The Washington Redskins were one of the biggest surprises during the 2015 regular season finishing as NFC East division champs with a 9-7 record. Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has been making some moves this offseason to solidify Washington's roster for the 2016 season including bringing back some significant players.
The top priority for Washington this offseason was re-signing quarterback Kirk Cousins, which they have on the franchise tag. While the Redskins have locked up their franchise quarterback at least for the 2016 season, they have also re-signed some key players in free agency retaining linebacker Junior Galette and running back Chris Thompson.
One starter on the Redskins defensive line that is unlikely to return is nose tackle Terrance Knighton. The Redskins reportedly still have interest in the 6-foot-3, 354-pound defensive tackle, but were unable to reach a contract agreement when the two sides met on Tuesday. Knighton is also receiving interest from the Patriots in free agency, and is reportedly leaning towards accepting an offer from New England.
Weight has been a major concern for the defensive tackle heading into his eighth NFL season, but he has already dropped some significant weight this offseason. "This year, as soon as the offseason hit, he took probably a week off and just rededicated himself and said, 'Hey I'm tired of bouncing around, I'm a hell of a player," said Redskins defensive end and Knighton's friend Chris Baker. "He's a great locker room guy. The only problem (last season) was the weight. So he said, 'This is not going to be an issue for me no more' and he's dropped 30, 40 pounds since the end of the season. When you see Terrance in great shape and think of what he was last year, it's going to be a hell of a difference."
Knighton recorded 29 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks last season, and is looking to prove himself in 2016. The Patriots have already added some significant pieces to their defensive line adding free agent defensive end Chris Long, and Knighton's addition would give them another strong presence in the interior of their defensive line. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been known to get the most out of his players, and joining a consistent contender like New England could be a strong fit for the run-stuffing veteran.
