Redskins reportedly interested in free-agent cornerback Desmond Trufant

Desmond Trufant was released by the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week. The Washington Redskins are reportedly among the teams interested in his services.

The Washington Redskins made a move to bolster their secondary early in free agency when they brought Kendall Fuller back into the fold. The former third-round pick of the Redskins was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs as a part of the Alex Smith deal and spent two years with the Chiefs before agreeing to a four-year, $40 million contract with the Redskins.

Despite that move, it appears that the Redskins aren’t done adding talent to the secondary. And they may have another target in mind in free agency.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant is “drawing interest” from the Redskins, among others. Fowler reported the rumors on Twitter.

Trufant could be an interesting target for the Redskins. He was a strong No. 1 corner for the Falcons for years after being a first-round pick in the notoriously weak 2013 NFL Draft class and was a ballhawking force for the team.

Trufant has still been a ballhawk in recent years. He had four interceptions despite playing in just nine games last year and being targeted 34 times. But he also allowed 17 yards per reception and a passer rating above 100 in 2019. He hasn’t been perfect, but he is still a quality starter on the outside.

Were the Redskins to target Trufant, he would be a nice complement to Quinton Dunbar in their defense. The duo could serve as 1A and 1B options at corner with Fuller serving as an elite slot-man who could play outside or as a free safety if needed as well. The Redskins would add depth to what looked like one of their weakest position groups heading into the offseason and it would ensure that the secondary should have a chance to hold up.

Ron Rivera is familiar with Trufant given that he played against Trufant’s Falcons twice a year for each of the past seven years. He may best know how to utilize Trufant and probably has a rock-solid understanding of his strengths, weaknesses, and how he’d fit the Redskins defense.

If Trufant comes cheap enough, he could be a nice fit for the ‘Skins. He will turn 30 in September, but he should have a couple of solid seasons left in the tank. The team shouldn’t sign him expecting to get a long-term starting option on the outside. But if they ink him to a shorter-term deal and make him their No. 2 corner this season, that could pay dividends for the team and would surely be better than what they had at the position last season.

We’ll see if the Redskins end up getting Trufant or if another team outbids them for his services. But either way, them being interested in the former Falcons does make sense.