Redskins should put in waiver claim for recently released tackle Desmond Harrison
The Washington Redskins suddenly have a lot of uncertainty at the tackle position. The Cleveland Browns just released a high-upside player that the team should try to claim.
The Washington Redskins have issues at the tackle position. Trent Williams is holding out and the team has little depth behind him. This storyline will likely become one of the most important of the offseason for the team, and they may be on the lookout for some new tackle depth.
Fortunately, a player with upside recently hit the waiver wire, so perhaps the Redskins could target him.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Browns released left tackle, Desmond Harrison.
The #Browns informed former starting LT Desmond Harrison yesterday they were releasing him. My understanding is, he starting missing or being late to responsibilities. A player with a ton of talent who’ll now go on waivers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 5, 2019
Of course, it is notable that Harrison reportedly was showing up late, or not at all, to important responsibilities. That’s a major negative, but perhaps his release will be a wake-up call for him.
Harrison was an undrafted free agent that played his college ball at both Texas and West Georgia. He had a tough time staying on the field at Texas due to suspensions, but he seemingly rebounded from that at West Georgia, where he was solid and demonstrated his upside thanks to his well-built 6-6, 295-pound frame.
Harrison started eight games for the Browns as an undrafted rookie, but he struggled at times in that action, allowing two sacks but committing an absurd 11 penalties. He was benched after Hue Jackson was fired and Gregg Williams took over as head coach.
While Harrison’s track record of performance on the field and reports of his attitude off the field may be troublesome, the fact is that he still has upside. And that’s something that the Redskins sorely need at tackle right now.
As mentioned earlier, Williams is holding out from minicamp, and it may not be about a contract after all. For that reason, the team has to be prepared to lose him even though they’re really not. Geron Christian would step into the starting role — a big risk given how he looked in limited action as a rookie — but they have no depth behind him. In fact, they have cycled through six different players at the tackle position in the past week, so that’s a major concern for the squad.
Next. Trent Williams holdout puts Redskins in tough spot. dark
Harrison may not pan out, but the ‘Skins can afford to take a chance on him. He’s still just 25 and has starting experience and upside. If they claim him and he craters, they can just cut their losses. At the very least, he would offer the team upside, so they must consider putting in a claim for him.