The Washington Football Team has already made three key signings in free agency.
They added Ryan Fitzpatrick to the fold to be their quarterback, William Jackson III to replace Ronald Darby at the cornerback spot, and Curtis Samuel to add a second Ohio State-based weapon to their receiver room.
They also added a couple of solid depth players to the team in linebacker David Mayo and Tyler Larsen. So, the team has done an excellent job in free agency.
That said, there are still free agents the Washington Football Team could sign.
They may not be looking to make any splash moves, but there is always a second wave of free agency where quality players sign bargain deals. There are plenty of players available that could fall into that category and that could interest Washington.
These guys probably won’t be the Kenny Golladays of the world, but often, quality starters sign on bargain deals later in the offseason — especially at a few key spots that the Washington Football Team still has a need at.
Here’s a look at three players that Washington could still consider on the free-agent market.
1. S Tre Boston
Yes, Tre Boston is another former Carolina Panther. Don’t groan. Boston actually fits exactly what Washington needs at the safety spot and should be a good fit for the team.
Over the course of his career, Boston has been a great ballhawk. He has 15 interceptions in seven seasons and 76 starts in 104 career games. The Panthers only released him this offseason because they have Jeremy Chinn available to serve as a hybrid safety/linebacker and they were using Boston more in the box.
While Boston had a career-high 95 tackles last year and can play closer to the line of scrimmage, he’s at his best as a ball-hawking centerfielder. With that role no longer available in Carolina, he’ll be looking to land somewhere else as a starter.
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Boston’s skill set fits exactly what Washington was missing the most last season. They tried Troy Apke at the safety spot. He’s athletic, but he didn’t pan out. Deshazor Everett and Jeremy Reaves were okay back there, but Washington could certainly use a better option with Everett and Reaves serving as excellent depth behind Landon Collins, Kam Curl, and Boston.
Coupling Boston’s range with Curl’s all-around ability and Collins’ skills as a downhill playmaker would be a recipe for success at safety. The group would have a lot of versatility, depth, and most importantly, instincts.
Boston probably can be had on a prove-it deal, and he last signed a three-year deal worth $18 million with the Panthers when Marty Hurney was the GM. Expect him to get less than $6 million annually and maybe even half of that. That would qualify as more than affordable for the WFT to add a potential starter.
2. LB K.J. Wright
There are still a few solid linebackers available on the free-agent market, but the two that stand out are K.J. Wright and Eric Wilson.
While Wilson is younger, Wright may provide exactly the strong, veteran presence that Washington needs on defense. And, oh yeah, he’s a pretty good player, too.
In a recent piece, I extolled the virtues of signing Wright and explain why the 31-year-old may be a nice get for the team — at the right price.
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"Wright is a superb tackler and a big hitter. He also has been strong in coverage throughout his career, but he has only gotten better in recent years. He has averaged two interceptions and 10.5 pass defenses per season the last two years after averaging 0.3 and 4.1 in those same categories in his previous eight years. Wright may be on the older side, but he’s still improving. He would be a perfect fit if Washington wants to invest heavily at the linebacker spot. And for those wondering whether or not Wright will be available, it is possible. He has said he won’t take a hometown discount to stay in Seattle."
That skill set certainly sounds nice, but what’s the cost? It’s worth wondering about, but so long as they’re not spending a crazy amount on Wright, he would be well worth it. Having him around to mentor Holcomb and whichever other linebackers the WFT adds in free agency and the draft would be a nice move.
Plus, he has experience as a Super Bowl winner on one of the best defenses of the last two decades. That could prove to be critical as Washington continues to build a stellar front.
3. OL Trai Turner
Turner was cut by the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason after missing seven games for the team and being at less than 100 percent at times as well. That said, he’s still just 28 years old and made five consecutive Pro Bowls before joining the Chargers.
Yes, the Pro Bowl isn’t always a great judge of talent, but in Turner’s case, it was. When he was on the Panthers, he was one of the most dominant blockers in the league. Last year was just a down year for him.
Perhaps he would want to try to revive his career in Washington. After all, offensive line coach John Matsko did a great job with the Washington line last year and previously did a lot to help Turner out. A reunion could serve him well. And in Washington, he could compete for a starting job.
Turner would have a chance to fight for the left guard spot on Washington’s line. He has mostly played right guard during his career, but if the team is confident that he can make the switch, he would battle Wes Schweitzer up front. Schweitzer was solid last year, but he would be even better in a superb reserve role. That would help Washington’s depth.
Besides, Rivera is a fan of competition anyway. So, if Turner wants a prove-it deal to revitalize his career, why not take a chance on him? And if he performs well enough, he could give Washington an insurance option in case Brandon Scherff doesn’t re-sign long-term with the team.
Any of these three options could start for Washington. They’d all be upgrades and may not cost too much. Now, we’ll see if they opt to do anything or if they’re content with the moves they’ve already made.