Washington Football Team has reportedly checked in with LB Nicholas Morrow
The Washington Football Team lost linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis early in the legal tampering period. Pierre-Louis agreed to a two-year deal worth $8 million with the Houston Texans, a team that has prioritized signing coverage linebackers this offseason.
With Pierre-Louis now gone, Washington has a hole to fill in their starting lineup. Frankly, they need more than just one linebacker to fully upgrade their defense, but most importantly, they need a player who can do well in coverage as Pierre-Louis did.
That’s why Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nicholas Morrow is a sensible target for them. As Ben Standig of The Athletic reported on Tuesday, Washington has “checked in” with Morrow, among other linebackers.
Washington continues to explore linebacker options in free agency. At least 2 more needed after losing Kevin Pierre-Louis. Among those they've checked in with, Raiders LB Nicholas Morrow. The 4-year ascending vet started 11 games last season. Played for Jack Del Rio in Oakland.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 16, 2021
Morrow started 11 of 14 games that he played for the Raiders last year and set career-high marks in tackles (78), sacks (three), and pass defenses (nine). He was at his best in coverage in the 25-year-old has good athletic ability.
Why Nicholas Morrow fits with the Washington Football Team
Morrow could be a diamond-in-the-rough type like Pierre-Louis was for Washington last year. Nobody has paid much attention to the Raiders defense because it hasn’t been good, but Morrow certainly wasn’t the problem there. He added speed and quality instincts to the unit.
And Washington should know about that. Jack Del Rio was Morrow’s head coach during his rookie year, so he is familiar with the undrafted free agent from Greenville (Illinois). If Washington’s current defensive coordinator liked what he saw enough from Morrow to start him in five games as a rookie, perhaps he’d like to have him now as part of a young, up-and-coming defense.
We’ll soon see if Washington actually has an interest in Morrow, but he would certainly be a good fit for the team. He could replace Pierre-Louis and while he might be a bit more expensive, he is a good deal younger than the former WFTer and has more upside.
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Hopefully, if the team is truly interested in acquiring Morrow, they will be able to sign him in the coming days. If not, they’ll have to turn their attention to other linebackers on the market.