Season Grades For The Washington Redskins Defensive Line

Dec 19, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Chris Baker (92) celebrates on the field against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at FedEx Field. The Panthers won 26-15. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Redskins have little talent on the defensive line. Do they have any rotational players across the unit?

Coming into the 2016 season, it was quite apparent that the defensive line was going to be one of the weaknesses of the Redskins team. The unit was a mix of low upside rookies, over-the-hill veterans, and one proven starter. There was little hope that the team would be able to put forth a quality performance at any point during the season.

Want your voice heard? Join the Riggo's Rag team!

That ended up being true. The Redskins struggled to stop the run, and their defensive line was a major part of the problem. They really need to find some help for their terrible unit during the offseason.

That said, it is time to look at the individual performances of everyone across the Washington Redskins defensive line. Here is a look at the season grades for the defensive line.

Aug 26, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Kedric Golston (64) attempts to tackle Buffalo Bills running back Reggie Bush (22) at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Kedric Golston

In our midseason defensive line grades, I said the following about Kedric Golston’s 2016 performance.

More from Riggo's Rag

The 2016 season was not kind to Kedric Golston. He was entering his 11th season with the team, and he had secured the starting job heading into the season. Not too much was expected of Golston, a strong run stuffer, but it appears as though his career may have ended.

In the second game of the season, Golston went down on the second play. He had suffered a hamstring injury and was placed on the injured reserve as a result. The 33-year-old veteran’s body had just given out, and he was not able to continue.

That play likely will be the last he commits as a Redskin. The team needs to upgrade their defensive line, and they could target a nose tackle in free agency or the draft. Golston was a mediocre option coming into the year anyway, so it is not like he was the long term fix at the position. It is difficult to say this, but Golston’s days in the NFL are numbered.

All of that still rings true. Golston never returned, and his grade will remain the same as it was at the midseason point. He simply deserves a failing grade.

Golston’s Season Grade: F

Next: Matt Ioannidis

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) lines up against Washington Redskins defensive end Matt Ioannidis (98) in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Ioannidis

The 2016 season was a golden opportunity for fifth round rookie Matt Ioannidis. The 6-foot-3, 300 pound defensive tackle joined the Redskins roster following the injury to Golston in Week 2. Ioannidis saw his first action as a reserve lineman the following week, but was not able to do much.

That trend would continue for a majority of the season. With the Redskins desperate for defensive line help, Ioannidis could not capitalize on his chances. The rookie played sparingly, and only managed 6 total tackles during the season. He did not look all too strong, but lacked the athleticism to be anything besides a nose tackle. This lack of versatility and lack of production does not bode well for him moving forward.

Also hurting Ioannidis is the fact that the Redskins waived him prior to the season and signed him to the practice squad. Considering that the defensive line was looking weak, the fact that they thought Ioannidis was not ready to help means that he could be years away from contributing. With that said, he seems unlikely to hold a long term role on the team, and is a well below average player. He deserves a poor grade for the year.

Ioannidis’ Season Grade: D-

Next: Anthony Lanier

Jan 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a Washington Redskins helmet and logo before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Redskins defeat the Cowboys 34-23. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Lanier

In the 2016 preseason, there was a lot of buzz about the performance of Anthony Lanier. The lanky, 6-foot-6 rookie had put together a strong preseason performance and looked to be a potentially great developmental project. He was a 53-man roster lock by the time the fourth game rolled around, and he remained on the roster the whole season.

However, the rookie year of Lanier was marred by a couple of issues. The first is that he barely saw the field in the first half of the season. Despite the poor play of the Redskins defensive line, Lanier was not active for a single contest until Week 8. This was a curious decision, given that Ioannidis got a chance to suit up but was barely producing anything. The team thought Lanier needed more time to develop.

Well, they may have been wrong. Though Lanier only recorded a fumble recovery in terms of stats, he was able to generate some push up front. The line was better when he was worked in as a rotational player.

Come Week 12, just when it looked like Lanier was ready to be the first man off the bench for the D-line, he suffered a shin injury. The issue kept him sidelined for a few games before he officially landed on season ending Injured Reserve. This ended Lanier’s disappointing rookie season, though there were some bright spots.

Overall, this year was a below average one for Lanier. He could have been better, but a lack of playing time got in his way. Perhaps he will make strides heading into the 2017 season.

Lanier’s Season Grade: C-

Next: Cullen Jenkins

Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Washington Redskins defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins (73) in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Giants won 19-10. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Cullen Jenkins

It is time to acknowledge something that is now a fact. Cullen Jenkins is not the player he once was. He continued to decline during the 2016 season, and while he was a decent rotational lineman, he is not a major difference maker.

When the Redskins cut Jenkins prior to the start of the season, that should have been a warning sign. Despite a decent performance in the fourth preseason game, it seemed that Jenkins was washed up. However, weaknesses across the line caused the team to re-sign him just one game into the year. It ended up being a good move, but not one that will have an impact beyond this past season.

On the season, Jenkins was able to notch 15 total tackles. He also picked up a late season sack, but for the most part, he was only a replacement level guy. Jenkins was able to handle weaker competition, but he simply does not have the strength to deal with upper level guys anymore. Furthermore, he is nothing but a rotational player. He does not have the stamina to serve as a starter, even for a single game.

Overall, this season was an average one for a defensive lineman. Jenkins just was not an average defensive lineman over the course of his career, which is what makes this grade so disappointing.

Jenkins’ Season Grade: C

Next: Ricky Jean-Francois

Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Ricky Jean Francois (99) celebrates during the second half of the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Redskins won 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Ricky Jean-Francois

Ricky Jean-Francois claimed a starting job for the Redskins after the Week 2 injury to the aforementioned Golston. At the midseason point, I was unimpressed with Jean-Francois as a starter and said the following:

Jean-Francois is a good run stopper who has some decent pass rushing skills. He is a jack-of-all-trades type of player, but he does not do anything particularly well. This season, he has been decent as expected and has already pretty much equaled his stat total from 2015. On paper, that may seem like a good thing. However, his increase in playing time is part of the reason for this.

In reality, Jean-Francois has had a few splash plays this season. He had a big sack in Week 6 against the Eagles, but aside from that he has not made many highlight reel plays. He has gone under the radar, but he just is nothing special.

Looking back, that may have been a little harsh. Being a jack-of-all-trades is actually extremely valuable to teams. The Redskins did Jean-Francois a disservice by starting him, but that was not something that they could help. They had problems on the defensive line, and Jean-Francois was the best man they could put out there weekly.

Jean-Francois should return in 2017 to be the team’s top backup defensive lineman. He is a solid player that does not offer a ton of upside. Still, he is good for an occasional big play and is loved in the locker room. That will bring his season grade into the B range.

Jean-Francois’ Season Grade: B-

Next: Ziggy Hood

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) throws the ball as Washington Redskins defensive end Ziggy Hood (90) chases in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ziggy Hood

On paper, Ziggy Hood’s 2016 seemed like an average year. The tackle was able to notch a sack, but he did not do much in other statistical categories. However, this was absolutely the best season of Hood’s career, and he may have earned himself a role as a starter in the future.

Hood came to the Redskins on a reserve/future contract during Super Bowl 50. In the offseason, he greatly impressed Jay Gruden and the coaching staff with his pass rushing skills from the 3-4 end position. The plan was to start him there as he looked to revitalize his career.

Then, disaster struck as Golston went down with an injury. The Redskins, short on talent at the nose tackle position, had Hood move over to the middle for the rest of the season. Hood did the job, and he worked effectively. The nose was not his natural position, as he had to focus on run defense, but he made it work as best as he could.

I can only wonder how Hood would have played if he had remained at his natural position. Like I said, his strongest skill is his pass rushing ability, so having him work as a run stuffer was hard for him. He put together a strong season, but it could have been even better had he not been asked to move. For that reason, Hood deserves a solid grade, as he has proven that he can be a versatile starter for the team.

Hood’s Season Grade: B-

Next: Chris Baker

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins defensive end Chris Baker (92) celebrates against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Baker

There is no question that Chris Baker was the top defensive lineman for the Redskins during the 2016 season. The third year starter continued to improve upon his skill set, and once again logged a great season in terms of rushing the passer and stopping the run.