Redskins sign ILB Quan Sturdivant

The Washington Redskins announced today that they signed ILB Quan Sturdivant to their 90 man roster, taking the spot of recently released WR Devery Henderson.

From the Redskins Press Release:

Sturdivant (6-1, 241) was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth round (171^st overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He spent the 2011 season on the Cardinals’ practice squad and signed to a Reserve/Futures contract with the team on Jan. 3, 2012. He was released by the Cardinals on Aug. 31, 2012, before signing to the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad on Nov. 29, 2012.

Sturdivant played collegiately at North Carolina, where he started 38 of the 46 games in which he appeared for the Tar Heels from 2007-10. During his collegiate career, he was credited with 309 career tackles (192 solos), 27.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, two fumbles forced and three fumbles recovered.

Sturdivant is an interesting signing here, as it comes after the team already brought in veteran Nick Barnett. With UDFA Jeremy Kimbrough out of the year and Roddrick Muckelroy missing time with a shoulder injury, the Redskins felt a little thin inside. Sturdivant is a guy who early in his college career was thought of as a higher potential draft pick, an arrest for possession of marijuana and a hamstring injury his senior year helped him slide in the draft. Arizona had high hopes for him, but he quickly fell down the depth chart and has yet to play in an NFL game.

He’s a decent pick-up for the Redskins at this point in the calender year, particularly if that Muckelroy injury is more serious than originally thought. Muckelroy is no longer expected to make the roster with Barnett’s signing, but if he is more seriously injured, the depth behind the top four ILB’s is pretty thin. Sturdivant has little chance to make the roster, but he at least has some potential and ability in case injuries were to pile up before the season started. He’s also a guy that the Redskins can get a look at for possibly the future to see if he’s worth a longer look next season.

The real interesting thing here is the Redskins have yet to replace safety Phillip Thomas, who is a more significant loss than Kimbrough and even Muckelroy. With Brandon Meriweather still limited, you would think this would be the first priority. Perhaps the Redskins are looking for more upper level safeties and that is slowing down the process, but it is another position where they definitely need bodies.