Washington Redskins outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Orakpo, a 2009 first-rounder, was in the same situation last offseason. The Redskins, instead of committing to Orakpo long-term, used the franchise tag on him as a sort of "prove-it" one-year deal. Unfortunately, Orakpo recorded just half a sack in 2014 and missed the final nine games with the third torn pectoral injury of his career.
Now the question is if Washington should keep him around at all.
"While I can see a case for keeping him at the right price - he did play well against the run and in coverage and he's a solid teammate and citizen in every way - I think the best decision would be to let him get a fresh start elsewhere," Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com wrote. "The Redskins need to find a playmaker at that position in the draft and Orakpo's presence would hinder the development of that player. The Redskins would miss him both on and off the field but they already would be letting him go a year too late. There's no point in prolonging the inevitable."
While Orakpo has been a solid player for the Redskins, he has never been a sure thing. He's missed 25 games due to injury in his career and has never topped his rookie total of 11 sacks. Orakpo, when healthy, is a good player. But he isn't a great one and he isn't worth significant cap space for the rebuilding Redskins. Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Washington echoed Tandler's statements when it came to Orakpo's future in Washington.
"I feel it's time for clean break for the sake of both parties ... even if Orakpo were willing to settle for a 'prove-it' type contract in 2015," El-Bashir wrote. "No. 1, I've got serious reservations about Rak's health. He's suffered three-three!-pectoral muscle tears since the end of the 2011 season, not to mention the other minor ailments that have limited his performance in recent years... And No. 2, let's say he does return on a team-friendly deal next season, stays healthy and puts up decent numbers. Say, 10-12 sacks. Then what? The Redskins will be in the same spot they found themselves during the 2014 offseason: wondering whether to invest long term in Orakpo, who, at that point, will be approaching 30 years old."
The Redskins invested a second-round pick into outside linebacker Trent Murphy in the 2014 NFL draft. While Murphy doesn't project to be a game changer, he will likely suffice as a replacement for Orakpo in the short-term, should Washington decide to part ways.
