With DJ Swearinger released and now in Arizona and Montae Nicholson on non-football injury list due to his recent arrest for assault and battery, Washington Redskins safety Deshazor Everett will have a great opportunity to prove he is more than a special teams player in Sunday’s season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Everett will start at safety in place of Swearinger and head coach Jay Gruden says Everett will have the opportunity to make an impact and claim to help reshape the Redskins safety position for next season.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for him to prove he’s more than just a quality special team player,” Gruden said Friday per Hogs Haven. “He is a great special team’s player, but he’s provided great depth at the safety position as well. We had Montae [Nicholson] and D.J. [Swearinger] and Ha Ha [Clinton-Dix], he’s the fourth guy just playing in some big jumbo packages. Now, he’s got a chance to show he can play in some sub defenses, some base defenses, play in the hole, play down and be in the box and do some good things. He’s a tough guy. He’s well prepared and I think he’ll be ready.”
Everett is the Redskins’ special teams captain and has been an integral part in its success. However, he has shown glimpses of capabilities to play safety but has been relegated to reserve behind the more talented Swearinger and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and promising early-round pick in Nicholson this season.
Last season, Everett started eight games in total including the final six games as Nicholson was placed on injured reserve. He had 44 tackles and four passes defended in those final six games, playing mostly strong safety, the position he will start at in Sunday’s finale.
Clinton-Dix, who the Redskins acquired in a trade from Green Bay in October, will be a free agent at the end of the season. The chances of retaining him aren’t ideal for Washington, leaving Everett with a strong possibility to be a starter going into the 2019 season. So, Sunday will indeed be a great opportunity for him to give a preview of things to come for the Redskins.
