Teams have reportedly expressed interest in Ryan Anderson, Should the Redskins trade him?

The Redskins are making moves to purge the sins of the previous regimes on the defensive side of the ball. Head Coach Ron Rivera and Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio are moving Washington to a base 4-3 defense that hasn’t been a core philosophy since Mike Shanahan pushed for a change to the 3-4 when he was hired in 2010. The Redskins have put more focus on the defense in recent years, spending high draft picks, and doling out big contracts to free agents to fix it.

This offseason the new regime has signed several defensive free agents and infamously drafted Chase Young with the #2 overall pick. They also added 3 more players in the later rounds on Day 3. Where does that leave players like Ryan Anderson who was drafted in the 2nd round by the Bruce Allen-led Redskins in 2017? He is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and there hasn’t been any indication that he will be extended before he hits free agency.

Ben Standig wrote an article talking about Anderson’s place on the team, and the possibility he could be traded this year. The Redskins have been pretty open with their players and coaches this offseason through Zoom interviews, and Anderson has come up multiple times.

There are teams interested in Anderson. Realistically, Washington might land a sixth or seventh-round selection for a defender, not considered a playmaker or edge rusher. However, the unique offseason could raise the trade value for any veteran. Coaches like rookies on draft day, but want veterans on gameday especially coaches for contenders. The Chargers, Seahawks and Patriots selected a linebacker in the first two rounds of April’s draft.

“Now we’ve got no practices, so the rookies can’t even get on the field,” said a notable source. “If I needed a linebacker, I’d consider a fifth for Anderson. He’s good, not special, but players respect guys like him because they’re tough and play for the team. He’s produced in the NFL, unlike a rookie. He’s young, cheap and can play.”

Is Ryan Anderson worth more to the team this year than a Day 3 pick, or do the Redskins want to continue their current plan to not extend players until the new coaching regime gets to work with them more?