Trent Murphy had spent the offseason becoming a larger human. He was done playing linebacker for the Washington Redskins, he thought, and added weight to fill a need at defensive lineman. Murphy worked out in Scottsdale, Arizona, to add the necessary bulk for a position transition.
When Junior Galette first tore his right Achilles tendon before training camp, the Redskins still had Murphy at defensive end. After a week of training camp in Richmond, they moved him back to linebacker.
Without Galette, the pass rush from linebackers became a key concern for Washington. Ryan Kerrigan had been to the Pro Bowl in 2012, so the Redskins were sure about one of the pass-rushing linebackers.