Training Camp Preview – Secondary
“We need to talk.”
Those four dreaded words that you hear from someone in any relationship. While it might feel like a detriment or cause of concern in a relationship, it is something you don’t want to hear your secondary say you need to do more.
Defensive backs coach Chris Harris made a point during his press conference that unit meetings won’t be lectures. There will be a times during the meetings where he will quiz the players. This quizzing will not only hold the players accountable in the classroom, but also on the field. If one player doesn’t rotate properly the unit can work on it together to get better.
Open communication will be the theme this year and moving forward. Everyone earns their spot and not just given it because of personalities, contracts, or “star status.”
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Cornerback
Ronald Darby, Kendall Fuller, and Fabian Moreau seem to be the favorites as the top three starters. Darby does have some ground to make up to reassure fans, media, and coaches that he is healthy enough to be the top cornerback. When healthy—and not peering his eyes into the backfield—he can contend with the best wide receivers in the league. Being more disciplined is one thing that head coach Ron Rivera has said he will need to work on.
Kendall Fuller was brought back home after being shipped off to Kansas City for quarterback Alex Smith and winning a Super Bowl. According to River, Fuller can be used in more then just the slot corner position.
Fabian Moreau has been talked up by the coaching staff as someone that can hold down that second outside cornerback position. Moreau was misused (shocking I know) during the Greg Manusky era on the inside. Once he was moved to the outside near the end of 2019, he was able to utilize his strengths better.
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Second year fan favorite, Jimmy ‘The People’s Corner’ Moreland, impressed with his play during his rookie year and has a foundation to build off. Working with veterans like Darby and Fuller will give him teammates he can go to, to get better. There has been talk at past press conferences by both head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack del Rio that Fuller could play outside corner or free safety leaving open an opportunity for Moreland to pick his spots to shine.
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What is less certain is how the rest of the depth chart will pan out. You have additional young guys in Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson who have played special teams in the past. Aaron Colvin is the elder statesman that can add an additional veteran presence in the locker room. Ryan Lewis was brought in recently and Simeon Thomas. Thomas was suspended at the end of 2019 for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse which will carry into the first game of 2020. Special teams—and availability—are what could ultimately decide the fate of the final two roster spots at cornerback.
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Safety
Your anticipated starters going into camp at free safety and strong safety respectively are Sean Davis and Landon Collins. You would expect special teams captain and aficionado Deshazor Everett would have the other strong safety spot locked down barring an Exorcist, child head spinning while vomiting, training camp. That likely leaves one spot left for two, maybe four other players.
Troy Apke has been all over the spectrum in terms of what he puts on tape. He has clearly flashed at times but has more bad then good. Apke will likely be battling rookie Karmen Curl and third year man Jeremy Reaves for that last free safety roster spot. Reaves could have the leg up on Curl having put in playing time last year. But Curl could put up such a performance that it forces the coaching staff to put him on the final 53 instead of the practice squad.
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Alan Lepore joins "Washington Football" on SI.com, while still doing outstanding work as an editor/writer at FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. You can follow him on Twitter @AlanLepore or on instagram @leporealan. Alan is a Villanova University MPA Nonprofit Management candidate and is a fundraising/development professional.
