3 low-profile free agents we’d like Washington to re-sign this offseason

When you think about offseason goals for the Washington Football Team, finding a quarterback — preferably a veteran that will immediately elevate the team’s ceiling as opposed to drafting a rookie — and signing star wide receiver Terry McLaurin to a long-term extension are right at the top of the list.

With Charles Leno’s future no longer hanging over their heads, Washington is also interested in re-signing fellow free agents JD McKissic and Bobby McCain after they impressed on team-friendly contracts.

While the front office is surely keen on making other moves, those are the only clearcut rumors available right now.

However, the offseason was made for speculation, so let’s go right ahead and highlight three under-the-radar players set to hit free agency whom, if possible, we’d like to see back in Washington next season.

3 low-profile free agents Washington should re-sign

3. Danny Johnson

By all accounts, Washington is “set” at cornerback heading into next season.

Kendall Fuller was the defense’s top performer this side of Jonathan Allen, finishing with an 81.5 player grade from Pro Football Focus. William Jackson, meanwhile, turned a corner after an abhorrent start in Jack Del Rio’s zone-oriented scheme and should be a solid No. 2 option in 2022 and beyond.

Behind those veterans, though, Washington has serious question marks at the position. While third-rounder Benjamin St-Juste was drafted to be the team’s CB3, his rookie year was cut short due to three separate stints in concussion protocol.

There’s reason to believe St-Juste will overcome this, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t concerned about his long-term outlook. For that reason, we’d love to see the front office bring back Danny Johnson.

Johnson didn’t end the season on the highest of notes — Eagles rookie phenom Devonta Smith gave him the business in Week 16 — but that doesn’t change the fact he might be the best slot cornerback on the roster.

To briefly touch on Johnson’s rock-solid season, he ranked third on the team with a 77.1 tackling grade among players who logged at least 300 snaps. Moreover, he finished with the fourth-best coverage grade (65.2) in the secondary and his 9.6 yards per reception allowed only trailed Fuller and Kam Curl for the best on the team.

To put the icing on the cake, Johnson also proved his durability by not missing a single game through injury.

The 26-year-old has spent the entirety of his career with Washington after he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Southern University in 2018 and we’d welcome him back with open arms if the logistics allow it.