Final Redskins 53-man roster projection before NFL roster cuts
Safety (5)
Landon Collins, Montae Nicholson, Deshazor Everett, Troy Apke, Jeremy Reaves
This position was once viewed as a potential weakness for the Redskins. But this preseason, a couple of the team’s depth players have stepped up to at least give their backups some more promise.
Collins and Nicholson look like a formidable starting unit while Everett has been a special teams ace for the squad over the course of the years. The questions came at the fourth safety position where former fourth-round pick Troy Apke was expected to face minimal competition for a roster spot.
Related Story. Jeremy Reaves making roster decisions at safety interesting. light
In the preseason, Jeremy Reaves has stepped up and proved that he can be a quality depth player at the NFL level. He played in two games for the Redskins last year and the 23-year-old has been a good all-around player for the ‘Skins during the preseason. He was a standout against the Ravens and that should do enough to get him a roster spot.
Carrying five safeties means going thinner at some other spots on the roster, but it’s hard to justify cutting a talented young player like Reaves. And given the strides that Apke has made and his special teams potential, parting with him wouldn’t make sense either.