How Good Can the Redskins Defense Be in 2016?

With all of the talk of the Washington Redskins focusing on the defensive line in this 2016 draft, General Manager Scot McCloughan pulled a fast one on the fans and media and drafted wide receiver Josh Doctson (Texas Christian University) with the team’s first round pick. He continued to surprise folks when he stuck to his “Best Player Available” draft philosophy and didn’t select a defensive lineman until the fifth round when he nabbed Matt Ioannidis (Temple University). These two draft selections caused a fair amount of consternation during and after the event but to those that think that the defensive unit in Washington is not improved; only time will tell. There are certain “if” factors that, if end up positively, could result in a really good defense.

Getting outside linebacker Junior Galette and strong safety Duke Ihenacho back onto the field could be like having two new free agents out there. Granted, the exact impact these two players will have is as yet an unknown. But based on their potential, it could be high. If healthy and still as athletic as they were before their injuries, what these two players could do for the team in 2016 is huge.

Ihenacho was showing great promise during training camp last year; eventually having beaten safety Jeron Johnson out of a job until he hurt his wrist in the second quarter of the first game of the 2015 (versus the Miami Dolphins) and was put on IR. Even in the quarter of a game that he did play against the Dolphins, Ihenacho made an impact… especially in the ground game. The former Denver Bronco is a guy who is happy to play up in the box and was effective there. Dolphins’ running back Doug Martin must have been elated when the Redskins safety went out in the second quarter due to the injury that ended his 2015 season. It would have been interesting for the Redskins to have played the entire game with Ihenacho healthy.

Galette recorded 12 and then 10 sacks in 2013 and 2014 respectively (he had 9.5 in 2011 and 2012) while with the New Orleans Saints. He is a player with skills that most fans have only heard about… unless they happened to go to a couple of training camp practices down in Richmond last year. Having him opposite linebacker Ryan Kerrigan could put the Redskins pass rush on a whole new level.

“[Galette] looks as explosive as ever,” Kerrigan said to reporters yesterday during his Leukemia Golf Classic in Leesburg, Virginia yesterday. “He looks strong. He’s kept his weight on, which is good because that’s always a struggle when you have surgery and you can’t train like you normally can. So he’s looked good and, I mean, he’s still got four months until the season and I imagine by the time the season rolls around he’s going to look great.”

Kerrigan and Galette could help to bolster a defensive line that was actually making strides by the end of last season. The importance of veteran defensive linemen Stephen Paea, Ricky Jean Francois, Kedric Golston and Chris Baker — plus third-year LBs Trent Murphy and second-year 2015 second-round draft pick Preston Smith — all returning for their second season under defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s system should not be underestimated. Of the guys in the trenches — including the outside linebacker since they are also involved in the rush and getting into the backfield — Murphy might be the biggest question. Head Coach Jay Gruden and defensive coordinator Joe Barry have decided that in 2016 he will be playing with his hand in the dirt and will be used more to rush opposing quarterbacks.

On paper, this is a good thing. Defensive end is where Murphy played at Stanford and he played the position well, posting 25 sacks, two interceptions, two touchdowns and five passes defended in his junior and senior years. He is now heavier than he was in 2015 (275+ pounds, up from 255-260) and is shooting for 285+ by the time training camp comes around. Moving him to his more natural position gives Barry another body to add to his rotation. Only time will tell how this move works out but logically, it seems wise.

By the end of last season, young Mr. Smith had finally figured out how to be a pro and it showed on the field. Starting the season out looking like the rookie he was, he had to learn how to practice, how to watch film, how to slow the game down. With is impressive physical stature and skills, it is very likely he will get better. Barry’s take on the linebacker is entertaining.

“When you’re coming into this league, like we said, Preston Smith is walking around the building,” the DC said during an interview recently. “He doesn’t know where to go, he doesn’t know what to do. Every team’s not like this in the sense that you have great veteran leadership. With our team, as I’m finding out with these guys. You’ve got the Jason Hatchers, you’ve got the Ryan Kerrigans, you’ve got the DeAngelo Halls. I told Preston Smith this; if you don’t know what to do, watch those guys.

“’Watch Ryan Kerrigan in the meetings,’” he continued, describing the conversation with the then-rookie. “’Look how he takes notes, look how he pays attention, watch him in the weight room, how he works his ever-living butt off. Look at him in an individual period here on Phase 2 when we can actually go out on the field with the guys, watch how they work. If you don’t know what to do, watch them. That’s how you become a great pro.’”

All of this doesn’t even bring into focus the addition of the youngster out of Temple (Ioannidis) or second-round draft selection Su’a Cravens. How much these guys will be contributing is an unknown right now… at least until training camp. But the potential of both — especially Cravens — is high and McCloughan, at least, expects big things from them. As he says, they’re “football players.”

If McCloughan is again correct in his talent evaluation, both Cravens and Ioannidis could have an impact.

When a team has a decent pass rush, things get easier for the secondary. Not having one gives opposing QBs time to throw and that leaves cornerbacks and safeties “out there” too long. The secondary, no matter how athletic, can rarely cover elite receivers for six or eight seconds. The need for beef and athleticism up in the defensive trenches is high and the Redskins might have that now.

That brings things back to the secondary and its needs. The acquisition of All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman cannot be underestimated. As well, the talent of the players already on the roster should not be discounted. Bashaud Breeland has done nothing but produce since he was drafted and he should continue to improve in his second year in Barry’s system. He and Norman should be something opposing wide outs fear.

CB Quinton Dunbar is still a bit of an unknown but he stepped up at times when he needed to last year, especially against the New York Giants when he made a game-saving interception. In 2014 and 2015 the newly acquired CB Greg Toler had 24 passes defended for the Indianapolis Colts and that is nothing if not dependable. That’s only four less than Norman had in the same time period.

Kendall Fuller, the Redskins third-round draft selection is bit of a conundrum because it is unknown how explosive and/or effective he will be. While he went through micro facture surgery last season, he is slated to be able to begin participating in practices in the next couple of weeks. When he finally does get onto the field, it could become apparent why he was originally projected as a first-round candidate. While it’s currently unclear where he will play as third corner, if healthy he will be on the field.

Former CB-turned-safety DeAngelo Hall and Will Blackmon are both slated to play at the safety position in 2016. Last season Hall said more than once that he was enjoying making the transition and he held his own during the season. Blackmon proved he was a “football player” when he was pulled onto the team in the middle of September and a week later he was logging three tackles against the Giants. He ended the season with two interceptions, a sack and 37 tackles.

A quick note: the inside linebacker position is in good shape. Last season’s end-of-the-year starters Will Compton and Mason Foster had the position well in-hand by the time 2015 ended. The Redskins found themselves with a couple of diamonds-in-the-rough in those two. The two men not only work well together, they are good friends and Compton himself said that this makes a difference on the field. As well the unit should have a healthy Perry Riley, Jr. — an underestimated athlete who provides quality depth and skill — and second-year Martrell Spaight who was coming along nicely during training camp last season before he had to go on IR with a concussion. This doesn’t even include some of the free agents, special team-ers and undrafted college free agents that might end up on the team.

All of the above gives the Redskins plenty of bodies to use on the defense and depth is something McCloughan has hollered about since he arrived in Washington.

As for the rest of the secondary, it is comprised of a lot of experience mixed with a lot of youth.

David Bruton (Denver Broncos) is an eight-year vet who played on a defense for Denver that already had some guys at his position that were firmly ensconced in their role. It’s unknown how much of an impact he will have. Deshazor Everett is also now in his second year in Barry’s defense. These two guys will help in terms of depth and everyone saw what defensive backs coach Perry Fewell did last year throwing new guys onto the field and the impact they had.

The state of second-year safety Kyshoen Jarrett is discouraging. He suffered nerve damage in his right shoulder and so far, according to Gruden, the team really doesn’t know what to expect. Jarrett doesn’t have much feeling still in the area and with the potential he was showing in 2015, it’s downright tragic that he may not even get on a field again. Even during training camp last year, Ihenacho joked that he was worried the young man would take his job. As a side note, Gruden has said the team has Jarrett’s back and it’s going to do everything it can to support him.

The point is this: as much as has been lamented about the Redskins not drafting a defensive lineman in the first round of the draft, McCloughan has brought both depth and talent to the entire defense. The result of this is that the unit could be a lot better than many think when it is time to take the field.

Of course, it also may not. But the way Joe Barry and his staff coached the Redskins defensive unit last year was epic. With the additions made this off-season, if things go the way McCloughan expects them to go, the Redskins defense will be a much better squad than it was back in 2015.