Ryan Anderson was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft to be an important part of the equation for the Washington Redskins.
Through his first two seasons in the league, Anderson only had 29 tackles and two sacks with zero starts, but last season, the former Alabama outside linebacker finally started to make a bigger impact on the field.
In 16 games played with four starts, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound edge player accumulated 40 total tackles, four sacks, one pass deflection and an eye-popping five forced fumbles. He also proved to be an effective early-down, edge-setter as well.
With the Redskins now being led by former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, who prefers running a 4-3 defense instead of the 3-4 that Washington has deployed over the last few seasons, it’s a matter of determining how Anderson fits into the plans.
The team has also spent first-round picks in back-to-back drafts on edge players, including Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat in 2019 and Ohio State’s Chase Young in 2020. Combine that with Ryan Kerrigan being on the roster, will Anderson have a chance to build on his performance in 2020?
According to new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, the answer is yes. Here’s what he had to say about Anderson getting more opportunities in the future:
Del Rio said the #Redskins are excited about Ryan Anderson getting more opportunities. Said there will be some "fierce competition" for playing time and roles once they return to practice.
— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) May 28, 2020
More than likely, Anderson will probably be tested as a strong-side, off-ball linebacker in Washington’s new 4-3 scheme, but it’s a matter of what his spot on the depth chart will look like.
He’s got experience dropping into coverage, both in Washington and during his time at Alabama, but he’ll more than likely be used mostly in run support with lining up in certain situations as an end player on the line of scrimmage.
While he’s did take a step forward as far as getting after the quarterback and forcing turnovers, Anderson still isn’t known as a top pass-rushing presence, so it’ll be interesting to see how and where he’s used in 2020.
Either way, the 25-year-old out of Daphne (Ala.) should continue to be an important part of what Washington wants to do defensively — even if it’s only in certain situations.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]