National Football League

Midseason Grades For The Washington Redskins Rush Linebackers

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:51 p.m. ET

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Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) gestures to the fans after a sack against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins have one of the best pass rushers in the league. What else do they have at the position?

Coming into the 2016 season, there was a lot of buzz about the Washington Redskins rush linebackers. The team had some solid players and some young talent, and it seemed like they were ready to make a big impact. However, disaster struck after Junior Galette tore his Achilles.

Galette was supposed to come in and be the starter across from Ryan Kerrigan. When he went down, many wondered how the team would fare without him. To this point, I would say they have done just fine. Their young players are stepping up and that is great for the team.

With that in mind, here is a look at the individual midseason grades for the Redskins rush linebackers.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Alan Cross (45) runs with the ball as Washington Redskins linebacker Houston Bates (96) tackles during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Washington Redskins defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Bates

The Redskins really do not use Houston Bates much on defense. He is listed as a backup rush linebacker, but he seldom sees time on the field. In 2016, he has played just 17 defensive snaps. He simply is not an impactful player in that facet of the game.

However, Bates is a strong special teams player, and that is where he makes his money. This season, while the numbers have not been there, Bates has continued to perform well on kicks and punts. The veteran should continue to have success and may rack up a few tackles to end the season.

It is definitely strange to look at Bates’ stat line, because it appears that he makes a minimal impact. Still, his value is measured not in what he does in terms of numbers, but what he does on special teams. For that reason, Bates deserves an average grade, as he is a good enough special teams player to get by.

Bates’ Midseason Grade: C

Next: Preston Smith

Oct 30, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) is chased by Washington Redskins linebacker Preston Smith (94) during the fourth quarter at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

Preston Smith

Admittedly, I was disappointed with Preston Smith early in the year. After an eight sack rookie campaign, I was expecting the young player to have a breakout season. In the first half of the year, that never quite materialized.

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Over the first few weeks of the season, Smith struggled to get near opposing quarterbacks. It seemed like opposing teams had prepared more for Smith heading into their matchups, and that was part of the reason that he was not able to find success. However, as the season has gone along, he has gotten better each week.

Smith finally was able to get some get some results for his efforts in Weeks 6 and 7, when he officially picked up 1.5 sacks. It was clear that he was trying to capitalize on the performance of Ryan Kerrigan across from him, and that was smart on his part. To Smith’s credit, he has improved his tackling ability and run defense to become more than just a rotational rusher. That definitely bodes well for his future.

Despite the recent success of Smith, I cannot get over how underwhelming he was early in the season. For that reason, I am going to consider his season just average to date.

Smith’s Midseason Grade: C+

Next: Trent Murphy

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters (71) blocks Washington Redskins defensive end Trent Murphy (93) at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Trent Murphy

Conversely, Trent Murphy has put together a surprisingly solid season for the Redskins. After showing very little pass rush skills in his first two seasons, the third year linebacker has been able to put it all together. Coming into the bye, Murphy has six sacks which has doubled his career total. And these plays were not flukes either.

Murphy has been able to use his strength on the outside to overpower offensive tackles and really find success on the outside. There have been numerous times where he has pushed the offensive lineman blocking him back into the quarterback and then disengaged to make the sack. That style has worked for Murphy.

It also helps the cause that Murphy has been playing consistently. He has been able to put pressure on the opposing quarterback each game and that is good news for the coaching staff. Essentially, they know what they are going to get from Murphy week in and week out. That is huge for him.

Murphy deserves a really good grade for his early season performance. Simply put, he came out of virtually nowhere to be the second best pass rusher on this Redskins team. That has been great for them, and they now have a reliable rotation at the position.

Murphy’s Midseason Grade: A-

Next: Ryan Kerrigan

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) is sacked by Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91) in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Kerrigan

Ryan Kerrigan is the reason that Murphy still ranks as the second best rusher on the Redskins team. Kerrigan has put together yet another great season for the Skins, and he has absolutely caught fire over the last month.

It all started when the Redskins took on the Eagles in Week 6 of the NFL season. Kerrigan got to go up against a rookie tackle in that game, and he dominated. The veteran put up a whopping 2.5 sacks and really wreaked havoc on the Eagles. His performance was a big part of why the team was able to win the game.

Since that point, Kerrigan has been practically living in the opposing team’s backfield. He just knows how to use his strength and athleticism to get into the backfield and make splash plays. He has always had a reputation as a hard worker and a tough player, and that has once again been the cause on the field this season.

There is no question that Kerrigan is one of the team’s best players. The only player that rivals him for superiority on the defensive side is Josh Norman. Because of that, we will grade them similarly, and maybe later debate which player is more meaningful to the defense.

Kerrigan’s Midseason Grade: A

Next: Overall Positional Grade

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Cody Kessler (6) throws the ball as Washington Redskins defensive end Ziggy Hood (90) and Redskins defensive end Trent Murphy (93) chase in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Overall Rush Linebackers Grade

The rush linebacker unit is a pretty solid one. They have a couple of very strong players, a young guy with upside, and then a special teamer who can play in emergency situations. They may not have the best depth, but they still have talent.

Overall, the unit deserves a more than solid grade. They have been the driving force for the pass rush, as expected, and have had a major impact on the team. It will be fun to see what they can accomplish in the second half of the season.

Overall Unit Grade: B+

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