The Washington Redskins have reached a deal with former Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield according to stories in The Washington Post and ESPN. Cofield will sign a six-year, $12.5 million guaranteed contract Friday, when NFL teams can formally sign free agents.
NFL.com lists Cofield as a nose tackle, yet the Giants played from a base 4-3 defensive alignment with Cofield playing left defensive tackle. The 2011 depth chart for the Giants appearing today on NFL.com shows the team in a 3-4 alignment. I could not find any reports of the Giants shifting to the 3-4, as the Redskins did last season, or why Cofield would not fit their system.
The ESPN story says the ‘Skins could use Cofield either at defensive end or as a nose tackle. I’ll buy the defensive end idea. Cofield is within a few pounds of DE Phillip Daniels, but at 306 pounds, is light for the nose position.
By the end of last season, Adam Carriker and Vonnie Holliday were the starting DEs with Rob Jackson and Jeremy Jarmon rotating in the position in games. Washington drafted Clemson DE Jarvis Jenkins in the second round last April.
Cofield joins the roster at the ideal age (27) and after six seasons with the Giants knows the Beast as well as anyone in this strangest of off-seasons. He will push to be a starter. Unfortunately, that may push Daniels (38) or Holliday (36) off the roster.
Point after: The Washington Redskins (and probably every other NFL team) twice tweeted that free agent deals are not official until this Friday. So just pretend you don’t see news of all all these free agent signings out there in the Twitterverse.
Redskins
“Redskins.com @Redskins won’t announce any free agency deals until it’s official. When official? Friday, July 29 @ 6 p.m. ET.”
Redskins
“Redskins.com Friday, July 29 @ 6 p.m. ET is official start of free agency. So any reports of signings floating around out there are not official.”
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