Reviewing the Washington Football Team’s defense before the 2021 NFL Draft
By Jonathan Eig
Washington Football Team DBs
Kendall Fuller, CB (26)
Returned from KC to help solidify a shaky defensive backfield.
Best: Plays all over the field – outside, slot and safety, letting Jack Del Rio get very creative.
Worst: Gets stuck as a full-time free safety because the team fails to address this hole. Playing out of position, he is mediocre at best.
William Jackson III, CB, (28)
High-priority cornerback slated to replace the departed Ronald Darby.
Best: Darby played about 95 percent of the snaps for the Washington Football Team in 2020. Jackson matches that and his superior man skills free up the rest of the defense. He does not make the Pro Bowl, but his play allows for at least one other member of the secondary to make it.
Worst: He can’t shake the Cincinnati off of him.
Kamren Curl, S (22)
Biggest surprise from the 2020 draft class.
Best: Shows steady growth, taking over the strong safety spot, allowing the Washington Football Team to either move, or move on from, Landon Collins.
Worst: Forced to play out of position, Curl becomes the latest in the line of Meriweather and Swearinger who looked like they might be the answer at safety, only to fizzle.
Troy Apke, S (25)
Got a shot to be the starting free safety in 2020 and blew it.
Best: Sticks around as a quality special teams gunner and backup safety.
Worst: WFT picks three defensive backs in the draft and Apke is summarily released.
Danny Johnson, CB (25)
One of my personal favorites. Steady teams contributor.
Best: None of the return men they bring him to replace him take the job. He provides steady returns, solid gunner play, and even gets on the field for 20+ defensive snaps.
Worst: DeAndre Carter makes him expendable.
Cole Luke, CB, (25)
Another Carolina Panther who made his way to DC.
Best: Luke’s ability to play safety and corner earns him 100 snaps on defense in addition to his special teams role.
Worst: See Troy Apke, though Luke’s place is more secure.
Jimmy Moreland, CB (25)
Streaky slot corner showed a lot more consistency in his sophomore year.
Best: Ballhawk leads the team in interceptions with seven, including a pick-six.
Worst: Reverts to his streaky play and gets burned twice by Sterling Shepard in one more close loss to the Giants.
Jeremy Reaves, S (24)
Provided decent play as the fourth free safety to man the position in 2020. But mainly a special teamer.
Best: The next Deshazor Everett.
Worst: See Jared Norris above.
RESERVED LISTS
Landon Collins, S (27)
The target of some fans’ wrath before his injury in 2020, Collins did not have a good year. But he is still a young and talented player.
Best: Collins comes back full strength, Sitting out and watching gives him a little more perspective and allows him to cut down on the bad angles and missed tackles. He goes on to regain his starting strong safety job and thrives.
Worst: Kamren Curl establishes that his rookie year was no fluke and Collins becomes a very high-priced specialty player in his final year in DC.
Deshazor Everett, S (29)
Special teams star got a chance to play some defense in 2020 and was looking pretty good before his injury.
Best: Everett returns to his special team leadership role and becomes the new Matthew Slater.
Worst: More talented young guys arrive, pushing the six-year vet off the roster.
Darryl Roberts, CB (30)
Veteran depth added after the big-name free agents were signed.
Best: Roberts become the first corner off the bench in case of injury and against four and five wide packages.
Worst: At 30, Roberts may be starting to trend down a bit. There are spots to be won in the defensive backfield, but the Washington Football Team may look to go with younger guys, leaving Roberts on the outside looking in.
Greg Stroman, CB (25)
Fairly talented corner who just might not have a sturdy enough body for the NFL.
Best: Stroman stays healthy, becomes a valuable depth corner, and returns a few kicks.
Worst: Injury again sidelines him, and the team decides it’s time to move on.