The NFL has changed quite a bit over the last 24 hours, and free agency hasn’t even technically opened yet. Once the clock struck noon on Monday, and legal tampering was free to take place, a flurry of moves were made that shifted the landscape of the league.
We saw the Texans and Cardinals make a trade centered around DeAndre Hopkins that put Arizona in a position to win now, and Bill O’Brien at the but of every joke in the league; Austin Hooper came to terms with the Cleveland Browns on a deal that would make him the highest-paid TE in the league; Byron Jones agreed to a deal with the Miami Dolphins that towered over every CBs contract in the NFL; Amari Cooper spurned the Redskins to take less money and remain in Dallas with the Cowboys; Stefon Diggs finally got his wish and was traded to the Buffalo Bills for a massive haul of draft picks that left the Texans looking dumber than they already did; and Washington reunited with their old cornerback Kendall Fuller, bringing him back to D.C. where he always wanted to be.
That all took place on the first day. The morning of Day 2 has brought a message from Tom Brady that he will no longer be staying in New England and a signing from Drew Brees that will see him retire in New Orleans. We’re nowhere close to finished, either.
So on Day 2, what do we want to see from the Redskins? They had a tough first day, getting passed up by several of the big-name players, but that last second agreement with Fuller definitely lifted some spirits before #HTTR Twitter went to bed. The free agency landscape is different now, though, and some of Washington’s moves — like offering $110 million to Cooper — showed their cards a bit on what they desire to add to their roster this offseason. So before another move can be made and this becomes outdated, let’s get into it; here’s our updated ranking of free agents that the Redskins should look to snag this offseason.
No. 10 — CB Darqueze Dennard
The signing of Kendall Fuller late on Monday night definitely boosted the spirits of many Redskins fans who had been hopeful of a big addition all day but were left waiting. Now, with Fuller locked down in the slot, Fabian Moreau will be able to move to the outside where he’s proved much more effective, and Quinton Dunbar can continue his dominance on the other edge. Of course, we are uncertain about the future for Dunbar, so another CB addition would be huge for the defense. Dennard is a relatively cheap option that won’t break the bank but will improve the secondary greatly.
In his six years with the Cincinnati Bengals, he’s moved across the field with flexibility, racking up three interceptions and 22 defended passes in that time. His experience will be huge for a Redskins secondary that is currently lacking in veteran leadership outside of Fuller.