The pass rush for the Washington Redskins has been non-existent through the first two weeks of the season. Head coach Jay Gruden saying, “the pass rush is not there.”
It appears the Redskins are addressing that issue, as they are expected to sign pass rusher Noah Spence, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine.
Spence worked out with the Redskins last week, but no deal was made. The Bills had shown interest, and he recently worked out with the Chicago Bears this week.
Pressure on the quarterback has been a topic of discussion about the Redskins defense that has under-performed to preseason expectations in the first two weeks.
Spence was a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016. However, he struggled with production and injuries, including spending much of the 2017 season on injured reserve. He was waived just ahead of the 2019 season during final cuts by the Buccaneers. In three seasons with Tampa Bay, Spence played in 34 games, including six starts. He registered 6.5 sacks.
Once a highly touted Ohio State commit, Spence collegiate career was marred by drug-related suspensions that made him permanently ineligible for the Big Ten. He ultimately transferred to Eastern Kentucky of the FCS, where he re-established his draft stock.
The Redskins traded a 2020 second-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts to move up and selected Montez Sweat in last April’s draft. The rookie has got off to a disappointing start through two weeks.
Washington has two sacks through two weeks as a team. Their defense is 25th against the pass and 30th overall in yards allowed in large due to the lack of quarterback pressure.
Spence is looking to redeem his NFL career after a lackluster start. Whether or not he is the complete solution remains to be seen. Nonetheless, it’s clear the Redskins understand they need to address the large area of concern after starting the season with back-to-back losses.
