The Washington Redskins are entering a new era of football with Ron Rivera now the head coach. He is going to bring a championship culture to town and that will include some roster turnover. Josh Norman has already been released by the team and new talent will be brought in.
While the Redskins are not expected to be too aggressive in free agency, they could look to add a piece or two. One of those pieces could end up being Green Bay Packers’ impending free agent linebacker Blake Martinez.
The Athletic has made their predictions for where the top 100 free agents will end up. Martinez is predicted to sign with the Redskins.
Martinez’s film isn’t as good as his numbers, but he’s posted more tackles (441) than any player in the NFL over the last three seasons. That’s production Rivera can work with, and Washington needs a middle linebacker.
Martinez put up massive numbers in 2019 with the Packers. He racked up 155 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and two defended passes. Those numbers show how good Martinez is capable of being for a team like the Redskins.
However, with the good comes some bad. Martinez may have put up great numbers last season, but there is a reason the Packers are ready to let him walk. His athleticism is questionable and he can’t make sideline-to-sideline plays that most NFL teams look for in linebackers.
Washington could just be searching for more talent at the position. There is no denying the potential that he has. Rivera is the kind of coach who could help take him to the next level.
Expect to see the Redskins pick up a piece or two in free agency. They are headed in the right direction and a guy like Martinez could come in and help.
