Redskins Not Expected To Bring Back Bashaud Breeland
- Former Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland was set to sign a three-year, $24MM pact with the Panthers last month, but Carolina scuttled the deal due to a “non-football incident” in which Breeland cut his foot. The foot became infected, and at the time, it was reported that Breeland was a few months away from being able to pass a physical. He will surely garner some interest this summer once he is healed, but JP Finlay of NBCSports.com says Washington is not expected to bring Breeland back into the fold. Indeed, Breeland himself indicated on Instagram that the Redskins never had interest in retaining his services.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Lauvao, Giants
Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington wonders whether the Redskins‘ starting left guard for 2018 might already be on their roster.
At the moment, Arie Kouandjio looks to be the team’s projected starter at the position. He was Washington’s fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft and was cut prior to last season, only to be signed to the team’s practice squad mid-season, appearing in eight games (six starts). He allowed three sacks in those eight appearances, though.
Along with Kouandjio, the team re-signed guard Tony Bergstrom, 31, last week. He appeared in nine games at center for the Redskins last season, starting three.
The answer at left guard for the Redskins in 2018 may ultimately be decided through the draft, though. Tandler notes that the team has been linked to Ohio State center Billy Price in the second round. Veteran guard Alex Boone is also still unsigned.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- The Redskins have also been in contact with free-agent guard Shawn Lauvao, according to ESPN’s John Keim. Injuries limited Lauvao to nine starts at left guard for Washington last season. The 30-year-old started 14 games at the position for the Redskins in 2016.
- Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advanced Media looks into the possibility of the Giants picking someone other than Sam Darnold or Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick of the upcoming draft. Dunleavy notes that reports have indicated that the team is deciding between the two, depending on whom the Browns go with at No. 1. North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb or Notre Dame Guard Quenton Nelson could also be options. Dunleavy points out the draft is light on pass-rushers and Giants general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t seem to be scared off by the idea of taking a guard that high. “Is it ever too early to take a great player? You know my philosophy: Big men allow you to compete and you have to build your lines. I’m going to build this team from the inside out,” Gettleman said to Dunleavy.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post opines that Mason Rudolph could be an enticing option for the Giants in the second round. He also doesn’t expect the team to take a kicker late in the draft. Aldrick Rosas — an undrafted rookie last season who 18 of 25 field goals and 20 of 23 extra points — is currently projected to start at the position.
Reskins Host Three Prospects
- The Redskins were busy hosting draft prospects over the past two days, as Georgia running back Sony Michel, Ohio State center Billy Price, and Washington defensive lineman Vita Vea all visited the nation’s capital on Tuesday/Wednesday, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (all Twitter links). Michel would join a running back depth chart that already includes Chris Thompson, Samaje Perine, and Rob Kelley, while Price could start at either guard or center in lieu of Arie Kouandjio or Chase Roullier, respectively. Vea, meanwhile, would help fill a gap at defensive tackle that the Redskins have already attempted to fill this offseason by showing interest in free agents such as Johnathan Hankins and Bennie Logan.
Redskins OL Ty Nsekhe Signs RFA Tender
Redskins tackle Ty Nsekhe has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Nsekhe will now be paid $2.914MM for the 2018 campaign.
Nsekhe got a late start to his NFL career, as he spent time in the Arena Football League before finally settling in as a reserve for Washington at age-30 in 2015. He’s appeared in 40 games and made 11 starts over the past three seasons, and he’s been effective when asked to step into the lineup. In 2017, Nsekhe saw a career-high 43.4% playtime on offense, and he’ll revert to a backup role behind fellow tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses.
Nsekhe was one of 14 NFL restricted free agents to be tendered at the second-round level. There was no rush for Nsekhe to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 20 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Nsekhe.
NFL Draft Rumors: Nelson, 49ers, Eagles
Good news for Wisconsin product Nick Nelson. The surgery to fix the cornerback’s torn meniscus was successful and he did not need a full repair, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Because it was not a full repair, he is expected to recover in six weeks rather than 3-4 months and should be ready for training camp. Nelson was projected to come off the board no later than the third round before the injury and he should be in consideration for rounds 2 and 3 once again after the operation.
Here’s a look at the latest NFL Draft news:
- The 49ers met with Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith on Tuesday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Smith had 137 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season and could be a replacement for Reuben Foster, who is embroiled in serious legal trouble stemming from a domestic violence arrest.
- Iowa center James Daniels, who is widely regarded as the top center in this year’s draft, visited with the Eagles this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. On Tuesday, he’ll meet with Bears before traveling to the 49ers on Wednesday. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com says that Daniels is one of the best center prospects he’s seen in the last five years and has him ranked as the 23rd best prospect overall in this year’s draft.
- South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst, met with the Lions on Tuesday, Rapoport tweets. If the Lions select Hurst in the first round, that will make three first round tight ends for them in the last ten years, following Brandon Pettigrew (2009) and Eric Ebron (2014).
- Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander visited the Eagles and Dolphins this week, Rapoport tweets. Alexander is widely projected to be a first round pick and may be the second CB to come off the board after Ohio State’s Denzel Ward.
- Teams like Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, but the belief that he is a two-down defender and not an adept pass-rusher may keep him out of the Top 10, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears.
- Speaking of Payne, he visited the Redskins on Monday, a source tells ESPN.com’s John Keim (on Twitter). Washington owns the No. 13 overall pick in the draft.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/2018
Here are today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: LB Zaire Anderson
- Re-signed: DE Shelby Harris
- Re-signed: LB Joseph Jones
- Re-signed: WR Jordan Taylor
- Re-signed: OT Elijah Wilkinson
Houston Texans
- Signed original round RFA tender: OL Greg Mancz
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed original round RFA tender: LB Matt Longacre
Washington Redskins
- Re-signed: OT Tony Bergstrom
NFL Draft Rumors: Guice, Redskins, Patriots, Bills, Giants, Darnold
Running back Derrius Guice visited the Redskins at their team facility on Monday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Redskins have been public about their desire to add a pass-catching running back and Guice, with 18 catches last year at LSU, would fit the bill.
With needs to address on the other side of the ball, many believe that the Redskins will take a defensive player at No. 13 overall. However, the Redskins could probably trade back into the early 20s to take Guice and address their defensive holes later on.
Here’s the latest round of NFL draft news:
- The Patriots hosted UCLA left tackle Kolton Miller on a pre-draft visit, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
- Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen met with the Bills on Monday and will travel to the Giants on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, USC QB Sam Darnold met with the Giants on Monday and will meet with the Jets on Tuesday.
- Linebacker Rashaan Evans visited the Bengals on Monday, Rapoport tweets. The Bengals own the No. 21 pick in the draft, which could allow them to snag the Alabama standout.
- Speaking of Alabama, Rapoport also notes that standout defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne met with the Redskins on Monday. Payne has shot up draft boards in recent weeks thanks to his remarkable strength. “He’s the best. He’s the best I’ve seen,”Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran said earlier this year. “I’ve never seen a guy hit 385 on the power clean every single year. His first year he hit 365 on the power clean and it was like wow, freshman, that’s incredible.”
- USC running back Ronald Jones visited the Patriots on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Within the same tweet, he notes that Stanford safety Justin Reid visited the Panthers before heading off to his Steelers visit.
- Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson took a pre-draft visit to meet with the 49ers on Monday, a league source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The 49ers have the ninth pick in the first round and Jackson is projected to come off the board as a middle-to-late first-round pick.
- LSU pass-rusher Arden Key visited the Bears on Monday, Rapoport tweets. He also notes Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller visited the Redskins on Monday and Tulane cornerback Parry Nickerson visited the Raiders.
Redskins Pick Up Brandon Scherff’s Option
The Redskins have exercised the fifth-year option on guard Brandon Scherff, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. The two-time Pro Bowler is now under contract through the 2019 season. 
The decision to extend Scherff for another season was a no-brainer for the Redskins. The former No. 5 pick in the 2015 draft has started in every one of his games over the last three seasons and has been rated as a top-tier lineman by the advanced metrics in each of the last two years. Last season, Scherff earned a career-best 83.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, making him the eighth-highest ranked guard in the NFL. He placed ahead of many notables, including Ronald Leary, Richie Incognito, T.J. Lang, and Kelechi Osemele.
The fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only, so the Redskins will be able to press the eject button before the additional year kicks in if Scherff’s performance suffers. The additional year for players taken in the top ten is equal to the transition tender at the player’s position during his fourth season. The transition tag for offensive lineman this year was $12.525MM, so that will be Scherff’s projected salary for ’19.
East Notes: Amendola, Cowboys, Giants, Dez, Jonathan Allen
After playing five seasons with the Patriots, receiver Danny Amendola signed with the rival Dolphins in the 2018 offseason. The move happened, in part, because New England did not come close to matching the two-year, $12MM deal he received from Miami, the receiver told Jimmy Hascup of USA Today.
After taking pay cuts in the past to stay with the Patriots, the veteran wideout was expecting to have a chance to stay with the team. That did not happen with the notoriously stingy Bill Belichick.
“When free agency broke, I came to the realization that he wasn’t going to really come close to any of the other offers I had,” Amendola said. “I had to make a decision for my family and go down to Miami and continue my career there.”
Amendola also commented on playing for Belichick, saying, “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an (expletive) sometimes,” Amendola said. “There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him.”
Here’s more from around the East:
- The Cowboys will be looking for a new go-to receiver after the departure of Dez Bryant. One of those candidates is Terrance Williams, who will be ready for work in June after recovering from a broken foot earlier in the offseason, ESPN’s Todd Archer writes. Though he will be ready to go, Williams is best used as a No. 2 or 3 wideout due to his inconsistency.
- Speaking of Bryant, the receiver reportedly left his meeting with Jerry Jones saying he would see the team twice next season. If he is going to join a division foe, the Giants seem like an unlikely spot, SportsNet New York’s Ralph Vacchiano writes. The team’s depth at receiver with Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shephard seems to indicate there is no room for Bryant.
- The Redskins are expected to have defensive tackle Jonathan Allen when the team resumes activities next week, NBC Sports’ JP Finlay writes. He suffered a Lisfranc injury in Week 5 of 2017 and did not play the rest of the season. A healthy Allen could helped Washington improve on its last-ranked run defense in 2017.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/13/18
Here are Friday’s minor moves.
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: LB David Talley
Washington Redskins
- Waived: S Orion Stewart
- Waived: LB Otha Peters