The Washington Redskins agreed to a few contracts on the first day of legal tampering. Here are grades for each of them.
The first day of legal tampering in the NFL was wild. Even though Tom Brady didn’t land anywhere as of this writing, teams across the league were spending big bucks early and often. Many of the top players on the market have already agreed to deals including Byron Jones, Amari Cooper, Austin Hooper, Jack Conklin, and Arik Armstead, just to name a few.
Oh yeah, there were also some massive trades. DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals (seriously, is Bill O’Brien okay? Why does he keep making such horrific trades?) and Stefon Diggs was later moved to the Buffalo Bills. On the defensive side of the ball, DeForest Buckner landed with the Colts and got a massive payday.
The day started off relatively quietly for the Redskins. They lost Ereck Flowers to kick things off, as the Miami Dolphins outbid them for his services. Then a few players that the team had been tied to, including James Bradberry, came off the board. Fans were getting antsy, but the ‘Skins ultimately did make a few moves before the day ended.
Here’s a look at each of the moves the ‘Skins made and the grades the reported signings deserve.
OL Wes Schweitzer
Schweitzer was the first player that the Redskins agreed to terms with on Monday. And off the bat, he was met with a lukewarm reception.
Schweitzer was given a three-year deal worth $13.5 million. The former Atlanta Falcons guard has a solid amount of starting experience, 36 starts in the past three seasons, and he is expected to challenge for the starting left guard spot in the wake of Flowers signing with the Dolphins.
Though Schweitzer is experienced, he’s not exactly a great option. For $4.5 million a year, he’s fine as a serviceable starter and potentially solid depth option along the interior. But unless the 26-year-old can improve this upcoming season, he’s probably better served to be a backup player.
This isn’t a great value, but it’s also not a massive overpay either. In the NFL world, this is a fine deal that isn’t going to hurt the Redskins long-term. Could they have gotten Schweitzer cheaper? Maybe. Could they have targeted a better player? Also possible. But the Redskins don’t have a lot of offensive line depth, so adding Schweitzer is good from that standpoint.
At the end of the day, this move isn’t a good one. But it’s not a bad one. It’s just average, and Schweitzer is being paid at the going rate of a low-level starter. He’ll compete with Wes Martin for a starting job — the battle of the Wes’ — but even if he doesn’t win, his presence as depth should be solid.
Grade for Redskins signing Schweitzer: C
LB Jon Bostic
Bostic was a late addition to the Redskins roster at the beginning of 2019 training camp. He replaced Mason Foster as a veteran option for the team and he found a lot of success in Washington.
In his lone season with the ‘Skins, Bostic put together the most productive season of his career. He logged 105 tackles, an interception, and a sack in his role as a starting linebacker next to Cole Holcomb. Bostic was far better as a run stopper and downhill playmaker than he was in coverage, but he proved that he can still be a strong role player at the NFL level.
The Redskins rewarded the soon-to-be 29-year-old with a two-year deal worth $6 million total. That will bring him back and he will be the presumptive starter at the middle linebacker in their new 4-3 alignment, presumably next to Holcomb again and Shaun Dion Hamilton, unless Reuben Foster can somehow get healthy before the season.
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Bostic’s contract is about on-par with what solid role-playing linebackers make at the NFL level. It’s a slight raise from the $2.5 million he made last season and he’ll be paid a little less than what Patrick Onwuasor, another serviceable starter at linebacker, was paid last season. That’s a pretty solid deal for both sides.
By keeping Bostic, the Redskins are retaining depth at one of their weakest positions. They still need help at linebacker, but they could still be in position to add one of the top available players at the position even after adding Bostic. If they decide they want to spend up for Cory Littleton, they could do it.
Either way, the Bostic signing is a solid one. The only concern is that he’s a better fit for a 3-4 defense than a 4-3. But at this price, he’s only being paid like a depth player anyway. And if he can find success like he did last season, he could turn into a bargain for the ‘Skins.
Grade for Redskins signing Bostic: B
CB Kendall Fuller
Everything came full circle for Kendall Fuller. Or should I say, Fuller circle? (I am so sorry)
Fuller was drafted by the Redskins in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and quickly became a key role player for the ‘Skins. He manned the slot corner position for the team and proved to be solid for them. He was burned at times as a rookie, but he showed off skills that proved he would someday be a starter.
In 2017, Fuller played full-time in the slot as the pseudo-starter, though he only was credited with six starts. He was a ballhawk for the squad, grabbing a career-high four picks, and it looked like the team had their slot corner solution for the foreseeable future.
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But in January of 2017, Fuller was shipped away from Washington. He went to the Kansas City Chiefs along with a third-round pick in exchange for Alex Smith. At the time of his departure, few understood why the Redskins were willing to part with Fuller for a quarterback in his mid-30s.
In Kansas City, Fuller played well for the Chiefs. He grabbed two picks in 2018 and made a career-high 82 tackles. He was the best cornerback on their team. Last year, he helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl by combining with former Redskins teammate, Bashaud Breeland, and 2018 undrafted free agent Charvarius Ward to make an underrated corner trio.
Now, after his success in Kansas City, it’s time for Fuller to come home. He inked a four-year, $40 million deal to return to Washington and that price seems to be very fair. It’ll pay him as much as Logan Ryan, another solid slot-man, made last season. And given that Fuller just turned 25, he should continue to be a strong slot option (though he has the versatility needed to play outside).
All told, the Redskins paid a fair price for Fuller and he fills a big need for the team. He’ll be a long-term starter in the secondary with Landon Collins and shouldn’t regress any time soon. The Redskins added talent but avoided paying a premium for one of the more expensive corners on the market.