Washington Redskins 2019 free agency: Top five targets
By Allison Cary
3. Landon Collins, S
Washington released D.J. Swearinger at the end of the season and it’s unclear whether Ha-Ha Clinton Dix will return in 2019. They will need to fill the void at the safety position, and Collins is arguably the best safety available in free agency in 2019. His struggles in 2018 reflected that of his team. In 12 games, he had just one forced fumble and four passes defended. But in 2016, he totaled five interceptions, seven pass breakups, four sacks, and 46 defensive stops.
He’s expressed an interest in staying with the Giants, but it’s not clear whether New York is willing to give Collins the payday he wants. That could be a problem for Washington too, who already has salary cap issues.
Some have predicted that the Giants will give Collins a transition tag and use the information gained from that to negotiate a long-term contract. But even if Collins does hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent, the Redskins will have a lot of competition in snagging him. Even in a class with many high-quality safeties available, most people agree that Collins is the best. Washington’s defense has often bailed out an unstable offense in the past, so the Redskins shouldn’t be afraid to invest here.