The corner group has had major changes this offseason, starting with the departure of 2020 starter Ronald Darby, and the arrival of his replacement, William Jackson. The Redskins Washington then spent a fairly high draft pick on Benjamin St. Juste and brought in an experienced vet in Roberts. Washington is in a position in which, if everything works out, they may be set at corner for years to come. Let’s begin our examination of this group with the projected starters.

Starters

Jackson (6’0” / 196) was the first round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals out of the University of Houston in 2016. He’s played in 59 games in his five year career, with 48 starts, and has made a total of 150 tackles, including 119 solo, 3 interceptions, 1 touchdown, and 1 sack. Jackson missed his entire rookie season because of a torn pectoral muscle. In 2020, he played and started 14 games and made 5 tackles, including 38 solo, and 1 interception. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the 2016 NFL Combine. Jackson has both size and speed, and has demonstrated the ability to be an elite, shutdown outside corner. He’s just 28 years old and in year one of a three year contract, so he could be Washington’s answer at the #1 corner position for several years. His cap hit this coming season is just $4.6M, which is a bargain, but it rises up to $14M in 2022.

Fuller (5’11” / 196) Fuller (5’11” / 196) is a local product who was Washington’s third round pick out of Virginia Tech in 2016. He was timed at 4.48 seconds in the 40 yard dash at the 2016 NFL Combine. Fuller played the first two years of his career with Washington, then was traded to Kansas City in the Alex Smith trade. Things did not go as planned in Kansas City for Fuller in his two years with the team, and most Chiefs observers viewed his time there as disappointing. He was initially handed the #1 corner role and held the job for most of 2018 but did not perform well enough to keep his position. The Chiefs moved him around, first to the slot and later even safety in an attempt to find him a home that maximized his effectiveness. He re-signed with Washington last offseason for 4 years, $40M. His cap hit in 2021 will be $13.125M, but goes down to $11.125M in 2022. In total Fuller has played 69 games, with 45 starts, and has 278 tackles, including 211 solo, 10 interceptions, and 1 sack. In 2020, Fuller played and started 14 games and made 50 tackles, including 38 solo, and 4 interceptions. Fuller may not be a shutdown boundary corner, but he is a quality player who can potentially fill a variety of roles, including slot corner and perhaps even safety. His future position remains to be seen and could depend on the development of St. Juste, who has looked good so far in Washington’s offseason program. Fuller’s long-term fate may be in the slot. His cap hit is $13.125M this year and $11.125M in 2022.

Backups

St. Juste (6’3” / 200) was one of Washington’s third round picks this year. He is originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and did not learn to speak English until age 17. St. Juste began his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, playing 12 games in 2017 before redshirting his 2018 season. He graduated from Michigan in only two years, then transferred to the University of Minnesota for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. In total, he played in 18 games in the 2017, 2019, and 2020 seasons, making a total of 62 tackles, including 50 solo. He did not have an interception. In 2020, St. Juste played in 5 games and made 14 tackles, including 11 solo. At his pro day, St. Juste ran the 40 yard dash in an unofficial 4.51 seconds, jumped 34.5” in the vertical leap and 9’11” in the standing broad jump, ran the short shuttle in 4.00 seconds, and completed the three cone drill in 6.63 seconds. He is very inexperienced and has limited game time considering that he played three seasons at two different universities. St. Juste’s best advantages are his natural size and length, and the fact that he played in multiple systems in college. He can be physical and can use his size in press-man coverage. Reports from mini-camp were extremely positive, with St. Juste showing good press-man coverage skills and the ability to contest balls. If St. Juste can build on this, he could hypothetically end up as Washington’s starting outside corner, with Fuller moved into the slot.

Johnson (5’9” / 181) was a 2018 undrafted free agent from Southern University. He was timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40 yard dash at the 2018 Combine. Johnson made the active roster as a rookie and has played 30 total games in three seasons, with 3 starts, and is credited with 29 tackles, including 22 solo. He has also been a regular kick returner for the team, with 38 returns for 856 yards and an average of 22.5 yards per return. Johnson missed the end of his rookie 2018 season and most of 2019 due to injury. Johnson is a quality corner with talent, but his size realistically limits him to the slot. Johnson will be given the chance to earn the starting job to start the season, but his long-term fate may rest with St. Juste – if St. Juste can start, then Fuller will be bumped inside, which will in turn put Johnson on the bench (unless the team moves Fuller to safety, which is possible but seems unlikely).

Stroman (5’11” / 182) was a seventh round pick from Virginia Tech in 2018. At the 2018 Combine, Stroman ran the 40 yard dash in 4.48 seconds, jumped 33.5 inches in the vertical leap, bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times, and jumped 9’5” in the broad jump. Stroman was a versatile, multi-positional ballhawk in college, and while Stroman has definitely outplayed his draft status, his college versatility hasn’t necessarily translated to the NFL. His principal problem has been injuries – Stroman has spent the better part of the last two years on injured reserve. In total, he’s played 20 games in three seasons, including 3 starts, and has 38 tackles, including 31 solo, and 1 interception. Last season, Stroman played four games before going to injured reserve in mid- October, but did not record any stats. Whether Stroman could eventually rise to a starter-level depends partially on his health, but given what we’ve seen so far, it seems most likely that he can be a versatile backup both outside and in the slot.

Moreland (5’10” / 179) was a 2019 seventh round pick from James Madison University. He was timed at 4.46 in the 40 yard dash at his pro day. In two seasons with Washington, Moreland has played 30 games, including 10 starts, and has 86 tackles, including 65 solo, 1 interception, and a one-half of a sack. Like Stroman, Moreland has probably outplayed his seventh round draft status, but he’s not shown starter potential, yet. His size and speed lends itself more to a slot corner role rather than on the outside, so he’ll have to compete with Stroman for backup minutes. Long-term, Washington may eventually decide to choose between Stroman and Moreland, with one being offered a new deal and the other allowed to walk.

Roberts (6’0” / 182) was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 draft out of Marshall by the New England Patriots. He inured his wrist in his first preseason game of his rookie year and missed the entire season. The Patriots released Roberts a year later, and he was picked up by the New York Jets, where he stayed until he was released again in the 2020 offseason. Roberts was then signed by the Detroit Lions shortly thereafter, but spent another month on injured reserve in the middle of the season. In total, Roberts has played 31 games, with 4 starts, and has made 211 tackles, including 189 solo, and 4 sacks. Last season, Roberts played 11 games, including 5 starts, and made 39 tackles, including 34 solo, and had 1 interception. I expect him to be quality backup depth, as he’s known to be able to play both inside and outside, and he also played 291 snaps at free safety in 2018, so Ron Rivera and Jack del Rio could view him as a versatile defensive back who can fill in anywhere he’s needed.

Stephens (6’0” / 193) was a 2018 undrafted free agent from the University of Cincinnati who was originally signed by the Saints. Over the past three seasons, he’s spent time with the Rams, Broncos, Seahawks, and Dolphins, including in-season, active roster game time with the Dolphins and Seahawks. In total, he has played 16 games and has 6 tackles. Stephens is a burner, having run the 40 yard dash in 4.38 seconds at his pro day in 2018. Almost 75% of his limited regular season snaps have been on special teams, so it seems likely that Rivera and del Rio brought him to Washington in that capacity.

McTyer (5’11” / 188) was a 2017 undrafted free agent from UNLV who was originally signed by the Dolphins. He was timed at 4.41 seconds in the 40 yard dash at his pro day. McTyer remained in Miami until he was waived in the 2019 offseason. He then spent time with the practice squads of both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. In total, he’s played in 27 games, including 4 starts, and has 34 tackles, including 25 solo. McTyer was on the Bengals active roster for 5 games last season and made 2 tackles. He is a practice squad-level player who will have to earn his way onto the roster this season.

Brown (6’0” / 197) was a seventh round pick out of South Dakota St. by the Bengals in 2019. Cincinnati waived him prior to the start of the 2019 season, but he subsequently spent time with the practice squads of both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Raiders before being signed to Washington’s practice squad this past November. Washington thought enough of Brown to sign him to a futures contract after the season ended. He ran his 40 yard dash in 4.5 seconds at South Dakota St.’s pro day. Draft analysts two years ago viewed Brown as having good zone coverage skills and as having potential to play in the slot. He obviously faces an uphill battle to make Washington’s active 2021 roster.

Projections

This is a large and competitive cornerback group. Last year, Washington kept 5 corners and 4 safeties, for a total of 9 defensive backs. This year, Jackson, Fuller, and St. Juste are the roster locks at corner, so that leaves 7 players to fight for either two or three spots at most depending on how the coaching staff wants to construct the defensive back group as a whole. Roberts, Johnson, Moreland, and Stroman certainly are in the lead right now by virtue of their NFL experience, but all four can’t be kept on the active roster. In fact, if the Redskins Washington keeps five, it’s possible that two of them will be cut. As to the rest of the group, Brown, McTyer, and Linden clearly have their work cut out for them and have long odds to be on the active roster on week 1. The team will most likely keep as least 1 or 2 corners on the practice squad, so one or more of Brown, McTyer, and Linden could remain with Washington in that capacity.