Five Redskins to watch in NFL Week 1 season opener vs. Eagles

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ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 22: Linebacker Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Redskins reacts after a sack in the first half of an NFL preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

5. EDGE Montez Sweat

Technically speaking, Sweat isn’t going to be the starter at the edge position right away. The team has Ryan Anderson listed as the starter, and that makes sense. Anderson has more NFL experience and is a terrific run stopper. So, the Redskins are opting to have him play across from Ryan Kerrigan to begin the season.

That said, Sweat should still see significant action. The long, athletic rookie will rotate in for Anderson on occasion and thanks to his long, athletic frame, he should be a strong pass rushing specialist for Washington.

Sweat is a well-rounded player, but it will be interesting to see how the rookie is able to fair against a seasoned NFL veteran like Jason Peters at left tackle. Peters has had some injury issues over the course of the past few years, but he’s still about as steady as they come. And he will use his technique to try and limit the talented rookie.

This game will tell fans a lot about Sweat’s upside and how the Redskins plan to use him. It will be intriguing to see if they opt to use him and Anderson equally or if they favor one over the other. Sweat should have a chance to make some plays if he doesn’t get a lot of attention, so we’ll have to see if he can get his first career sack in this contest.

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