Washington Redskins: Grading each position group

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Cornerbacks Grade: B-

The Washington Redskins cornerbacks are underappreciated. Josh Norman takes some heat for being overpaid. He probably is. That does not take away from the fact that he is still a very good corner and a great tackler.

Before being injured last year, Quinton Dunbar, the converted WR out of Florida was Washington’s highest rated corner per Pro Football Focus. Fabian Moreau gets better every year and looks to have the slot corner position nailed down, although with his 4.3 speed he could play any of the cornerback positions.

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Greg Stroman had a strong rookie campaign and will provide quality depth at the position as will Adonis Alexander and new free agent Dominique Rodgers Cromartie. Although, I think one, or both of them, will be converted to safety.

Inside Linebackers Grade: C+

The inside linebacker group took a significant hit when Rueben Foster was lost for the season with a torn ACL. However, the team returns four-year starter Mason Foster and Shaun Dion Hamilton who played so well last season that he sent Zach Brown to the bench. The starters will be supported by Josh Harvey-Clemons and newly drafted tackling machine Cole Holcomb.

Holcomb posted in excess of 100 tackles for NC State in three consecutive years and Clemons, at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds ran the 40 in the 4.5s. A converted safety he is set for a break out year. Still, the void left by Reuben Foster‘s injury stings.

Safety Grade: D+

Rounding out the defensive side of the ball is the safety position. Of course, the big news here is the signing of Landon Collins. Yes, they paid him a lot of money. So what? He is an excellent safety. He wanted to play for the Washington Redskins since he was a little kid and is very unhappy about how he was treated by the division rival New York Giants. I say money well spent.

I’ll admit that I felt much better about the safety group before Montae Nicholson decided not to attend OTAs. I have been a big Nicholson fan since they drafted the 6-foot-2, 218-pound speedster out of Michigan State three years ago.

He covers a lot of ground and hits like a freight train. But skipping OTAs? I know a lot of the elite players don’t participate but Nicholson does not qualify as elite. Not yet anyway. I had high hopes for him being paired with Collins and developing into an extremely special safety tandem. Now, Nicholson’s future with the Washington Redskins seems completely up in the air.

Troy Apke was an enormous disappointment last year. It has been rumored that he was hurt throughout the season. If that is the case, maybe we will a different player this year? I sure hope so.

Otherwise, by not drafting a safety or picking one up in free agency, I have to believe that Alexander and Cromartie both are being considered for moves to the safety position. As it stands now this is the biggest concern on the team. I’ll reiterate that I love the Collins signing but he can’t do it by himself.

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