Hey guys, guess what! The Skins signed linebacker Jonathan Goff this afternoon. While I’m sure a group of NFL experts such as yourselves already know who this dude is, allow me to refresh you:

The 6’2", 241-pound Vanderbilt alum was drafted by the Giants in the 5^th round of the 2008 draft. He appeared in 21 games in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, starting in five. In 2010, Goff started all 16 games at middle linebacker, racking up 52 tackles 80 combined tackles, 54 solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Last year, however, a torn ACL sidelined him for the season.

Take a gander at that handy roster on the left of your screen. Goff joins Lorenzo Alexander, Bryan Kehl, and Keenan Robinson in competing to back up starting inside linebackers London Fletcher and Perry Riley. A 2012 Pro Bowl alternate, the one-man gang Alexander is in the process of transitioning from outside linebacker and should be a strong candidate among the backup ILB hopefuls.

Word on the interwebz is that the Giants would have re-signed and possibly started the unrestricted free agent Goff, but he opted to test the waters. While doing so, New York traded for linebacker Keith Rivers, effectively preventing Goff from returning to reclaim that starting slot. The Giants’ loss proved to be the Redskins’ gain as we snagged a young, but not inexperienced, linebacker option.

The Goff signing appears savvy and forward-looking given London Fletcher’s advancing age. Taken with Washington’s strategy in the late rounds of the draft, the move looks like another important step in the process of creating depth across the roster. If anyone can think of reasons to dislike this development, let me know in the comments.