Five Additional Free Agents That Could Work for the Redskins

The Washington Redskins have plenty of new faces in different places. Could they add one or two more? Yes. Will they? We don't know. Here's five possibilities.

With the 2020 NFL Draft behind us, the Washington Redskins are in transition to fill out the rest of their 90-man preseason roster. 

Typically, this is done post draft with mostly undrafted free agents, but head coach Ron Rivera has come out and said that it is unlikely to see more undrafted rookies signed due to the modified offseason. 

The lack of rookie mini-camp and change in preseason preparation gives them less of an opportunity to make the 53-man roster.

The Redskins have just over $35 million left in cap space for 2020 due to the Trent Williams trade. Even with there being a chance of Brandon Scherff getting an extension off his tag there is enough cap space to sign veteran free agents that are still on the open market. 

These signings would help create competition and could even act as stop gaps until players develop or next year’s free agency and draft class.

Here are five players that could fit into Ron Rivera’s plans and help keep the Redskins trending in the upwards direction in year one of rebuilding:

Clayton Geathers - Free Safety

Geathers is 27 years old and has played for the Indianapolis Colts since being drafted in the 4th round in 2015. Geathers has put up modest numbers during his time in Indianapolis starting in 10 of 15 games played in 2019. All career highs. 

Geathers'  best statistical season was in 2018 where he logged 77.6% snaps played and accrued 89 tackles and 1 forced fumble. He made $3.1 million last year and could be a guy that can push Troy Apke for the back-up free safety role until Kamren Curl can show he is ready.

Darqueze Dennard - Cornerback

Dennard is 28 years old and has played his entire career for the Cincinnati Bengals where he was drafted in the 1st round in 2014. 

The Bengals were flat out bad last year, but not because of Dennard. Darqueze was one of the few bright spots on the Bengals defense in 2019 and could add extra depth to a position that could use it. He was put on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list to start off the 2019 season but was able to play in the final nine games. 

He made just under $4.4 million last year and could be looking to put more film together for one last pay day in 2021.

Jason Peters - Left Tackle

Peters is a grizzled All-Pro left tackle that has played the last 10 years for the Philadelphia Eagles. Peters was signed as an undrafted rookie by the Buffalo Bills in 2004. 

This is probably the more “controversial” free agent that is out there for the Redskins amongst fans. Peters tends to have issues missing parts of games the past four seasons  and was on season ending injured reserve during the Eagles Super Bowl run in 2017. 

Over the past two seasons, Jason has averaged being on the field for 77% of offensive snaps. While the consistency is not necessarily there, there is more to the signing than just protecting Haskins blindside. 

Peters would come in and be able to mentor Saahdiq Charles. What better person would you want to do that? Peters would likely still command about $10 million, but with the cap space there, this makes the most sense.

Charles Clay - Tight End

Clay is 31 years old and last played for the Arizona Cardinals. He was drafted in the 6th round by the Miami Dolphins in 2011. Charles was buried on the depth chart on a Cardinals offense that was hit and miss last year. But he is not that far removed from having a 500+ yard receiving season in Buffalo. 

Ron Rivera has spoken about how he likes the tight ends that are already in the room, but there is always room for more. Having a sure handed receiver like Clay lining up would be extremely beneficial to Dwayne Haskins’ development. 

Clay also can help chip block when needed. There is some work that would need to be done with his run blocking skills, but that is something that can be taught by this staff. He would be the likely TE1 coming out of camp.

Eli Apple -  Cornerback

Eli Apple is an interesting free agent still on the market for a variety of reasons. First being that this could be the 24-year old’s third team since being drafted by the New York Giants in the 1st round of the 2016 draft. There were locker room issues while in New York, but from what could be seen in New Orleans the past two years, he has matured.

Apple could also still be on the free agent market, so any potential deal does not wipe out a potential compensatory pick for his future team. 

Apple started 15 of 16 games for the Saints the past two years, racking up 133 tackles, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions while playing an average of 92% of defensive snaps.

He is a guy you can automatically stick on the outside as your CB1 or CB2 and allow for some creative secondary scheming with Ronald Darby and Jimmy Moreland—assuming Kendall Fuller is your starting slot cornerback.

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Alan Lepore joins RedskinsReport.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.