Grading Washington Redskins' Free Agency Plan so Far
For a team that fired its general manager on the first day of 2017 NFL Free Agency, the Washington Redskins have since made excellent use of the veteran market.
Whether they have followed the deposed Scot McCloughan's plan or the strategy guided by team president Bruce Allen, the Redskins have scored positive grades for most of their moves.
Among the best moves Washington has made, the addition of a 1,000-yard wide receiver on a cost-effective deal to replace DeSean Jackson stands out. Yet bringing in Terrelle Pryor Sr. for $8 million isn't the only grade-A signing the Redskins have pulled off.
Adding a pair of underrated defensive linemen all but makes up for letting top trench warrior Chris Baker walk. A front seven trampled all over on the ground in recent years already looks tougher ahead of the new season.
There aren't passing grades for every decision, though. The Redskins made a questionable attempt to upgrade the annually dismal safety spots. Meanwhile, Washington's free-agency plan has so far neglected inside linebacker, the pass rush and the running game.
Read on for the grades for each of the Redskins' notable moves in free agency to date.
Signing Terrell McClain
1 of 9
It's impossible not to give anything other than the highest grade to Washington for signing Terrell McClain from the Dallas Cowboys. The nimble defensive tackle is one of the most underrated players at his position in the NFL.
Specifically, the 28-year-old can finally be the answer to a problem that's plagued the Washington defense for seven years. In other words, McClain can become the disruptive nose tackle this team has craved and lacked since switching to the 3-4 back in 2010.
McClain, all 6'2" and 302 pounds of him, won't be the space-eating monster most 3-4 fronts rely on in the middle. However, his quickness, natural leverage and ability to split gaps will make him the focal point of a more aggressive style of 3-4.
McClain will be the central figure underpinning a 1-gap system, where linemen are required to get downhill rather than absorb double teams at the point of attack. It's the scheme Washington's new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky called with the Indianapolis Colts and what he'll design at Redskins Park.
Fortunately, McClain's recent experience has equipped him well for the key role along Manusky's front seven. In 2013, he played nose tackle for the Houston Texans under the guidance of Wade Phillips, the master of the 1-gap 3-4.
McClain has spent the last three years operating in "over" and "under" fronts for the Cowboys. As a nose guard in a 4-3, he has played a shaded technique on the shoulders of centers and in the A-gaps.
McClain steadily grew into the role before enjoying his best year in 2016, when he was the focal point of the league's stingiest run defense. The former third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers was at his most effective on base downs, with ESPN detailing how he made 27 of his 40 total tackles, including two stuffs, as well as logged 2.5 sacks, on 1st-and-10.
It is somewhat surprising the Redskins still hosted nose tackle Bennie Logan after signing McClain, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. However, McClain will instantly become the 0-technique Washington has missed for too long and prove a bargain on the four-year deal worth a little over $21 million he was signed for, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports.
Grade: A
Signing Stacy McGee
2 of 9
On the surface, it may look as though the Redskins overpaid for Stacy McGee, a rotational D-lineman who started just nine games for the Oakland Raiders in 2016. However, the five-year, $25 million deal Washington handed McGee, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, is a lot smarter investment than you might think.
For one thing, another formidable run defender has been added to a front seven gashed on the ground the last two years. Standing 6'3" and tipping the scales at 310 pounds, McGee has the dimensions of a classic five-technique defensive end, the kind who will occupy blockers and let others make the plays.
Every solid run defense needs a lunch-pale type like McGee. It's an especially strong need for a Redskins' run D' that allowed opposing runners to gain 4.5 yards per carry in 2016 and yielded 119.8 rushing yards a game, according to Sporting Charts.
McGee is no game-wrecker, and he likely never will be. But he can be a key cornerstone on Washington's base front in 2017.
Signing him also made sense for a team with a quartet of free-agent lineman at the start of the market. Since one of those signed with a new team, McGee's addition begins to make a lot more sense.
Grade: B
Letting Chris Baker Go
3 of 9
Not bringing Baker back doesn't seem so bad now McClain and McGee are on board. Yet it's still tough not to wonder if the Redskins made a mistake letting their best defensive lineman from last season join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Let" seems to be the key word regarding Barker leaving Redskins Park. The team is said to have not even made an offer to keep the big No. 92 in town, per ESPN's Dianna Russini (h/t Brian McNally of 106.7 The Fan).
Being reticent to offer Baker fresh terms is a suspect move considering he had been the lone dominant force Washington could count on up front the last few years. His 9.5 sacks and five forced fumbles over the past two seasons were evidence of a truly disruptive force in the trenches, a quality the Redskins will miss.
Yet at least Washington wisely invested some free agency dollars to make sure Baker won't be missed too much.
Grade: C
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Signing Terrelle Pryor Sr.
4 of 9
Signing up Pryor has to be one of the steals of free agency for the Redskins. It's a steal because Washington has netted a dynamic outside burner on a one-year contract paying $8 million.
Pryor has a contract demanding he proves his sensational first year as a pro wide receiver was no fluke. To put his 2016 season into context, Pryor topped 1,000 yards as a pass-catcher on the Cleveland Browns, the worst team in football.
As Pryor himself noted, he managed it despite working with six different quarterbacks in Cleveland, per Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports. Such an achievement is proof of Pryor's flair for playing wideout, but the sample size of the proof is still small, making Pryor the receiver a risky long-term investment.
The Browns didn't want to take the risk, opting against paying him $15 million a season, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.
Thankfully, the Redskins have wisely protected themselves against the risk, even on the one-year deal they gave Pryor. It's a contract paying $6 million up front, but offering a further $2 million in performance-related incentives, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio:
"Per a source with knowledge of the contract, Pryor’s incentives fall into three categories: catches, yards, and touchdowns. He can make another $1 million based on receptions, another $500,000 based on receiving yards, and another $500,000 based on touchdowns.
...
To get the full $2 million (and to make the contract worth $8 million), Pryor needs to have 80 or more catches for 1,250 yards and 10 touchdowns.
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As important as the contract, signing Pryor made sense because he can offset the loss of Jackson. Losing one of the league's premier deep threats would have hampered Washington's varied pass attack. Now Pryor ensures the vertical threat will remain a feature of this offense.
In fact, as numbers from NFL Media Research show, Pryor's notable statistics from 2016 compare more than favorably with those D-Jax put together during his final year in Washington.
Grade: A
Letting Both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson Go
5 of 9
Jackson left town, but it was something of a surprise when Pierre Garcon followed him through the exit door. Basically, the Redskins shunned the chance to keep at least one of their two 1,000-yard wide receivers.
Losing both Jackson and Garcon has naturally left a major hole in arguably the best pass offense in football. In Garcon's case, the Redskins also lost a natural leader in the locker room and a key veteran presence on the field.
Garcon is a player Washington may have even tried to keep had McCloughan not been jettisoned at the start of the veteran market, according to MMQB's Albert Breer: "My sense is the Redskins may have made a stronger effort to keep Pierre Garcon, although even that is questionable based on how the Niners valued him."
Of course, it's not like the cupboard is bare for the Redskins sans Garcon and Jackson. New boy Pryor is joining a strong supporting cast led by terrific "joker" tight end Jordan Reed and burgeoning slot star Jamison Crowder.
Even so, there are now a lot of ifs regarding Washington's passing game.
Things will look good if 2016 first-round pick Josh Doctson is finally healthy and makes a quick adjustment to the pros. Things will look good if Pryor's standout year was not a one-off, if Crowder continues to develop and if Reed avoids injury.
If those things don't happen, the Redskins will surely regret not making a bigger push to retain one of their two marquee receivers.
Grade: C
Adding D.J. Swearinger
6 of 9
This year's safety market wasn't exactly rich in talent, not once Eric Berry got paid by the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, the Redskins probably could have done better than adding journeyman D.J. Swearinger to a position always in need of an upgrade.
Swearinger has played on three teams since entering the league in 2013. But it's not just the miles the former Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals man has trodden that make him a questionable signing.
Instead, the type of safety Swearinger is makes him an unlikely fit to boost the position. Specifically, Swearinger is a hitter, a downhill and linebacker-style safety more comfortable in the box than covering in space.
The four-year pro's best attributes and playing style are not much different to the traits possessed by Su'a Cravens. Washington's second-round pick in 2016 played a hybrid role as a rookie but is expected to convert full time to safety this year.
But it's difficult to believe Swearinger will be the single-high complement to Cravens' role as an enforcer closer to the line of scrimmage.
Grade: D
Not Signing a Veteran Inside Linebacker
7 of 9
Cravens swapping a role as a reserve inside linebacker to commit to safety only exaggerates Washington's already pressing need to add a free agent at the heart of the linebacking corps.
Frankly, the Redskins need more than just greater depth at the position. They need an upgrade on starters Mason Foster and restricted free agent Will Compton.
So it's surprising Washington hasn't added to inside linebacker so far during free agency, especially since so many talented middle 'backers remain on the market. The marquee name among those options is undoubtedly New England Patriots' ace Dont'a Hightower.
He's a versatile bruiser stout against the run, devastating on the blitz and flexible enough to line up outside in some sub-package looks. It's little wonder Hightower is being courted by the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Super Bowl LI Champion Patriots, per ESPN's Mike Reiss.
Yet the absence of Washington in the queue is disturbing. It was equally unsettling to see Lawrence Timmons join the Miami Dolphins without the Redskins trying to get his attention.
Fortunately, there are still other veterans worth pursuing, players such as DeAndre Levy, Daryl Smith, Manti Te'o and Gerald Hodges. With this level of talent available, there's no excuse for Washington continuing to ignore its dearth of playmaking talent at this key position any longer.
Grade: D
Bringing Vernon Davis Back
8 of 9
Pryor's deal isn't the only smart contract put together by the Redskins this offseason. The three-year deal worth $15 million handed to veteran tight end Vernon Davis also made a lot of sense.
CSN Mid-Atlantic's Rich Tandler broke down how the Redskins protected themselves by parting with little guaranteed money:
"Davis gets $7.5 million fully guaranteed. In the first year he gets a $4 million signing bonus and a guaranteed salary of $2 million. In 2018 he gets the rest of his guaranteed money as $1.5 million of his $3.75 million salary is fully guaranteed. In the last year of the deal calls for him to get a $4.75 million salary, not guaranteed.
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The structure and numbers add up to a true bargain for an experienced playmaker who brings a lot to Washington's offense.
He's the team's best blocker at the position, as well as a roving complement to Reed's downfield dynamism. Even at 33, Davis is a core playmaker who remains a mismatch against most coverage.
Keeping Davis around ensures the Redskins can unleash a devastating two-tight end formation few defenses know how to respond to. To retain a true X-factor in the playbook at such a low price has to be considered a quality move by a franchise still boasting a playoff-ready offense.
Grade: A
Putting the Franchise Tag on Kirk Cousins Again
9 of 9
You don't let a record-setting, Pro Bowl quarterback leave town, and the Redskins just about succeeded in keeping Kirk Cousins around for one more season at least.
However, it took another franchise tag to do it, something ultimately leaving Cousins' long-term future in doubt. In other words, there is still going to be a sense of uncertainty about the team's most important position in 2017.
It feels like an unnecessary risk to take considering the value of a capable quarterback and the general shortage of those in today's game. The longer Cousins goes without more long-term security, the more thornier this issues gets and the more negative reports continue to hound the franchise.
Cousins himself even had to refute claims recently he had demanded owner Dan Snyder trade him. The Redskins' QB appeared on ESPN's Know Them From Adam podcast (h/t Chris Wesseling of the league's official website) to deny he'd pushed to be dealt.
This followed reports Cousins would not enter into negotiations with Allen about a new contract now McCloughan has been let go. Meanwhile, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the Browns may still try to engineer a trade for Washington's starter under center.
It's becoming more and more difficult to gauge the true status of Cousins beyond 2017. At least the Redskins have given themselves until July 15 to convince him to agree to a new, lengthy contract.
It shouldn't take so long for Washington to commit to the idea of keeping one of the team's key assets for the long haul, though. Continuing to risk losing a productive quarterback who has stabilized a franchise nearly set back light years by the ill-judged and inflated trade for Robert Griffin III in 2012 is too reckless a gamble for an organization still trying to shed its dysfunctional label.
Grade: C
Overall, Washington's plan in free agency has been well executed and has gone a long way to plugging the obvious holes on a roster primed for playoff contention in 2017.
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