Washington Football Team: A wish list of free agent linebackers
By Jonathan Eig
Three good free-agent fits at middle linebacker
There are at least three available players who could solidify the middle linebacker spot. Of them, the one I would like the most may be the hardest to acquire.
Denver’s Alexander Johnson has had a bumpy ride on his way to the NFL. During his senior year at Tennessee, Johnson was charged with sexual assault. That ended his college career and left him in legal limbo for more than three years. He was eventually acquitted of the charges and signed with the Broncos in 2018. Since then, his rise on the football field has been remarkable.
At 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, he is an imposing middle linebacker who has improved steadily in just two seasons. Johnson is a restricted free agent, which gives Denver leverage in retaining him, and it appears they intend to do so. But if he is available, Johnson would be quite a force playing behind Washington’s stout defensive front.
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If Johnson proves un-signable, the Chargers’ Denzel Perryman could be a decent fallback. Perryman just turned 28 and played very well toward the end of the 2020 season. He is not expected to re-sign with the Chargers and could fill a void for Washington.
Finally, Detroit’s Jarrad Davis might be the ideal reclamation project for Jack Del Rio and linebackers coach Steve Russ. Davis is a former first-round draft pick who seemed to be progressing – albeit a little slowly – for the Lions until a nagging ankle injury sabotaged his 2019 season. At that point, he was considered one of coach Matt Patricia’s many busts. But he was much better this season, and at 26, he could be ripe for a breakthrough.
Each of the three is more of a natural MIKE than is Bostic.