RICHMOND, Va. — In one offseason, the Redskins’ secondary went from a big question mark to one of the position groups with some good talent and depth.
Josh Norman provides an immediate upgrade to the cornerback position and is now paired with another top corner in Bashaud Breeland, who is coming off a very good season. DeAngelo Hall moves to safety, as does Will Blackmon, and Duke Ihenacho returns from a fractured and dislocated wrist to compete with David Bruton, Jr. for the starting strong safety position. Bruton comes from Denver, where he won the Super Bowl last year with the Broncos.
The team drafted safety Su’a Cravens and cornerback Kendall Fuller, both of which have impressed early in camp. Quinton Dunbar begins his first full season at corner after making the switch from wide receiver a year ago.
Hall thinks that the talent in the secondary has a chance to be pretty good.
“It’s the best group I’ve ever been around,” Hall said. “You know, I have said it from Day 1, we had the chance to do that. Just watching guys compete and battle, there’s no doubt in my mind this is the most talented group that I’ve ever been around, I’ve ever been a part of.”
Hall has been a part of some pretty good secondaries in his career, including the group when he was with the Raiders.
“We had a pretty good group in Oakland — myself, Nnamdi [Asomugha], Gibril Wilson, Stanford Routt, Chris Johnson. We couldn’t quite get it together but we had a squad out there.
Still, he says, that group doesn’t compare.
“This group top to bottom is absolutely more talented than that group that I was a part of.”
Another thing this defense has in its favor is that due to injuries a year ago, a number of players have learned to play multiple positions. Hall moved to safety, while Trent Murphy moved from linebacker to an end spot, just to name a couple.
“It’s always valuable to have that,” Hall said. “We always joke around in this league and say the more you can do the better. Any time you’ve got multiple guys who can do multiple things and play multiple positions, it gives you an advantage. ”
The defense ranked 25th against the pass last year, allowing 258 yards a game through the air, leaving plenty of room for improvement.
