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Breaking down the Redskins safety depth chart for 2019

By Ian Cummings

LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins makes an interception over wide receiver Amari Cooper #89 of the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at FedExField on September 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Strong safety Montae Nicholson #35 of the Washington Redskins makes an interception over wide receiver Amari Cooper #89 of the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at FedExField on September 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 30: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles dives after Deshazor Everett #22 of the Washington Redskins after an interception by Deshazor Everett during the first half at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 30: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles dives after Deshazor Everett #22 of the Washington Redskins after an interception by Deshazor Everett during the first half at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

Redskins 2019 backups

Troy Apke and Deshazor Everett

Deshazor Everett has been a steady constant in an unsteady safety room for the Redskins, and that steadiness will award him his third season as the team’s full-time backup and special teams ace.

Everett has been speculated, in the past, as a future starter, but he hasn’t showed the requisite upside on a basis frequent enough to be considered. He’s exactly what a backup should be: a player who can step in on a moment’s notice with experience and modest athletic ability. Now at 27 years old, Everett has been a mainstay in the safety room, and he provides this group with the most team experience.

Troy Apke doesn’t have nearly as much experience as Everett, but he possesses physical upside that will give him artificial job security, as long as he doesn’t significantly regress in training camp. Apke, standing at 6-foot-1, 200, ran a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash last offseason, and he also logged very impressive numbers in other movement drills as well, including a 4.03 20-yard shuttle, a 6.56 3-cone time, and a 41-inch vertical.

Of course, for Apke, the numbers constitute where the story starts and ends. In college, he didn’t produce nearly as much as his athletic numbers would indicate, and he displayed a concerning lack of instincts and angle awareness as a safety. Apke is the definition of a workout warrior, who upped his draft stock tremendously with his combine numbers. For now, he’s still unfiltered, untapped potential. But until he develops mentally, his explosive athletic traits won’t contribute much, other than in special teams.

But for the sake of his development, the No. 4 spot is Apke’s to lose. Let’s not mince words here; he has exciting athletic potential, and the experiment shouldn’t be cut short after just one uneventful season. But some players have the instincts to play safety, and others don’t. Apke might not be a quick enough on-field processor to reach his upside. But even so, players of his mold find steady roles in the NFL, whether as spot-starting backups or as perennial special teams contributors.

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