After signing just one free agent from outside the team over the first five days of free agency, the Washington Redskins have gotten more active; signing two players over the last two days.
Wednesday, the Redskins signed defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu, most recently with Carolina. He played for Baltimore prior to going to the Panthers. Kemoeatu is listed as 6-5 and 345-pounds, a good size to play nose tackle in a 3-4 front. Kemoeatu spent all of the 2009 season on injured reserve after blowing out his Achilles tendon in training camp, and is recovering from two surgeries to repair the injury. He is reported to have signed a two-year contract worth around $7 million. According to reports the contract guarantees little, and is incentive-laden provided he gets healthy.
Prior to his injury, Kemoeatu was considered the lynchpin in the Panthers’ defensive line. This could end up being a steal for the Redskins if he can enter camp fully healed in August.
Thursday, the Redskins announced the signing of free agent tight end Sean Ryan, formerly of Kansas City. Ryan is considered a blocking tight end, and is expected to assume that role now that Todd Yoder is an unrestricted free agent, and does not appear is being considered for a return to Washington.
The bad news is that Washington is the sixth team in six years that Ryan has been on. This means that five other teams had him and did not think enough of him to keep him around.
In the overall the signings appear to be good acquisitions for the Redskins. If Kemoeatu returns to the form he had in Carolina when he was healthy, the Redskins could have hit a home run with his signing.
