Redskins can build secondary around Bashaud Breeland

In the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins selected cornerback Bashaud Breeland with the 102nd pick. With their starting cornerback positions filled, Breeland was expected to battle for playing time at the nickelback position. In Week 3, starting cornerback DeAngelo Hall was sidelined with a season-ending injury. Hall’s injury left the Redskins without a starting corner and due to a lack of depth, the young Breeland was forced into action.

Despite playing in arguably the worst secondary in the NFL, Breeland performed well during his rookie campaign. He managed to lead the team in interceptions (2) and passes defended (13). On top of his success in pass-coverage, Breeland also showed off his tackling skills in 2014. Not one to shy away from contact, Breeland tallied a total of 58 tackles and two forced fumbles on the year.

Playing in place of DeAngelo Hall, the rookie was often tasked with covering the opposing teams No. 1 receiver. Breeland never backed down from the challenge. His breakout performance came in Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, a game in which he covered Dez Bryant.

Breeland held Bryant to three catches for 30 yards and one touchdown. He didn’t manage to record an interception that night but he did come up with several key plays for Washington down the stretch. The video below highlights the plays that I’m talking about.

In the video above, Breeland shows his ability to play man-to-man coverage. In the closing moments of the game, Breeland essentially blankets Dez Bryant in coverage and defends the pass to secure the victory for Washington.

Coming in at 5-11 and 197 pounds, Breeland is often outsized by the receivers he’s responsible for covering. With that being said, Breeland’s play doesn’t reflect his size. He plays with toughness and tenacity. He plays with an edge and is capable of coming up with big plays because of it.

The edge that he plays with often gets him penalized, though. Breeland was the 6th most penalized player in the league in 2014. He accumulated 14 penalties on the season, 4 of them were for defensive pass interference and 3 of them were for illegal use of hands. A lot of those penalties can be chalked up as rookie mistakes, but if Breeland is to take the next step and become a leader of this secondary, he’ll have to work on eliminating those penalties from his game.

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In his defense, coaches and players across the league were adapting to how referees were calling DPI (defensive pass interference) all season. Having a full offseason to study the game tape should help that aspect of Breeland’s game. Perry Fewell, Washington’s newly-hired defensive backs coach, will also be a huge asset in that regard.

The Washington Redskins currently possess one of the weakest secondaries in the NFL, but most of that falls onto the shoulders of their sluggish, aging safeties. Washington has a lot of work to do if they want their secondary to become a legitimate unit.

Scot McCloughan, Washington’s new general manager, will have a number of decisions to make regarding the secondary. It is a certainty that players will be cut. One player that should consider himself safe is Breeland. He had a strong rookie campaign and has shown the potential to become a staple in Washington’s secondary for years to come.

Breeland possesses the skills and mindset necessary to succeed at the NFL level. It will be up to the Redskins coaching staff to ensure that he reaches his ceiling. Bashaud Breeland’s development is key to the long-term success of Washington’s secondary.