Redskins: 5 most underappreciated players on the roster

4. S Montae Nicholson

After his rookie season in 2017, Nicholson seemed like a rising star at safety. Or, at the very least, he seemed like a good starter for a team that had lacked talent at the safety position.

However, in 2018, Nicholson had a bit of a sophomore slump. The ‘Skins, who had counted on Nicholson to hold down a starting role next to D.J. Swearinger, traded for Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ahead of the NFL trade deadline as a result and pushed Nicholson down to the third spot on the safety depth chart.

If that was supposed to serve as a wake-up call for Nicholson, it didn’t. He was arrested late in the season and the team suspended him for the final two games, capping off a wildly disappointing season for the Michigan State product.

But now, it seems that he may have one last chance to prove himself.

Nicholson is penciled in as the starter next to Landon Collins as the team didn’t address the safety position outside of targeting the former New York Giant in free agency. This will likely be the former fourth-round pick’s last chance to prove himself in Washington, and if he plays like he did as a rookie, he could have a bounce-back year.

Many are bemoaning the shape that the ‘Skins are in at safety outside of Collins. That’s understandable to an extent because of their lack of depth. But, Nicholson shouldn’t be slept on. If he can clean up the issues he had in ’18 and showcase the coverage and playmaking skills he had a bit as a rookie, that could help to solidify the back-end of the defense. It’s a big if, but the 23-year-old still has plenty of time to make things work.