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Redskins sign cornerback Orlando Scandrick

The Washington Redskins announced that they signed free-agent cornerback Orlando Scandrick on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed before publication but the deal is reported to be two-years, with a max of ten million. We will know more when all the details are revealed, but Scandrick’s deal is likely full of production incentives.

UPDATE: The details of Scandrick’s contract are listed below via John Keim:

Coming directly from ESPN’s John Keim, “Corner Orlando Scandrick received a $1 million signing bonus from Washington, but there’s no other guaranteed money in his two-year contract. He’ll count $2.6 million vs. the salary cap in 2018 and $4.25 million in 2019. If he’s cut after this season, the Redskins would only have $500,000 in dead money on their cap. Scandrick receivers per-game roster bonuses up to $500,000 this season and up to $1 million next season. The Redskins signed him to compete for the starting job opposite Josh Norman, but knowing he could play in the slot if nothing else.”

“Another key part of corner Orlando Scandrick’s deal: play-time incentives and escalator clauses. Based on play time in both seasons, Scandrick can earn up to $1 million. in addition, he also has an escalator clause tied to play time in both years, which could trigger up to $1 million in salary. These triggers make it a good deal for both sides. If Scandrick doesn’t stay healthy or play well, then the Redskins won’t take a big cap hit if they had to part ways after one season. But if he does play well and is durable, which is what both sides want, then Scandrick would be taken care of with the incentives and escalators.”

Orlando Scandrick (5-10, 196) is a ten-year NFL veteran who had spent his entire career to date with the Dallas Cowboys since being selected in the fifth round (143rd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 125 career regular season games with 69 starts, compiling 391 tackles (347 solo), 63 passes defensed, 11.5 sacks, eight interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), eight forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Scandrick became available after he asked for, and was granted his release. Even though he asked for it, Scandrick still felt slighted by the treatment he received from the Cowboys.

“Whenever you get released, there’s a part of you that feels like they gave up on you,” Scandrick said. “Whether they gave up on me or not, in my mind, they gave up on me. I feel like I’ve got a lot of football to play and I’m going to go out every day and be the best version of myself and am going to continue to be productive.”

Cornerback Orlando Scandrick

With holes in the Redskins secondary, Scandrick expects to play both cornerback and nickelback/dimeback at times.

“My entire career I’ve been both,” Scandrick said. “I think the versatility is something that made them want to sign me.”

Last season, Orlando Scandrick started all 11 games in which he played for Dallas, posting 40 tackles (32 solo) and three passes defensed. Except for 2015 in which he missed the full season while rehabbing from a knee injury, Scandrick has played in at least 11 games in every year of his NFL career.

“My back is good,” Scandrick said. “I went through an extensive, extensive physical. … I was talking to [Redskins President] Bruce Allen, they looked over it all and they felt good about where I was. Just looking at my knees and my back, they had no issues at all. I like to say I aced the physical.

“In Dallas, I just had some bad-luck injuries. I spent 10 years there and for the first seven years of my career, I rarely missed games.”

The Redskins were interested in signing cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (DRC). The signing of Orlando Scandrick likely means DRC wanted more money than the Redskins were willing to give to the 31-year-old.

In other news

The Redskins placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent tackle Ty Nsekhe last week. This means that if any team wants to sign Nsekhe, they will have to give Washington a second-round pick. Nsekhe (6-8, 338) has appeared in 42 career regular season games while starting 11. In 2017, he appeared in 11 games for Washington, making five starts in the final six weeks of the season.

There have been some whispers that the Redskins could be penciling in Nsekhe as a possible starter at left guard in 2018 now that fellow lineman Shawn Lauvao has been allowed to become a free agent and play elsewhere next season. The team could also look to fill the hole with a new prospect in next months draft. The team will pick eleventh and has needs at halfback, guard, defensive tackle, may look to draft a quarterback in the later rounds.

[Featured Image via redskins.com]