Washington Redskins: Five Breakout Candidates

Oct 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Washington Redskins linebacker Trent Murphy (93) celebrates recovering a fumble in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Trent Murphy | Outside Linebacker

Trent Murphy wasn’t overly impressive during his rookie season, as he only registered  22 tackles, two and a half sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Admittedly, it’s not the best stat line in the world, but that’s not to say he can’t improve upon those numbers moving forward.

As of now, I’m not 100 percent sold on Murphy as the long term answer at outside linebacker. He’ll have to improve his pass-rushing abilities and garner more sacks to keep his starting job, as 2015 second round selection Preston Smith is competing with him for playing time.

Murphy has one year of professional play under his belt and can use that to his advantage in the battle for the starting gig. Having NFL experience bodes well for Murphy, as he knows what to expect and what areas of his game he has to improve. In an effort to add power to his game, the second year pro has increased his strength in the offseason, according to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post.

Murphy has made a concerted effort to better his physical attributes; don’t be shocked if he turns some heads this season.

Next: Competition inbound...