Thomas Davis joins Redskins according to Instagram announcement
The Washington Redskins are continuing to add to their linebacker group in free agency. Thomas Davis has indicated that he is joining the Redskins in an Instagram post.
The Washington Redskins evidently have one major goal during free agency. Upgrade their linebacker corps.
The team is switching to a 4-3 defense and linebacker was one of their weakest positions on paper. They have some young players with talent, including Cole Holcomb and Shaun Dion Hamilton, but they don’t have players that are proven in the 4-3 scheme. So, they’ve been looking to add some veterans to help provide depth as a result.
The Redskins re-signed Jon Bostic on the first day of legal tampering. Earlier today, they agreed to a deal with Kevin Pierre-Louis. And now, it looks like they’re adding another linebacker in Thomas Davis.
The former Panthers and Chargers linebacker announced that he’d be joining the Redskins via an Instagram fan on Tuesday afternoon.
This move is a sensible one. Davis is 37, but he can be a good stopgap option at linebacker for the ‘Skins.
I actually identified Thomas as a candidate for the Redskins to sign upon his release from the Chargers earlier this week. Here’s what I said about him at that time.
"[Davis] has played 192 games in his career with 174 starts. He has been a staple in the 4-3 defenses he has been a part of and was a first-team All-Pro in 2015. He may not be the player he was that season, but he can still be an effective starter at one of the outside linebacker spots. And at the very least, he would be good depth.Davis also has a ton of experience playing in Ron Rivera‘s scheme. When Rivera was in Carolina, Davis was a starter for him from 2011 onward. In those years, Davis racked up three Pro Bowl nods, the All-Pro nod, 473 tackles, 17 sacks, 10 interceptions, 30 pass defenses, and 10 forced fumbles."
In addition to his playmaking skills, I noted his leadership skills as a reason that he could make sense for the ‘Skins.
"Davis is a really good veteran leader and would be a nice addition for the Washington locker room. They have a lot of young talent in the front seven, but it would be nice for them to have a seasoned veteran with a lot of experience to help guide them as they grow under Rivera. Davis, a 14-year veteran and well-respected man, would give them just that."
Davis will immediately have a chance to man one of the outside linebacker spots for the Redskins. He’ll be a great short-term starter and should help to teach Hamilton and Holcomb as they transition to the new defense.
Top three at positions of need for Redskins. dark. Next
There are some concerns with Davis. He is ancient (in NFL years) and has a history of knee concerns. But if he’s joining the fold on a short-term deal, this is a fine signing that won’t hamstring the team long-term. And if he can emerge as a defensive leader at the very least, he should pan out for Ron Rivera’s scheme.