Redskins should consider adding recently released CB Vernon Hargreaves

The Washington Redskins could use some young talent at corner. They should consider giving Vernon Hargreaves a shot to prove himself to close the 2019 season.

So far this season, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Washington Redskins defense has been their corner play. While Quinton Dunbar has played at a Pro Bowl level when healthy, the Redskins haven’t been able to find solid play from anybody else on the roster.

Josh Norman has been up-and-down this season, but for the most part, the veteran has been down and has gotten torched. Meanwhile, third-year players Fabian Moreau, who was expected to make the leap this year in a bigger role, has been abysmal at times and simply hasn’t looked like a quality starter at the NFL level.

Because of this poor play, the Redskins should consider targeting Vernon Hargreaves. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released him on Tuesday after he was benched in favor of Jamel Dean against the Arizona Cardinals.

Hargreaves, a former first-round pick, has had a rough go of it in four seasons in Tampa Bay. He only played in one game in 2018 and struggled with injuries the prior year as well. His play has been inconsistent and he has had issues in coverage, and that’s part of why the Buccaneers decided to release him.

But still, Hargreaves is a strong tackler and is just 24 years old. He could improve his play moving forward and really become a contributor at the NFL level. He also could be given a chance to play more at slot corner than he did with the Bucs — he was primarily used on the outside — and could also consider converting to safety if all else fails. He has the tackling skills needed to produce there. It’s just about whether or not he can succeed in coverage.

With the Redskins sitting at 1-8, they don’t have a lot to lose by taking a chance on a guy like Hargreaves. If they like what they see from him, they can bring him back for 2020 to compete for a spot in the secondary. If not, they can just part ways with him. But at this point in time, they should be willing to take a chance on any and all players with upside as they try to improve their team going forward.

Hargreaves probably isn’t the answer to the long-term question of who will start across from Dunbar. But it wouldn’t hurt to see if he can improve in Washington after a disappointing tenure in Tampa Bay.