. But, for now, Flanagan would have to be considered the clubhouse leader, as the team kept him on the practice squad early last season over Holtz. Still, there’s no guarantee the team will even need another tight end.
Often, undrafted free agents are given chances on 53-man rosters if they impress in the preseason. This makes sense, as they are considered to be unknown commodities with upside. That’s exactly what Ryan Bee profiles as.
Bee went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, but he signed with the Redskins quickly after the draft concluded. Bee had a great collegiate career at Marshall, logging 18 total sacks are producing at least four in each of his four seasons, and could have a chance to become a well-rounded player at the NFL level.
I recently wrote about Bee in a Redskins UDFA Spotlight, and after watching him play, I really like a few aspects of his skill set.
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"If there’s one thing that Ryan Bee brings to the field, it’s effort and energy. When he is on the field, his motor is always going, and he never gives up on a play. Bee has solid technique as well. He plays with really good pad level and his hands are always active at the point of attack. His footwork is very good too, and that should certainly help him to get a leg up on the competition, as he will be able to win with his technique and length at the line of scrimmage. Speaking of his length, Bee has a great frame for the NFL level at 6-foot-7. He is only 280 pounds (more on that later) but he has excellent size and as many say, size cannot be taught. So, if Bee shows good technique with his big frame, that could give him a chance to impress and showcase the upside that he has."
The potential is there for Bee, and if he’s given a chance to work with Jim Tomsula, he could have a chance to become a contributor in the defensive line rotation. It will be hard to stash a talent like Bee on the practice squad if he finds success as a pass rusher in the preseason, so his best fit could be on the active roster.
The one thing that could block Bee from getting onto the roster is the glut of talent they already have on the interior defensive line. With Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Tim Settle, and Caleb Brantley already seemingly locked into the roster, Bee would have to convince the team to keep a sixth D-lineman.
It could happen, especially if Bee showcases his immense upside. But because of the challenges he may face, he only comes in third on the list despite being the team’s best undrafted free agent.
The undersized slot-man is starting to become popular in the NFL. Part of the reason for that? It works. If you have a guy that can make plays and take the top off a defense, having him on the field is a good thing.
T.J. Rahming would qualify as one of those players. Though he measures in at just a bit over 5-foot-8, he is coming off a solid, productive college career at Duke. He was Daniel Jones‘ No. 1 receiver and was one of the few players in that offense that didn’t let the signal caller down.
In his final season at Duke, Rahming caught 75 passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged 10.8 yards per catch, which was the second-lowest total of his career, but part of that was due to the fact that he saw a higher volume of targets in the offense last season. So, that impacted his numbers.
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Importantly, Rahming demonstrates 4.4 speed on tape, and his numbers back that up. He could become a playmaker at the NFL level, and if he was a bit taller, he probably would have been drafted.
The Redskins have a lot of question marks at the wide receiver position, and that could open the door for someone like Rahming to make the roster. Trey Quinn is set to play the slot, but he struggled with injuries as a rookie. If he gets banged up again, Rahming could have a chance to earn the backup role there. Either way, his smaller, speed-based skill set would complement the team’s other bigger, stronger receivers well.
The uncertainty at wide-out will give Rahming a good chance to emerge as this year’s top dark horse. If he can show value on special teams — he did average 6.2 yards per punt return during his career — he may have a chance to make the roster as the team’s fifth or sixth receiving option. Don’t sleep on Rahming just because of his diminutive stature.
In the wake of Reuben Foster‘s season-ending ACL tear, the Redskins have an opening at the linebacker position. They could end up carrying a fifth linebacker on the roster as a result, and if they do, Marquis Flowers would be a sensible option.
The Redskins signed Flowers at the very end of last season. He signed on Dec. 26 to help provide depth after a number of injuries devastated the ‘Skins defense. While he was just a depth signing, he does have upside.
Flowers had a great 2017 campaign as a rotational player with the Patriots. He had 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks playing at linebacker and occasionally as an edge rusher. He’s versatile, has a long, athletic frame, and is still just 27 years old. He could find a home in the Washington defense, especially if he can prove that he can play the edge.
Flowers is unlikely to usurp a role from one of the younger players on the Redskins roster long-term. But, he could provide the team with short-term stability and experience on the bench. While Mason Foster and the recently-signed Jon Bostic may get more attention as the veteran options in the linebacker corps, Flowers shouldn’t be counted out, especially because he has the ability to play the edge in a 3-4 defense.
If Flowers can perform well in the preseason, don’t be surprised to see him on the roster come September. Nothing is guaranteed, but Flowers has a chance at what should be a wide-open position battle.
Undrafted free agent BJ Blunt is another guy to watch at the hybrid linebacker position, but he may be better served as a practice squader to start his career.