Redskins, Brian Orakpo working on new contract

By Evan Massey | Mar 2, 2015

Nov 7, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo (98) against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Redskins 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

The Washington Redskins decided not to place the franchise tag on star defensive end Brian Orakpo but are working on a new contract ahead of free agency.

It is going to be a very intriguing offseason to keep an eye on the Washington Redskins, especially when it comes to star defensive end Brian Orakpo. The team decided not to put the franchise tag on him today, but a report from Dianna Marie Russini of NBC says that the two sides are working on a new contract ahead of free agency.

I'm told no tag for Brian Orakpo but sources say both sides are working on a new deal before free agency. #Redskins
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 2, 2015

Orakpo is a very talented defender, and the Redskins need to make sure that they keep him around. He was only able to play in seven games this past season, which has lowered his value on the open market. Despite the struggles that he had, he is still one of the most talented pass rushers in the NFL when he’s healthy.

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During the seven games that he played in 2014, Orakpo finished with just 24 tackles and 0.5 sacks. His full talent was shown in 2013, when he racked up 60 tackles to go along with 10.0 sacks, an interception, and a defensive touchdown.

The Redskins’ defense was fairly weak last season, ranking just 24th against the pass and 12th against the run. They will need Orakpo to come back and bring help to the pass rush if they want to take the next step towards improving their defense. At 28 years old, there is still plenty of good football left in his career.

It will be interesting to see whether the two sides can agree on the terms of a new contract before he hits the open market. If they don’t get a new deal done, there will be quite a few teams that show interest in signing him. Whether or not he is going to get the type of money that he is looking for is a completely different question.

Needless to say, the Redskins need to make some major moves this offseason in order to get back into contention. There is no way that they will be a Super Bowl contender in 2015, but they can certainly take a leap forward from what they were last season.

Expect to see the Redskins and Orakpo pull off a deal at some point before free agency opens up. They both want to get something done, and they both know how valuable Orakpo is to the defense. More than likely they will get something done before he hits the open market.

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