NFL Suspends Trent Murphy Four Games
The NFL has suspended Redskins outside linebacker Trent Murphy for four games without pay for a violation of its policy on performance-enhancing drugs, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Murphy unsuccessfully appealed the ban, which the league originally handed down last month.
A 2014 second-round pick, Murphy seemingly boosted his stock last season – his second straight 16-game campaign – by picking up career-high totals in sacks (nine) and forced fumbles (three) during his penultimate year of team control. Impressively, Murphy posted that gaudy sack total without starting a game, instead serving as a reserve behind Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith. Murphy was mostly a No. 1 in his first two years, during which he combined for 23 starts and six sacks in 31 appearances.
Now that the league has upheld Murphy’s suspension, he’ll miss a quarter of the season, thus hurting him as he vies for a strong contract year and subtracting a key defender from Washington’s lineup. The Redskins finished last season tied for ninth in the league in sacks (38), 20 of which came from Kerrigan (a team-leading 11) and Murphy.
Redskins To Host Josh Jones
- North Carolina State safety Josh Jones recently completed a visit with the Dolphins, and will next meet with the Panthers, Jets, and Redskins, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Jones is considered a Round 2 prospect, but he’s been hosted by a significant number of NFL clubs during the predraft process, and there’s a chance he could sneak into Day 1. In 2016, Jones put up 109 tackles, three interceptions, and one sack.
Six Teams To Meet With Mo Alie-Cox
The jump from basketball to football may not be easy, but Mo Alie-Cox has plenty of believers in the NFL. The former Virginia Commonwealth University forward is already slated to visit the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Jets, Colts, Seahawks, and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. More teams could request to meet with the 6’7″ athlete, Rapoport adds. 
Alie-Cox held an open audition for NFL teams recently and it seems like more than half the league had scouts in attendance. In addition to the aforementioned clubs, reps from the Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, 49ers, Browns, Patriots, Redskins, and Steelers were in the house (via Lane Casadonte of WTVR on Twitter).
Despite his lack of gridiron experience, teams are intrigued by Alie-Cox’s combination of size and athleticism. He is looking to play tight end and follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Julius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and other TE standouts with basketball backgrounds. At the same time, he is open to playing other positions and he took requests from scouts to perform drills that were suited for different roles.
What really sets Alie-Cox apart from other young NFL hopefuls is that he is not draft eligible and, therefore, can be signed as a free agent. A team that is really high on the hoopster could see this as an opportunity to effectively acquire a late-round draft pick for nothing.
Redskins Notes: Cousins, Cook, Baker
Despite all the trade rumors that surrounded Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier this offseason, the veteran signal-caller expects to spend the 2017 campaign in Washington. “I haven’t heard anything,” Cousins said today on ESPN’s NFL Live (link via John Keim of ESPN.com). “I’m not expecting anything to happen. And I’m looking forward to getting back to work with my teammates.” The Redskins are reportedly offering Cousins a five-year deal worth $20MM annually, but if a deal isn’t struck, Cousins will play out the season on his second consecutive franchise tag (at a cost of nearly $24MM). Cousins has already signed the tender, fully guaranteeing himself that salary for 2017.
- The Redskins hosted Florida State running back Dalvin Cook today, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Scouts are reportedly cooling on Cook due to character issues, and he didn’t post impressive numbers at the combine. But the production is there on film, and Cook is still expected to come off the board on Day 1. Rob Kelley and Chris Thompson formed a “thunder and lightning” attack for Washington in 2016, while Matt Jones and Mack Brown are also on the roster.
- The Redskins are meeting with Washington safety Budda Baker today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Baker will subsequently meet with the Falcons later in the week. Although he’s small in stature (195 pounds), Baker “screams off the edge as a blitzer,” says Lance Zeirlein of NFL.com, who compares Baker to former NFL defensive MVP Bob Sanders. Baker will likely be a late first-round or early second-round pick.
Junior Galette Arrested
Redskins pass rusher Junior Galette was arrested Friday in Biloxi, Miss., on charges of disorderly conduct and failure to comply with police orders, reports WLOX. Galette’s attorney confirmed the arrest to Nick Underhill and Ramon Antonio Vargas of The Advocate, adding that his client had quickly bailed out, but he didn’t offer further details.
This isn’t the first time Galette, 29, has run afoul of the law during his NFL career. Galette was arrested and booked on one count of misdemeanor simple battery related to domestic violence back in January 2015, when he was a member of the Saints. Video of a man who appeared to be Galette striking a woman in 2013 then surfaced in June 2015, and though no charges were filed, the Saints released him a month later and absorbed serious cap penalties in the process.
After the Saints cut ties with Galette, he quickly caught on with Washington. However, he hasn’t played a down for the team yet on account of tearing his left Achilles tendon two summers ago and his right Achilles last year. The league also hit Galette with a two-game ban in 2015 stemming from his domestic incident from that year. The two-time double-digit sack artist will attempt to return to action next season, but it’s possible his latest arrest will lead to another suspension, further delaying his comeback.
Obi Melifonwu Visits Redskins
- After visiting with the Browns yesterday, Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu is set to meet with the Redskins today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Melifonwu, who finished last season with 73 tackles and four interceptions, was listed 46th on Daniel Jeremiah’s list of the top-50 prospects. The defensive back has garnered interest from a number of teams, including the Lions, Panthers, Steelers, Seahawks, Saints, Cowboys, and Dolphins.
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Redskins To Host Christian McCaffrey
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, whose stock is so high that he could be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, will visit the Redskins and Broncos, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Chase Goodbread of NFL.com). Given where they’re slated to select (Washington’s at No. 17, Denver’s 20th), those two teams could have difficulty reeling in McCaffrey, though it would make for an especially interesting story if he ended up with the Broncos. His father, Ed McCaffrey, was a standout receiver in Denver from 1995-2003. While there, he caught passes from quarterback John Elway, who’s now the Broncos’ general manager.
Redskins To Use Stacy McGee At End
- Although free agent signing Stacy McGee may fit better as a nose tackle given that he’s doesn’t rush the passer well, the Redskins intend to use him as a defensive end in their 3-4 scheme, according to Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. Either way, Washington could still use another lineman or two, even after inking McGee and Terrell McClain last month. Johnathan Hankins is still available on the open market, as are fellow free agents Jared Odrick and Vance Walker. Draft options for the Redskins could include Malik McDowell (Michigan State), Chris Wormley (Michigan), and Caleb Brantley (Florida).
Redskins Add T John Kling
- The Redskins signed former Bears offensive tackle John Kling, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Zach Brown Contract Details
- New Redskins linebacker Zach Brown was reportedly looking for $6MM per year on the open market, but his new deal won’t pay him anywhere near that total. Brown’s one-year pact has a base value of only $2.25MM and comes with $700K guaranteed, per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (Twitter links). He’ll earn a base salary of $1.5MM and can earn $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Another $2.3MM is available via incentives, which are tied to playing, Pro Bowl and All Pro nods, and Washington making the postseason.