Washington DE/OLB Ryan Anderson linked to trade rumors

Albert Breer sent a rather low-key tweet listing players on a number of teams that he has heard are being discussed in trade talks ahead of the Saturday 4pm deadline for the initial roster cut down to 53.

Breer says Ryan Anderson, who has been an OLB since joining the team, but whom coaches have said will be a DE in the 4-3 defensive alignment being implemented by Jack Del Rio, is available for trade.

Given the Football Team’s depth at the position, which is manned by three first round draft picks in Kerrigan, Sweat and Young, this is no surprise. Anderson, drafted out of Alabama in the second round of the 2017 draft, has a year left on his rookie deal and could offer more value to another NFL team.

After being used sparingly in his first two seasons (averaging just 179 snaps per season), Anderson played 559 snaps last year, and earned a 58.2 grade from PFF,

Washington’s success with second round picks has not been stellar in recent years:

• 2018 - Derrius Guice
• 2017 - Ryan Anderson
• 2016 - Su’a Cravens
• 2015 - Preston Smith
• 2014 - Trent Murphy
• 2013 - David Amerson
• 2011 - Jarvis Jenkins

If Anderson is traded, it will mean that the franchise has gone more than a decade without signing a second-round pick to a second contract. The last second-round pick to play for the Football Team beyond his rookie contract was Fred Davis, who was franchise-tagged in 2012 after being drafted in 2008.

Perhaps sensing a trend, the team, last year, traded both the ‘19 and ‘20 second round picks to move up and pick Montez Sweat in the first round.

If Anderson is not traded, he seems to have a good chance of making the roster, but may struggle to get on the field much, given the depth at the position.