According to several sources, the Washington Redskins will host linebacker Zach Brown for a visit on Monday. While the Redskins still have returning starters Will Compton and Mason Foster at inside linebacker, the team has stated they will look to upgrade the defense whenever the opportunity arises.
Brown has already visited the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and his former team, the Buffalo Bills in free agency this year. He’s coming off a season in which he recorded a career-best 149 tackles and four sacks in 2016.
Does Washington have the cap space to sign Brown?
The Redskins definitely view Brown as an upgrade from what they currently have on the roster. The dilemma may be, can the team sign Brown to a contract that he believes matches his fair-market value. With $16.634 million in free salary cap space available, the Redskins should be able to make a substantial offer. In fact, the Redskins have enough cap space left to set aside approximately $5-$7 million for injured players, and sign all ten of their upcoming draft picks while still having around $9 million to work with afterwards.
Brown’s current fair market value is somewhere in the neighborhood of four years, $18 million. Which would bring the 27-year old linebacker approximately $4.5 million a season, a deal well within Washington’s reach.
Inside linebacker Zach Brown will visit the #Redskins on Monday, per source
— Master Tesfatsion (@MasterTes) April 2, 2017
Signing Brown would open the draft up even more for Redskins
The Washington Redskins entered this offseason looking to build their defense up from one of the worst in the NFL the last few years. Along the way the team has said good bye to some players, and hello to a few others they view will help the process.
The team still lists defensive tackle as its number one need, but an argument could easily be made that Washington needs a middle linebacker just as bad.
If they were to sign Brown, the team could then go into the draft with the strategy of selecting the top available player instead of chasing needs. That very well could be the strategy already, although crossing off another need before draft time certainly will change the way the team is thinking. If signed, Brown would join Mason Foster, Martrell Spaight, Chris Carter, Steven Daniels, Zach Vigil and currently unsigned restricted Free Agent Will Compton at inside linebacker for Washington.
