Details On Adonis Alexander's Deal
- By failing to participate in 90% of the team’s OTAs, Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams‘ 2018 base salary has now officially de-escalated from $10MM to $9.85MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cornerback Josh Norman is in a similar boat. His salary has dipped from $13.5MM to $13.3MM.
- Meanwhile, Redskins cornerback Adonis Alexander, taken in the sixth-round of the supplemental draft, is set to earn $2.616MM over the course of his four-year deal.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Lawrence, Eagles
The Cowboys don’t want to make DeMarcus Lawrence the highest-paid pass rusher in the league, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic writes. However, with another strong year, Watkins believes that the Cowboys would be willing to place him somewhere in the top three.
This year, Lawrence is set to play out the 2017 season on his one-year, $17.1MM franchise tag. Technically, the Cowboys can tag him again next year, but the $20.5MM cost is probably too high for the Cowboys to consider. Instead, the two sides could use that price as a reference point to hammer out the five-year deal that Lawrence is reportedly seeking.
After the Cowboys locked up Zack Martin to the highest contract for a guard in league history, Watkins doubts that the Cowboys will allow Lawrence to get away in 2019. They shelled out big bucks to give Martin a six-year, $84MM deal with $40MM in guarantees and structured the deal in a way that his cap number won’t be cumbersome until 2021, when it rises to $15MM. The Cowboys are skittish about overpaying Lawrence, but they don’t want to let their best pass rusher walk away and there’s likely a way to make the numbers work.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Do the Eagles have a better roster than last year entering training camp? Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks so, arguing that the defending champs have taken a step forward on paper. The offense had to replace tight end Trey Burton with rookie Dallas Goedert, but Mike Wallace might be an upgrade over Torrey Smith and they should see improvement from Nelson Agholor and Mack Hollins. Meanwhile, there are questions on the other side of the ball, but the Eagles’ secondary should be better with a healthy Sidney Jones and Ronald Darby working off of a full offseason.
- The Redskins invested a lot in their D-Line after drafting Da’Ron Payne in the first round, and JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington expects big improvement across the board. Their biggest upgrade may come from within, however, now that 2017 first-rounder Jonathan Allen is expected to be completely healthy this fall.
- Former Giants running back Shane Vereen signed with the Saints on Wednesday.
Redskins Need To Improve Running Game
Earlier today, we looked at how the Redskins plan to deploy their supplemental draft choice, Adonis Alexander. Now let’s take a look at notes from several other east division clubs, starting with more out of Washington:
- The Redskins‘ lack of a consistent running game in the Jay Gruden era is the byproduct of a number of factors, as John Keim of ESPN.com observes. While the offensive line is generally a good one (when healthy), the team has struggled mightily in short-yardage situations over the last few years, and some question whether Washington is committed enough to the run, as it ranks 27th in the league in total carries since 2014. But, as Keim points out, the Redskins rank 10th in first-down carries over that same span; the problem is that they rank 30th in yards per carry on first down. So, as one scout suggests, the issue is not running more, it’s running more effectively. The addition of Derrius Guice should help, as would a healthy season from the starters on the O-line and more effective blocking from receivers and tight ends. If Washington is going to push for a playoff spot, it will need an effective ground game to help out Alex Smith and the passing attack.
Latest On Adonis Alexander
The Redskins sacrificed a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft by selecting Adonis Alexander in this year’s supplemental draft. That certainly seems like a risk worth taking, given that Alexander has the ability of a first- or second-round prospect and given that Washington has two other sixth-round choices in the 2019 draft anyway.
The general assumption around the league is that Alexander, who played both safety and cornerback at the collegiate level, will play cornerback for the Redskins. Rich Tandler of NBCSports.com, though, says no firm decision in that regard will be made until the team has had the opportunity to evaluate him at both positions. Although Washington is currently leaning towards deploying him as a CB, Tandler says Alexander’s makeup could make him a quality safety as well.
Either way, Alexander will have an excellent shot not only of making the roster, but of earning significant playing time right away. The top two corners on Washington’s roster, veterans Josh Norman and Orlando Scandrick, are locked into starting roles in 2019, but the depth chart looks pretty open behind that. Quinton Dunbar is currently penciled in as the team’s No. 3 CB, but Alexander certainly has the potential to push him for snaps, and Alexander has higher upside than second-year players Joshua Holsey and Fabian Moreau. Moreau, a 2017 third-rounder, is likely not going anywhere this season, but Tandler says that if Alexander makes the team, Holsey or 2018 seventh-rounder Greg Stroman — Alexander’s former Virginia Tech teammate — could be squeezed out.
At safety, D.J. Swearinger and Montae Nicholson are the presumptive starters, so Alexander’s primary competition would come from Deshazor Everett — who is viewed as more of a special teams contributor — second-year player Fish Smithson, and rookie Troy Apke.
For his part, Alexander predictably believes that he could line up anywhere in the defensive backfield (and the Redskins could certainly utilize his 6-3, 207-pound frame in a number of roles if they so choose). He said, “At safety, I feel like my strength is just being an instinctive player. Being physical would definitely be my strength in playing safety, coming down to tackle and stuff.” He added, “As for corner, my competitiveness, instincts, like I said, would definitely be a strength at corner because as far as playing corner, it’s a one-on-one thing with you and the receiver. I’ve definitely tried to win everyone at a one-on-one battle.”
Since Alexander missed offseason practices, he will have some catching up to do when training camp opens. But even if he starts a little behind the learning curve, one has to think that he will be given every opportunity to secure a spot on the 53-man roster, regardless of the position he winds up playing.
Redskins Sign Adonis Alexander
The Redskins have signed Adonis Alexander to his rookie contract. As with typical draft picks, it’s a four-year deal, so Alexander is under club control through the 2021 season.
On Wednesday, the Redskins used a sixth-round pick in the supplemental draft to select the Virginia Tech cornerback. They’ll forfeit a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft as a result, but they’re getting a high-upside player to help them immediately rather than waiting. The Redskins still have two other sixth-round picks in next year’s draft thanks to the compensatory formula, so they’re only taking a mild risk by bringing Alexander into the fold.
Blessed with size and ball skills, the Redskins believe they can turn Alexander into a contributor at the pro level. Teams had some maturity concerns about Alexander after academic trouble cost him a spot with the Hokies, but his one-time defensive backs coach Torrian Gray is in D.C. and Redskins feel that Gray can help him stay on track.
Alexander will fight to make the roster behind top cornerbacks Josh Norman, Orlando Scandrick, and Fabian Moreau. Quinton Dunbar and seventh-round pick Greg Stroman are also among those looking to solidify their spots between now and September.
Redskins Notes: Alexander, Kelley, Perine
On Wednesday, the Redskins selected cornerback Adonis Alexander in the sixth round of the NFL’s supplemental draft. Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports gives the Redskins a “B” grade for the pick, noting his size (6’2″, 194 pounds), ball skills, and potential as a development press corner. However, there are concerns about his maturity and a slow 40-yard-dash time (4.64 seconds) at his pro day earlier this year.
The Redskins have reason to believe that Alexander can shine, warts and all, thanks to the presence of defensive backs coach Torrian Gray. Gray coached Alexander during his freshman All-American season at Virginia Tech in 2015 and has seen what he can do at his best. Paylor also has some optimism about Alexander thanks to the veteran leadership of D.J. Swearinger. If Alexander can contribute in 2018, he’ll help to offset the loss of corners Kendall Fuller and Bashaud Breeland this offseason.
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- Alexander’s potential upside outweighed the risk for the Redskins, Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com writes. The Redskins tend to steer away from red flags, but Alexander has been honest about his academic troubles at Virginia Tech. It’s also worth noting that the Redskins had three sixth-round picks heading into the supplemental draft, so they still have plenty of late-round ammo for 2019.
- Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson are the only running backs that are locks for the Redskins’ roster, Tandler writes. After that, he classifies Samaje Perine and Rob Kelley as being “on the bubble.” It would be a surprise to see Perine, a 2017 fourth-round pick, on the outs, but Tandler says he must learn to follow his blocks in order to be a contributor for the club. Kelley, meanwhile, is a favorite of coach Jay Gruden, but injuries limited him to just seven games and 194 yards last year. If Kelley doesn’t look strong this summer, it’s possible that he could be leapfrogged by Byron Marshall or Kapri Bibbs as the fourth RB on the roster.
Junior Galette Could Still Re-Sign With Redskins?
Although the Redskins in May informed Junior Galette that he would not be re-signed, the veteran edge rusher indicated Wednesday that his run in the nation’s capital may not yet have reached its end. “Lol still a chance,” Galette replied on Twitter when asked if a new contact with Washington remained a possibility.
Whether or not Galette’s tweet is any indication of serious interest on the Redskins’ part is unclear, especially given that team executive Doug Williams said in March that the club was “moving in another direction.” Washington is well-stocked along the edge, as starters Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith are backed up by 2017 second-rounder Ryan Anderson and free agent acquisition Pernell McPhee.
If he were re-signed by the Redskins, Galette probably wouldn’t have much of a role. Other clubs that have expressed interest in Galette, however, do have a clear need at defensive end/outside linebacker: a club like the Rams, who were linked to Galette in March, still has a gaping hole at edge defender, while the Browns could use another end to play opposite Myles Garrett. Galette, who has also drawn interest from the Raiders, has reportedly also considered retirement.
Galette, of course, was once a double-digit sack force with the Saints from 2013-14, but injuries and off-field issues have turned him into more a rotational player. After suffering those aforementioned torn Achilles tendons in both 2015 and 2016, Galette finally got in a full season with the Redskins in 2017, and played extremely well on 37% of the club’s defensive snaps. While he only posted three sacks, Galette managed 25 pressures and graded as the league’s No. 30 edge defender among 106 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/11/18
Today’s minor moves:
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Waived: P Sam Irwin-Hill
Redskins Select Adonis Alexander
Adonis Alexander has an NFL home. With their pick in the sixth round, the Redskins selected the talented Virginia Tech cornerback.
Alexander’s length, balls skills, and arm size (over 32 inches) caught the attention of evaluators this year. Although he does not come with the same hype as Western Michigan’s Sam Beal, he has the potential to be a contributor in his own right.
At 6’3″ and 207 pounds, Alexander offers tremendous size. He also has experience in zone coverage schemes thanks to his time at Virginia Tech.
The Redskins project to use Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, and newcomer Orlando Scandrick as their top three cornerbacks. Alexander figures to slot somewhere behind them, provided that he makes the final cut. The Redskins also have 2017 third-round pick Fabian Moreau, seventh-round rookie Greg Stroman, and Joshua Holsey under contract.
As a freshman in 2015, Alexander impressed scouts as he intercepted four passes at the safety position. He followed up with a strong sophomore campaign, but he found himself at odds with coaches in 2017 and was hit with a two-game ban for not living up to the “expectations” of head coach Justin Fuente. He was also held back by a hamstring injury suffered in November.
Had he entered the 2019 NFL draft, Alexander would have had a shot at going in the first two rounds. The Redskins see Alexander as a high-value addition who is well worth the forfeiture of their sixth-round pick next year.
Finlay: Redskins Well-Positioned For Adonis Alexander Supplemental Selection
- The Redskins are interested in supplemental draft-eligible DBs Sam Beal, Brandon Bryant and Adonis Alexander. In particular, Washington is in a unique position for an Alexander move, per J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington. Second-year secondary coach Torrian Gray coached Alexander while at Virginia Tech, though the pair was only together for one season since Gray left the Hokies after the 2015 campaign (Alexander’s freshman year). Still, in a summer draft that often features players with red flags, Gray would be an ideal source here. Washington also just drafted ex-Hokie corner Greg Stroman in the seventh round. The Redskins traded Kendall Fuller, a Virginia Tech teammate of Alexander’s, and longtime starter Bashaud Breeland is on the market. They have what could be perceived as a need alongside Norman and Orlando Scandrick.