National Football League

Washington Redskins Secondary Free Agents: Will Or Won't Re-Sign

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:02 p.m. ET

Fansided, Jacob Camenker/FanSided via Riggo's Rag

The Washington Redskins have a handful of free agents from their secondary hitting the market. Will they choose to retain any of them?

Though the defensive line was often talked about as the major weakness of the defense, their secondary did not fare much better. The unit was supposed to be upgraded with the acquisition of Josh Norman, but instead the presence of the All-Pro player had a minimal impact. Part of that was the issues at the safety position, but overall the depth was just not there.

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Coming into the 2017 offseason, the Redskins are going to be making some changes in the secondary including moving Su’a Cravens to safety. That said, they will need to make some decisions about some key players who played big roles in their 2016 season as they hit the free agent market.

The decisions the Redskins have to make will not be easy. Still, we think we know what the team should do. Here is a look at whether or not the Redskins will re-sign their free agents from the secondary.

4. Josh Evans

Not many people are familiar with Josh Evans. There is a good reason for that. He was barely on the Redskins roster during the 2016 season. Officially, he was on the 53-man roster for just two games and did not contribute a single stat in either game. He was a depth signing from earlier in the season who had spent the previous three years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Evans does have a decent amount of starting experience, logging 36 starts over his first four seasons, but his lack of ability to stick on the roster does not bode well for him. The Redskins had a real weakness at the safety position, and the fact that Evans was unable to beat out other players to get onto the roster is very concerning.

Frankly, it does not seem like Evans is going to be worth the roster spot for the Redskins. It would be surprising to see him land on an NFL roster in 2017, so I have a tough time imagining that he will re-sign with the Redskins.

Prediction: Won’t Re-Sign

Next: 3. Donte Whitner

Nov 20, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) makes a reception in front of Washington Redskins safety Donte Whitner (39) during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

3. Donte Whitner

When Donte Whitner signed with the Redskins early on in the 2016 season, there was some reason to be excited. The team had a weakness at the safety position and he had 10 years of experience under his belt. He had most recently played for the Cleveland Browns and was coming off of an average season, but he at least offered some potential.

Well, Whitner’s season did not end very well. Though he was still a hard hitter and good tackler, Whitner simply offered nothing in terms of pass defense. He lacked speed and athleticism and often let opposing receivers and tight ends blow by him. He was burned so many times that I lost count. Still, he was apparently the team’s best option as he continued to start for a majority of the season.

That cannot continue. The Redskins have Deshazor Everett and Su’a Cravens, a couple of young safeties, who offer far more upside than Whitner. They should be given a chance to earn roles in the defense. Whitner really does not have one. For that reason, I think that the Redskins will let Whitner walk, and the veteran safety may have to retire if nobody shows interest in his services.

Prediction: Won’t Re-Sign

Next: 2. Greg Toler

Dec 19, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) has his face mask grabbed by Washington Redskins cornerback Greg Toler (20) while carrying the ball in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Panthers won 26-15. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2. Greg Toler

Speaking of washed up veterans, Greg Toler happens to fall into that category. Toler has long been a cornerback in the NFL and had been a decent No. 2 cornerback in recent years. The Redskins expected him to provide some solid depth for the team when they brought him in, but they did not really get that.

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Early in the season, Toler was fine playing a small role in each game. He was used as a sub at all the cornerback positions, and was a generally nice player to have. It was the perfect amount of playing time for him, as he was able to stay fresh and thus, stay effective.

However, as the season dragged on, Toler saw more and more playing time thanks to Kendall Fuller’s ineffective play and an injury to Quinton Dunbar. In extensive action, he was exposed. He simply does not have much speed but his physicality cannot make up for it. He allowed receivers to constantly get separation against him and that caused problems for the Redskins.

It seems like the Redskins can do better than Toler in the future. They have some high upside young players like Dunbar and Fuller and would be better off giving them more playing time. Toler is going to be looking for work during the 2017 offseason, and there are some serious questions about whether or not he will find any.

Prediction: Won’t Re-Sign

Next: 1. Duke Ihenacho

Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins strong safety Duke Ihenacho (29) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood (28) on the opening kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1. Duke Ihenacho

After a disappointing first couple of seasons in Washington, Duke Ihenacho finally was able to stay on the field for a majority of the season. Appearing in 15 games and making 10 starts, Ihenacho put together a decent season, but he was a far cry from a strong player.

Ihenacho was able to do well in run support, but he was below average in pass coverage. Ihenacho’s instincts allowed him to track opposing running backs well, but he did not have the ability to stay with the opposing receivers enough. He was not burned as frequently as the other players at the position, but he had his share of mishaps.

Still, Ihenacho is a solid player that could serve as a good depth option and a special teams player. He has started 25 of a possible 36 games he was active for in his career, but he has also had some serious injury problems. The team may question whether or not signing Ihenacho is worth the financial risk.

Ihenacho is a very tough player to figure out. On one hand, he could be a decent backup at both safety spots and offer a versatile depth option to the team. On the other, he could perform poorly and not be worth rostering. At the end of the day, I think that the Redskins will look to upgrade the position elsewhere and let Ihenacho walk.

Prediction: Won’t Re-Sign

Next: Washington Redskins Defensive Front 7 PredictionsThis article originally appeared on