There are several intriguing names on the Washington Redskins defense, especially when it comes to the cornerback position. While Kendall Fuller and Ronald Darby top the list of notables, a player like Jimmy Moreland is someone who many fans are excited to watch this summer to see if he can grow into a viable piece in the secondary.
Last year, after being drafted by the Redskins in the 7th round, Moreland showed out in training camp and earned the nickname ‘The People’s Corner’ by some media members, thanks to his highly-athletic plays on the ball and multitude of interceptions. Going into his sophomore season, Moreland has a chance earn a bigger share of playing time, but he may have to get into some uncomfortable positions in order to do so.
ESPN’s John Keim said as much on his podcast, The John Keim Report, explaining that Moreland will need to move from his preferred position on the outside and occupy the slot. That is if the Redskins choose to push Fuller back into a safety position on occasion, which would be interesting to see.
“I have told you that they like [Moreland] outside, and they do,” Keim said. “I also know that he’ll compete inside, but that really is where Kendall Fuller is going to hold the job as a starter. However, there may be times where they might want Fuller to shift to safety, and they could bring in someone else to play the slot corner. That’s where Moreland factors.”
This could be a tough transition for Moreland to make, but he got a little bit of experience doing so in 2019 near the end of the season. Moreland started five games in his rookie year and had four passes defended in that time, with a great opportunity for a few interceptions as well.
“Keep in mind that when he was playing there last year, it was the first time he had ever played [in the slot]. He was an outside corner in college who only played man,” Keim said. “I think that’s why they’re optimistic about him because in college, that’s all he did was play man on the outside. He relied in the NFL on his competitiveness and his ball skills and his instinct.”
Keim continues to say that a lot of the hype surrounding Moreland in the summer of 2019 was thanks to his playmaking ability in training camp, but there were several plays where he got beat in coverage as well. Those highlight plays often relied on instinct, and now that he has a year of experience under his belt, but discipline should come as well.
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