The Redskins continue to look for help that isn’t costly, adding yet another safety who is no guarantee to end up starting. This time, they signed a guy new defensive backs coach Raheem Morris knows well: safety Tanard Jackson.
Morris coached Jackson for five seasons in Tampa Bay, including two as the secondary coach. Tampa cut Jackson Tuesday after he failed a physical. However, his play was not up to past standards, either, as critics cited missed tackles and big plays allowed. Prior to 2010 he was considered a good young safety.
But Jackson, a Silver Spring native and former fourth-round pick from Syracuse in 2007, said he played hurt all last season. He underwent surgery three months ago.
“Man, my shoulder been injured since ’09 and something that I put off and I played through a series of injuries,” Jackson told the Tampa Bay Times after his release. “Not to make excuses for the way I played, but I had a lot of injuries last year, two bad hamstrings and a torn rotator cuff. My body feels good right now. Obviously, there’s more work to do but I’ll be ready to play football.”
Jackson was suspended in 2010 for a year after a second positive drug test following his inclusion in the NFL’s drug program.
He’s the third safety signed by Washington this offseason, joining Brandon Meriweather and Madieu Williams. Each comes with question marks so it’s debatable if the Redskins have solved their quest to find two new starters. But the draft is considered weak at safety and it would be asking a lot for a lower-round pick to come in and start.
Also, each of these safeties on a one-year deal and are low-risk options. The Redskins hope is that Jackson is healthy — he is supposed to be fully recovered by June 1 — and returns to his form of 2009. If that happens they would benefit.
