Breaking down the Redskins pending free agents for 2021
By Jonathan Eig
The New Guys
These are recently signed free agents who look to have a significant role this year
LB Kevin Pierre-Louis. I am excited about Pierre-Louis, and so is Jack Del Rio. I know this may sound off the wall, but he reminds me a bit of Monte Coleman. An aggressive athlete who bides his time year after year until someone realizes he can do more than just be a special teams maniac.
Pierre-Louis is on a one year contract here, and he is not projected to start. But I have a feeling he will crack the lineup at some point and will start to show why he deserves a long-term contract. Then it will be up to the Redskins to decide whether he gets one here or somewhere else.
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LB Thomas Davis. This section is called “The New Guys” and the next one will be called “The Old Guys.” Somehow, it seems like Davis, at 37, ought to be in the “Old Guys” section. He is new to the team but he is well known to Coach Rivera, who had him in Carolina when Davis was among the best outside LBs in the game.
Davis has remained productive for a long time, and is likely to step into a starting role this year. But ideally, he will transition out of that role for a player like Pierre-Louis, or Shaun Dion Hamilton – anyone with three names will suffice – and will become more of a mentor to a crop of young linebackers. Davis has defied his age before, but I suspect this is his final stop.
CB Ronald Darby. If he is healthy, Darby should line up opposite Kendall Fuller as a starting cornerback. But Darby has never played a 16-game season and has averaged 11 games over his five-year career. Another injury-plagued year could cost him dearly.
S Sean Davis. Like Darby, Davis is a local product. Until last year, he had been a steady presence on the back end for the Steelers. His shoulder injury in 2019 effectively ended his career in Pittsburgh, but he is only 26, and he has a good skill set to match Redskins strong safety Landon Collins. This should be a good year for Davis, and he should parlay it into a long-term deal, hopefully with the Redskins.