Washington Football Team signs Charles Leno Jr. to one-year deal

The Washington Football Team continues to beef up its offensive line in 2021. Today is no different.

The Washington Football Team was pleasantly surprised by the play of Cornelius Lucas at left tackle in 2020, but you wouldn’t know that, judging from their moves in the 2021 offseason.

The Washington Football Team stuck with Lucas as the presumptive starter through free agency, but in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, they drafted Texas offensive tackle Samuel Cosmi. Then it was recently reported that Washington had interest in signing Charles Leno Jr., who was released by Chicago earlier in the year.

Earlier today, it was confirmed that the Washington Football Team officially came to an agreement with Leno. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Washington signed Leno to a one-year deal worth $5 million.

Leno, who turns 30 years old this upcoming October, was a long-time starter at left tackle for the Chicago Bears. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft, out of Boise State University. He played in six games his rookie year, and proceeded to not miss a game over the ensuing six years. From 2015 to 2020, he started 94 of a possible 102 games.

Leno hit his peak in 2018, when he made the Pro Bowl for the first and only time in his career. But recently, there were whispers that the Bears sought to upgrade at the tackle position. They appear to be set on replacing Leno with second-round rookie Teven Jenkins, and Leno himself is now a starting candidate for the Washington Football Team.

Leno brings experience, and he’s a decent athlete for his 6-foot-3, 307-pound frame. That said, it’s unclear how Leno factors into the team’s current situation, and it appears as though there will be plenty of competition in the trenches this summer. Lucas, Cosmi, and Leno all hold merit as potential starting options at left tackle.

At the very least, there’s depth, and that’s always a good thing to have on the line. And it’s not just at tackle now. Washington also has depth on the interior, with Wes Schweitzer, Ereck Flowers, and Saahdiq Charles all in play at the left guard spot across from Brandon Scherff.

Washington has entered a position where they won’t be forced to roster a below-average blocker. While there are still questions to answer regarding who starts, they’ve given themselves options with their recent moves.