Redskins: Five pleasant surprises halfway through the 2019 season
By Ian Cummings
No. 5 – Landon Collins making the money somewhat worth it
Admit it. When the Redskins signed Landon Collins to a six-year blockbuster deal, you had this feeling in the pit of your stomach. A premonition, that he was going to massively undercut expectations, much like past free agent busts such as Adam Archuleta and Albert Haynesworth.
The Redskins followed the same blueprint for the Collins signing: Make a big splash and get a young defender who’s had previous success. The six-year, $84 million contract seemed too hefty to some, however, seeing as Collins was labeled as primarily a box safety.
That said, despite the defense’s early struggles and continued inconsistency, Collins has generally been solid, and at times, he’s showcased his playmaking presence. Through eight games, he’s on pace for a career-high 140 total tackles, and in addition to that, he has two pass deflections, a sack, and a forced fumble.
Collins hasn’t been perfect; he’s clearly not as dynamic as other safeties across the league, and all that money won’t lead to any meaningful victories in 2019. But Collins can cover ground quickly, and on a defense that struggles too often with tackling, he provides a nice change of pace. Yes, this surprise is a bit underwhelming. But for the Redskins, any high-profile free agent acquisition even remotely panning out is a plus.