What’s going on with Washington’s linebacker group?
May 17, 2022
by Steve Thomas
What in the world is Ron Rivera thinking in the management of his linebacker group? Currently, the Redskins Commanders Washington has just two legitimate, proven NFL starters. The team has had an entire offseason, including free agency and the draft, to address the problem and yet has chosen to do nothing. Instead, Rivera created an unnecessary hole in the defensive line by letting Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle leave without even trying to keep either one, and sending public vibes that they’ll also let Daron Payne walk next year. That, in turn, forced the team to draft Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis.
It’s roster negligence.
Washington could get lucky and find an unearthed gem among the undrafted free agents, but odds are that the linebacker group is now Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis, by default, with David Mayo apparently playing some sort of role, and a bunch of other guys. That’s not a recipe for excellence. Looking at the history of Washington’s middle linebackers, Jonathan Bostic most recently had the job in the first two years of the team’s return to the 4 – 3, 2020 and 2021. Before that, the two inside linebackers in the 3 – 4 were Bostic and Holcomb in 2019, then Zach Brown and Mason Foster in 2018, Brown and Zach Vigil in 2017, Foster and William Compton in 2016, and Keenan Robinson and Perry Riley from 2014 to 2015. At that point, we reach the end of the London Fletcher era. The point is, the team hasn’t had a big-time inside or middle linebacker since Fletcher retired.
Rivera recently made it clear that he intends to start Holcomb in the middle. Davis showed last year that he wasn’t a good fit for the middle position in the NFL, so he’ll be put on the outside in 2022. In my view, that’s where he always belonged, and that’s what I wrote in his initial draft review (click here). He’s inexperienced, but lightning fast and good in coverage. He screams weak side, and the team should’ve either waited to draft him later in the draft or just accepted his limitations from day one. As to Holcomb, he’s most likely going to end up as a roughly league average NFL middle linebacker. He’s smart, a hard worker, and understands the system, and Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack del Rio like him. However, his negatives are his strength and play speed, both of which are average at best. Holcomb is likely not going to end up as a big-time, play making linebacker for Washington.
That, of course, leaves the strong side open, with the obvious answer being . . . nobody. Rivera briefly mentioned backup David Mayo, who’s basically the only one for the role absent one of the rookies or practice-squad level players unexpectedly rising to the occasion. Mayo, though, has never been a full-time starter in his 7-year career, with only 23 on his resume, so he’s far from an ideal solution.
The only other linebackers on the roster are Khaleke Hudson, the team’s 2020 fifth round draft pick who seems been suited to the nickel role, and a host of rookie free agents and practice squad-level players such as Milo Eifler, and De’Jon Harris more.
Washington has been trying to get by at the middle linebacker position for years while focusing on / mismanaging the defensive line group. At some point, Rivera will need to properly address this position. Why didn’t he do it in this draft? Was he gun shy after the Davis debacle? First of all, this wasn’t a good draft year for top-end linebackers. Only two, Devin Lloyd and Quay Walker, were drafted in round 1, with two other outside linebackers, Arnold Ebiketie and David Ojabo, going before Washington’s pick in round 2, and the next linebacker going later in the round. From that perspective, it’s somewhat understandable that Washington chose not to overdraft someone in the first two rounds; however, given that Washington appeared to overdraft multiple other players, it wouldn’t have been that far-fetched to do it for a linebacker. In fact, many analysts felt second round pick Phidarian Mathis was a bit of an overreach. Plus, there were five other rounds. The bottom line is that the team chose not to address the issue in the draft.
Free agency had a few quality candidates available – 32 year old Bobby Wagner, Miles Jack, and several others, none of whom Washington even made an attempt to sign any of them, at least based on publicly available information. One or two somewhat viable candidates are probably left, but at this point, all of the difference makers have signed. Washington’s leadership seems to have been leery of salary cap obligations in light of Carson Wentz’s contract, but they could’ve squeezed in another contract if it was important enough to them. It obviously wasn’t.
Right now, it looks fairly likely that we’ll see more of last year’s defensive formations – 2 linebackers on the field, with a third safety playing a hybrid role. Perhaps that’s the plan, which would explain why Washington’s front office has operated in this fashion. However, they also let the ultimate hybrid safety / linebacker, Landon Collins, go, presumably because of his enormous cap hit. Who’s up next in that role? That’s another open question.
For some reason, the leadership of this team has mismanaged the strength of the team, which is the defensive line, and ignored middle linebacker. Something needs to change.