Washington Football: Could WFT find room for KJ Wright?

The Washington Football Team‘s defense could ascend to the best in the NFL this year.

With arguably the most stacked defensive line in the league — WFT fans would certainly push back at anyone who claims otherwise — a revamped secondary following the addition of corner William Jackson in free agency and Landon Collins reportedly looking like a player reborn at training camp following Achilles surgery, fans are setting high expectations.

Having said that, however, if there’s one position group capable of preventing this loaded defensive unit from reaching its full potential, it’s the linebacker position.

While the selection of Jamin Davis in the first round of the draft should be a godsend for the linebacking corps, Jon Bostic and Cole Holcomb have their limitations.

Taking that into account, should the Football Team take a look at KJ Wright? The longtime Seahawk is still braving the free agent waters and has been taking visits.

Could the Football Team make room for free agent KJ Wright?

If the Football Team wants to strengthen its LB room before the preseason, Wright would be a perfect fit. For starters, the 32-year-old would bring a veteran voice to Washington’s largely inexperienced defensive core. Their DL is extremely young, and other than Bostic, no projected starter on that side of the ball is over 28 years old (Jackson will turn 29 in October).

Wright spent the last 10 seasons with the Seahawks, and he was every bit as essential to the renowned “Legion of Boom” era as the likes of cornerback Richard Sherman, safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, as well as LBs Bobby Wagner and Brandon Browner.

Other than Wagner, Wright has outlasted all of them, and it’s easy to see why. If not for an injury-shortened season three years ago, Wright would’ve posted 100 or more tackles in six straight seasons from 2014 to 2019. Despite being limited to just five games in 2018, the former Pro Bowler still ranks sixth in the league in combined tackles during that span.

You mean to tell us WFT couldn’t use a player like that? Even this past campaign when the Seahawks’ defense was bang average, Wright was as good as ever, recording 86 tackles and 10 passes defended while earning a 78.7 (!) coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.

A tackling savant and a LB capable of dropping back in coverage? Sign us up for that!

Luckily for Washington, Wright left Las Vegas without a contract, so he’ still available for the taking. However, with preseason starting up this week, the sand in the hour glass is running low, and the Football Team will have to strike soon if they want to snatch him up in time.

The best part? If a player lasts this long as a free agent, they usually end up signing a one-year prove-it deal. With the Football Team having over $17 million in cap space still lying around,  according to Spotrac, they have no excuse to not at least bring him in for a visit.

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