Washington Redskins: How much trust can be put in young cornerbacks?

The Washington Redskins have a lot of young talent at the cornerback position. Can they trust the potential to shine through in 2019?

The Washington Redskins appear to be making some major overhaul moves this offseason. They’ve added a quarterback in Case Keenum and a fantastic safety in Landon Collins. Meanwhile, they’ve re-signed Adrian Peterson, but cut Zach Brown. One position that hasn’t seen much action is cornerback. There was speculation that they might cut Josh Norman. Although he’s played well since joining the team, he hasn’t played up to his hefty contract.

However, Norman is essential at the moment. After him, there are just two cornerbacks on the roster with 16-plus games worth of NFL experience. Those two would be Quinton Dunbar (47 games) and Fabian Moreau (32 games). Dunbar has come into his own and turned into a very strong cornerback, while Moreau looked good last season but is still improving.

The three most intriguing names on the roster after those three are Adonis Alexander, Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson. Those three have a combined 38 games played — and a good chunk of their time on the field came on special teams.

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So the question becomes, can the Redskins trust their young cornerbacks in 2019? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no though, it depends on their situation.

Stroman showed plenty of potential at cornerback in his rookie year, and many expect Alexander to be a nice pick up. Johnson could easily turn heads in 2019 as well. The three might not exactly be ready for massive roles in the defense, but being depth could fit them perfectly. That would mean keeping Norman though. Stroman could get some serious time, and both Alexander and Johnson should get chances to prove themselves filling in for others.

If the Redskins decide to get rid of Norman, it will be clear they need to make a move at cornerback. Stroman and Alexander especially have potential, and Stroman looks ready to contribute now. Throwing them into the fire this early isn’t the right move though. Norman provides leadership and keeps the youngsters away from too much time at the moment. If he leaves, finding a veteran free agent to fill his shoes should be a priority.

That being said, if the Washington Redskins have the same group of cornerbacks at the start of the 2019 season — there should be confidence in the young talent. They’re currently in a position where they’ll get valuable playing time, while also being removed enough to be able to learn and grow from afar.

While 2019 could provide some growing pains for the young position, there is enough talent ahead of them to keep the position afloat. The inexperience will poke through at times, but the only way to get over inexperience is to play.

Going into free agency, the cornerback position was one of intrigue surrounding the Washington Redskins. They should trust their young cornerbacks enough behind the veterans already in place to produce though.