Redskins superlatives: Best new addition, most underrated player, more
Most underrated player: C Chase Roullier
You could make a case for a couple of defensive linemen for this role. Matt Ioannidis definitely qualifies on a national scale, as the interior pass rusher has been a well-rounded contributor in Washington. He has posted 16 sacks the last two seasons despite playing behind Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. But Ioannidis won’t get the nod because Washington fans know how good he’s been.
Allen is the other defensive lineman that could’ve been the choice here. He has had a massive impact on the Redskins defensive line since being drafted in 2017. He was the first cog that helped to turn it into a strength and like Ioannidis, he is a very well-rounded contributor. He has been excellent against the run but also has 14 sacks in the past two seasons. Allen could be on the verge of a breakout as a result.
But I’m going to give the nod to Roullier here. Roullier has been the Redskins primary starter at center in each of the past two seasons. He also started half of the year in 2017 due to an injury to Spencer Long. And since taking over in that role, he has been rock-solid.
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In 2018, Roullier played every single one of the Redskins’ offensive snaps. And last season, he started 14 games in total and played 88.5 percent of the snaps. He’s not the best center in the league, but he’s a smart, strong player who can effectively make blocks at the next level.
During his three NFL seasons, Roullier has only committed six penalties and allowed four sacks in total. Given that he’s played without a full-strength Brandon Scherff on his right and several different quarterbacks for most of his time as a starter, that’s pretty impressive.
Roullier is entering a contract year and the 26-year-old should only get better moving forward. He’s not the team’s best offensive lineman, but he well may be the second-best in the wake of Morgan Moses‘ struggles. And in terms of consistency, he has certainly been undervalued to kick off his NFL career.