Redskins Draft Analysis: Defense
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The Washington Redskins now boast one of the most dangerous offenses in football. The Redskins have a core of young talented players on this side of the ball all under thirty, including RGIII, Alfred Morris, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Andre Roberts, Jordan Reed, and Trent Williams.
The Redskins defense is another story. Although the Redskins have players such as: David Amerson (22), Ryan Kerrigan (25), Brian Orkapo (27), Chris Baker (26), and Perry Riley Jr. (25), the Redskins must get younger on defense. Although Orakpo is only 27 his future with the Redskins is uncertain, if he doesn’t sign a long term contract before the season starts he will play on the franchise tag and be a free agent once again at the end of the season.
The Redskins defense will rely on quite a few players that are 30 years or older in the 2014 season, including Ryan Clark (34), Jason Hatcher (31), Brandon Meriweather (30), Barry Cofield (30), Stephen Bowen (30), and DeAngelo Hall (30).
Now that the Redskins boast an offense with scary potential, the Redskins must make an effort to get younger on defense. It doesn’t matter how good the offense is over the next couple of years if the defense remains a liability. With such a talented offense, if the Redskins can add young talent to their defense the Redskins could be a force for years to come.
Although I look for the Redskins to take a best-player-available approach to this draft, I think the defense will be a focus this May. With safety still a big question mark, and a defensive line that is a combination of older, and unproved players, and the uncertain future of Orakpo I look for the Redskins to add young playmakers in the draft to compete for playing time.
The popular pick is for the Redskins to take an OT with 34. However, I’m not sure a tackle will be available at 34 that will be truly worth a pick that high; which is why I look for the Redskins to address their defense with their first pick.
With the majority of the defensive line over thirty, the future of Brian Orakpo up in the air, and the secondary being wide open, the Redskins can still use a best-player-available approach to the draft because they need young talent all across the defense.
The Redskins draft visits have also indicated this, with defensive ends, defensive backs, and linebackers all participating in pre-draft visits. The defensive players the Redskin’s have brought in for visits vary from projected second round picks to late round selections, which shows the Redskin’s interest in addressing the defense throughout the draft. I would be surprised if the Redskin’s didn’t come out of the draft with more defensive selections than offensive selections.
