Who is Junior Galette’s backup?

Dwight Freeney is among the best free-agent replacements the Washington Redskins can find for injured Junior Galette, after the latter tore his Achilles’ tendon and will now miss a second season in a row.

Junior Galette was supposed to play a key role for the Washington Redskins in the 2016 NFL season. But instead, defensive coordinator Joe Barry needs to once again plan for life without the rush end who logged 32 sacks in 2013 and ’14.

Mike Jones of the Washington Post confirmed Galette’s injury:

It’s a tough personal blow for Galette, and also a major loss for a Washington defense that struggled to apply consistent pressure last season. The NFC East champs felt the collar of opposing quarterbacks just 38 times as Galette sat out the season, and Ryan Kerrigan struggled to carry the burden alone.

Fortunately, 2015 second-round NFL draft pick Preston Smith emerged late to add eight sacks, but there’s little depth behind Kerrigan and the ex-Mississippi State standout.

Luckily for Washington, though, the team can survive Galette’s latest injury. The NFL free agency market still features several skilled, veteran edge-rushers.

Here are the best three:

Dwight Freeney

He’s 36, but Dwight Freeney still has plenty of tread left on his tyres, per Bleacher Report‘s Mike Freeman: “I’m going to play again next year. It’s 95 percent. But I can’t see that 5 percent happening.”

Freeney proved he hasn’t lost his knack for getting to the passer when he joined up with the Arizona Cardinals in October and still logged eight sacks.

The master of the spin move also has a history with Barry, having worked with him for the San Diego Chargers in 2013 and ’14.

Calvin Pace

Few players are as well-versed in the nuances of 3-4 defenses as Calvin Pace. The 35-year-old has played in numerous versions of the scheme under some of the most creative defensive minds in football, including Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles.

Like Freeney, ex-New York Jets OLB Pace is keen to prolong his playing days, according to Darryl Slater of NJ.com. He’s not as prolific a sack artist as Freeney, but Pace’s versatility and savvy would make him invaluable in the rotation.

Jeremy Mincey

Over the years, Jeremy Mincey has quietly displayed a knack for consistently getting to the quarterback. The knack deserted him in 2015, however, when Mincey failed to register a sack.

But a troublesome elbow problem hampered the 32-year-old, one addressed by successful surgery in February, per David Helman of DallasCowboys.com.

At his best, Mincey is a fine rotational pass-rusher, able to play both ends in a nickel front. As a complementary piece for Smith and Kerrigan, Mincey makes sense.

Of course, Washington may look closer to home for Galette’s replacement.

Trent Murphy was drafted in the second round in 2014 to be an edge player, but the ex-Stanford man has been shifted to end this offseason. Galette’s injury prompted this question about that switch from Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Phillips also encouraged fans to get to know a lesser known member of the roster, Willie Jefferson. Washington signed Jefferson after he helped the Edmonton Eskimos win the CFL’s Grey Cup in 2015.

Jefferson has shown talent for pressuring the pocket, but must avoid the discipline problems that coast him a place at Baylor, per Pro Football Talk‘s Michael David Smith.

Galette is a big loss for a defense that needs to bring more heat. Thankfully, the veteran market has some gems if Washington is ready to take a chance.

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