Report: Redskins claim linebacker Tanner Vallejo off waivers

The Washington Redskins have reportedly added depth to their linebacker corps by claiming Tanner Vallejo off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals.

The Redskins had one open spot remaining on their 53-man roster on Monday afternoon. Now, that spot is gone.

While some assumed the Redskins were leaving a spot open while they continued to evaluate the health of tight end Jordan Reed (concussion), the team elected to claim a player off waivers. And that player is linebacker Tanner Vallejo.

ESPN’s John Keim is reporting that the Redskins claimed Vallejo off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals.

The Redskins will be Vallejo’s fourth team since coming into the league as a sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2017. Vallejo also has played for the Cleveland Browns (2018) and spent this offseason with the Cardinals before being cut on September first. Now, he will get a chance to fight for a spot in Washington.

Claiming Vallejo makes sense. He has 28 games of NFL experience under his belt and recorded 27 tackles and a forced fumble for the Browns last season. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker will have a chance to provide some depth to the team’s linebacker corps which was thin when the 53-man roster was first announced.

Before adding Vallejo, the Redskins had four linebackers on their roster. They were Jon Bostic, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Josh Harvey-Clemons, and Cole Holcomb. That group has a lot of upside, but they lacked role-playing depth. Vallejo will provide them with that and will be a solid special teams piece (he had seven special teams tackles last year) while also serving as an early-downs option if they suffer any injuries in the linebacker corps.

With Vallejo in tow, the Redskins look like a more balanced roster, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. He may not see a lot of action for the team, but at least having him as depth to start the season should help them out.