Breaking down the Washington Redskins’ secondary for 2020

Redskins starters

Projected Starters: Kendall Fuller, Ronald Darby, Landon Collins, Sean Davis

Fuller and Darby are both local products (from Baltimore and Oxon Hill, respectively). The Redskins originally drafted Fuller in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he played well until he became the primary asset in the trade that brought QB Alex Smith to D.C. in 2018. After two years – and one Super Bowl – in Kansas City, Fuller returns to become the team’s lead cornerback – a position he probably would have earned had he not been traded.

Darby is an excellent talent who has suffered through several injuries in recent years. Blessed with elite speed, Darby played well for Philadelphia – when he could stay on the field. He missed multiple games in each of his three seasons with the Eagles. His ability to stay healthy, which is in question, will go a long way to determining how effective the secondary will be in 2020.

Collins is rock solid at strong safety. At 26, he is just entering his prime, and has the wealth of experience and talent to be a difference maker. Coverage skills are not his strength, but he is far from helpless when asked to take on tight ends or asked to drop deep. And he is a force against the run. Given the strength of the Redskins defensive line this year, Collins should be very effective in both run support and blitz packages.

Davis is a perfect complement to Collins. I wrote recently that the New York Giants selected safety Xavier McKinney in this year’s draft to pair with Jabrill Peppers, and that this strikes me as a risky move because both are stronger players close to the line. Such is not the case with Davis (another local product who went to the Maret School in D.C.). He is a classic free safety, with the speed to patrol the deep middle, and the size and strength to step up when needed. He should allow Collins to do what he does best near the line.