2017 NFL Draft Order Set
With the Super Bowl in the rear view mirror, the offseason is officially underway for all 32 teams. We now have the complete draft order for the entire first round, with one exception which is noted below.
The Patriots, of course, will have the honor of having the last pick. The Falcons, after losing in heartbreaking fashion, will have the penultimate selection in the first round.
Here is the complete order, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter links):
1. Browns
2. 49ers
3. Bears
4. Jaguars
5. Titans
6. Jets
7. Chargers
8. Panthers
9. Bengals
10. Bills
11. Saints
12. Browns
13. Cardinals
T-14. Eagles (via the Vikings)
T-14. Colts (Note: The Vikings and Colts have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broke by coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 14 and the other team getting the No. 15 pick.)
16. Ravens
17. Redskins
18. Titans
19. Buccaneers
20. Broncos
21. Lions
22. Dolphins
23. Giants
24. Raiders
25. Texans
26. Seahawks
27. Chiefs
28. Cowboys
29. Packers
30. Steelers
31. Falcons
32. Patriots
Junior Galette Already Under Redskins Control
Junior Galette seems confident he will be back in Washington in 2017, but Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) clarifies the pass-rusher’s standing. Since the Redskins placed Galette on the NFI list after his torn Achilles last summer, the Redskins still retain his rights, Jones reports. However, the sides are planning to rework his deal, per Jones.
Galette re-signed in Washington on a one-year deal worth $4MM in March of 2016. Spending the season on the NFI list meant Galette did not accrue a season toward free agency, so he remains on his previous Redskins contract. Washington did not place Galette on its NFI list in 2015 since Galette suffered the injury during training camp. He has not played for the Redskins despite signing two deals, but the former Saints edge threat said earlier this week a new contract is in the works. Set to turn 29 in March, Galette will have to rebuild his stock.
Redskins Hire Torrian Gray
- University of Florida defensive backs coach Torrian Gray is leaving the school to join the Redskins coaching staff, reports Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun (via Twitter). Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com reports that Gray will be Washington’s new defensive backs coach. Besides a one-year stint as the Bears defensive backs coach, Gray had been coaching in the NCAA since 2000.
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Redskins Interview Tim Lewis, Chris Harris
The Redskins have interviewed Chargers assistant defensive backs coach Chris Harris and longtime NFL coach Tim Lewis for their vacant secondary coach position, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) reported last month that new Los Angeles head coach Anthony Lynn would retain Harris and several other defensive coaches, but the Chargers may simply be allowing Harris — whom Jones says is considered a “rising star” — to pursue a promotion. Lewis, meanwhile, has experience as a coordinator, and has spent time with the Steelers, Giants, Panthers, Seahawks, Falcons, and, most recently, the 49ers.
- Washington had hoped to promote assistant defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant to lead its secondary unit, but after the two sides couldn’t agree to a deal, Pleasant is instead following former Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay to Los Angeles, per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post, who reports that Pleasant will join the Rams in an unspecified role. Another ex-Redskins coach, Shane Waldron (who had worked as offensive quality control assistant) will also depart for Los Angeles and become the Rams’ new tight ends coach, tweets Marvez. Finally, the Rams have also agreed to hire ex-UCLA wide receivers coach Eric Yarber for the same position, writes Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com.
Opinion: DE Options For Redskins
- Mark Bullock of The Washington Post ran down 3-4 defensive ends that could be in play for the Redskins at different price levels. He starts by listing Kawann Short, a high-priced option who lines up as a three-technique defensive tackle in Carolina’s system. Value options for Washington could include Nick Fairley and Bennie Logan. The Redskins reportedly will target Logan in March, if Philly does not re-sign him before that point.
Nick Sundberg Contract Details
- Redskins long snapper Nick Sundberg‘s new four-year deal is worth $4.4MM, Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post tweets. As part of the deal, he’ll earn a $610K signing bonus with a $900K base in 2017.
Redskins To Re-Sign Junior Galette
Pending free agent defensive end Junior Galette will re-sign with the Redskins, he announced Tuesday on Instagram. Gallette’s contract will become official Wednesday, per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com.
It will presumably be a third straight one-year pact for Galette, who inked deals with the Redskins in each of the previous two offseasons. However, injuries have prevented the former Saint from playing a single down with Washington thus far. Galette, 28, has torn his Achilles on two separate occasions – once in August 2015 and again last July – thereby stunting a promising career.
Before signing with the Redskins in 2015, Galette racked up 31.5 sacks in five seasons with the Saints. The bulk of those sacks (22), as well as four of his five career forced fumbles, came during his final two years in New Orleans.
Galette’s career-high 12-sack showing in 2013 led the Saints to sign him to a four-year, $41.5MM extension. However, they cut him a year later because of unbecoming off-field behavior – including a domestic violence incident – and had to eat a significant amount of dead money as a result. The NFL handed Galette a two-game suspension in 2015 on account of his domestic violence violation, though it didn’t actually cost him any playing time because he was already on the shelf.
If Galette bounces back from an injury-plagued two years to make the Redskins’ roster in 2017, he’ll attempt to boost a defense that finished this season ninth in sacks but just 25th in DVOA.
Redskins Notes: Long, Draft, Logan
Talk of the Redskins cutting Kory Lichtensteiger is an annual event and this could be the year it happens, CSNMidAtlantic.com’s Rich Tandler writes. This year, Lichtensteiger lost his starting job to Spencer Long when he was injured and he was unable to get it back when he was healthy. By moving on from the center, the Redskins can save $3.5MM in cap space. Alternatively, he may be able to stay with the team if he agrees to a base salary cut.
Meanwhile, an extension could be on the way for Spencer Long. If the Redskins decide to lock him up, Tandler believes a four-year deal at about $6-$7MM per season with around $8MM in guarantees should get it done. Currently, Cowboys center Travis Frederick leads the position with a $9.4MM average annual value and notables Alex Mack and Mike Pouncey are in the $8-9MM range. Long is not currently in that group, so he should slot below them.
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- The Redskins own the No. 17 overall pick in this year’s draft and JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com has identified a handful of possibilities. Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas isn’t a big name, but Finlay sees him as a good fit after he turned in two consecutive years of strong performances. This past season, he led the team in tackles, tackles for a loss, and sacks on his way to the All Pac-12 team. Other players listed here include FSU running back Dalvin Cook, Michigan State defensive lineman Malik McDowell, and Ohio State safety Malik Hooker.
- The Redskins’ reported interest in Eagles standout Bennie Logan makes plenty of sense, Finlay writes. Logan proved that he is a capable run stuffer in Philly’s 3-4 system before last year’s scheme change and even when the playbook flipped, he still managed to register 2.5 sacks. Logan just recently turned 27, so a multi-year contract could prove to be a wise investment for Washington.
- Recently, the Redskins promoted Matt Cavanaugh from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Although his own status with the team is up in the air, quarterback Kirk Cousins approves of the move.
Redskins Interested In Eagles DT Bennie Logan
If Eagles defensive tackle Bennie Logan hits the open market, the Redskins will target him in March, a source tells Mark Eckel of NJ.com. Of course, the Redskins are forbidden from contacting Logan until the legal tampering period. 
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Last year, the Redskins finished No. 28 in overall defense and 24th against the run, so they could use some help on the D-Line. Kedric Golston, 34 in May, cannot reasonably be counted upon to hold down nose tackle after playing in just two games last year. Logan, meanwhile, has missed just five games with injuries over the last four years.
For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics aren’t crazy about Logan’s play. Last year, his 45.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus placed him as a below-average interior defender. In the previous three years, however, he had much stronger scores as he played in a 3-4 scheme. It is widely acknowledged that Logan did not adjust well to the 4-3 set in 2016.
Logan could land roughly $10MM per year on his next contract, one Eagles beat writer recently opined, and the Eagles could instead get by with defensive tackles Beau Allen and Destiny Vaeao. For his part, Logan says he wants to stay in Philly, but there’s a chance he could wind up with a divisional rival instead.
Redskins-Rams In Battle For DBs Coach?
- The Redskins‘ promotion of Aubrey Pleasant from assistant secondary coach to secondary coach has yet to be completed, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union notes. Washington’s talks with Pleasant are “at a standstill” after the team offered him the position, in a somewhat strange status for a defensive backs job. The Redskins still want to make Pleaseant its DBs boss after firing Perry Fewell. However, the Rams remain interested in Pleasant as well. Los Angeles already hired Samson Brown from the Broncos, but the former assistant secondary coach under Wade Phillips in Denver doesn’t appear to have a definitive role yet.
- Regarding the top of the Redskins’ defensive hierarchy, one reason Joe Barry may have been ousted was due to some in the organization preferring he operate a more aggressive defense, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. However, a source told Keim he doesn’t consider new Washington DC Greg Manusky to be particularly aggressive. The newly promoted assistant promised to use an attacking style, though. Manusky’s Colts defenses did average more blitzes per season than Barry’s two in Washington did, Keim notes.