The Washington Redskins entered this offseason with major questions in the secondary, and just minutes before the new league year, they agreed to terms with a versatile defensive back from the Washington, D.C. area. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sean Davis has agreed to terms with the Redskins on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million.
Davis played his college ball at the University of Maryland and was the Steelers' second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Steelers initially asked Davis to split time at safety and cornerback before he ultimately settled into his role at strong safety. He started as a rookie, helping the Steelers advance to the AFC title game. He moved over to free safety in 2018 after the team drafted Terrell Edmunds in the first round. Davis' free agent value tanked after he missed most of the 2019 season due to injury. Now, he gets another chance to start fresh in Washington.
In 48 career games, Davis has recorded 247 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 20 passes defensed and five interceptions. It will be interesting to see where the Redskins decide to use him in 2020. They locked up former New York Giants safety Landon Collins to a long-term contract last offseason, and Montae Nicholson is a 24-year-old who put up career numbers opposite of Collins in 2019. Don't rule out a competition between Nicholson and Davis for the right to start opposite of Collins, but Davis could clearly play some cornerback for the Redskins as well. Washington also reportedly agreed to terms with defensive back Kendall Fuller, who won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
Both of the Redskins' starting cornerbacks could be gone heading into next season, as Josh Norman was released and questions remain about Quinton Dunbar's future. Don't expect Davis to be the last addition the Redskins make in the secondary this offseason.
So far this week, the Redskins have been busy attending to their linebacking corps. They re-signed Jon Bostic to a new contract and also agreed to terms with the veteran Thomas Davis from the Los Angeles Chargers and Kevin Pierre-Louis from the Chicago Bears.
