Despite spending a second-round pick on Stanford pass rusher Trent Murphy last year, the Washington Redskins deemed outside linebacker a position of need this past spring and used another second-round selection to acquire Mississippi State’s Preston Smith.
The two shared the field during the offseason practices, with Murphy lining up on one edge and Smith on the other while veteran Ryan Kerrigan recovered from arthroscopic knee surgery. But once training camp begins, Kerrigan – who led the team with 13.5 sacks last season – is expected to reclaim his spot at left outside linebacker, while Smith and Murphy battle for the starting position opposite the fifth-year veteran.