Going into the 2016 NFL season, the Washington Redskins had some serious questions at the rush linebacker position. Ryan Kerrigan and standout rookie Preston Smith had performed well in 2015, but the team lacked a steady backup presence. Junior Galette had suffered another serious injury and the desperate Redskins were forced to commit to using Trent Murphy as their backup linebacker.
Murphy was entering his third league season in 2016, and many were deeming him a bust as an edge rusher. Originally a second round pick, Murphy was solid in run support, but ultimately lacked the skill to become a strong enough edge rusher in the team’s 3-4 defense.