Redskins should consider signing Anthony Davis as tackle competition

The Washington Redskins have been shuffling a lot of players at the tackle position this offseason. They should consider signing the recently unretired Anthony Davis to provide competition at tackle.

Right now, the Redskins depth at the tackle position is spotty. They lost Ty Nsekhe to the Bills in free agency, and that will be a bigger loss than many are anticipating. Nsekhe was one of the league’s better swing tackles and was excellent insurance to both Trent Williams and Morgan Moses.

With Nsekhe gone, 2018 third-round pick Geron Christian is likely to step into the role as a top swing tackle. Christian struggled immensely in limited action as a rookie and while he could improve thanks to his athletic profile, trusting him without another proven option on the 90-man roster could be risky. The team does have Ereck Flowers, but he has been woeful as a tackle to start his NFL career and is likely going to move to the inside.

So far this offseason, the ‘Skins have tried out a lot of different tackles. Undrafted free agents Chidi Okeke and Juwann Bushell-Beatty were signed after the draft, but both have been released since. Adam Bisnowaty, a former sixth-round pick by the Giants, also was briefly on the roster. And most recently, the team added the highly-athletic Jylan Ware to the roster along with undrafted free agent Brian Wallace. Needless to say, the team is doing everything they can to find a fourth tackle and maybe a player with developmental upside.

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That said, if the team truly wants to replace Nsekhe, it would behoove them to target a veteran option. While the free agent market has mostly been cleared of proven options, an intriguing player has just become available. Anthony Davis.

No, not that Anthony Davis. This one spent his whole career with the San Francisco 49ers and just recently announced that he would be returning to the league for the third time.

Davis started every game for the 49ers for four seasons after being the 11th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Rutgers product became a more-than-solid right tackle for the team and helped build part of the offensive line that led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013.

However, since 2014, Davis has appeared in only eight NFL games. He played in seven games in 2014 before taking a year off in the 2015 season to “allow his brain and body a chance to heal.” He did return briefly in 2016, but he opted to retire shortly into the season. At that time, he wasn’t a starter for San Francisco.

Still, despite the concerns about his repeated retirements and the fact that he hasn’t played in the league since ’16, Davis is only 29 and was once a solid starter at the tackle position. Adding him for the offseason and giving him a chance to prove himself would be a smart move for the Redskins. If he doesn’t work out, they can move on from him easily. But if he does, he could seamlessly fill in for Nsekhe and become one of the league’s better swing tackles.

When the Redskins signed Nsekhe, he was 29 and that turned out to be a good investment. Davis has similar upside. If he comes in with his 6-5, 323-pound frame and is in good shape, he could win a role on the team. And while he may be rusty at the start, he will also be well-rested. The fresh legs could do wonders for him and help him regain a spot in the league.

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The ‘Skins may not opt to target Davis, but they should at least consider it. Davis should generate interest among a smattering of teams across the NFL, and we’ll soon see if Washington ends up being one of them.

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