It only took one game for an unexpected undrafted rookie to show the Commanders he should’ve been playing more this season
Commanders undrafted rookie Ricky Barber stepped up in his first career game and got a sack. He might be one of the young players the team needed to come through on the roster.
The Washington Commanders put up an effort and kept the game closer than expected, but still came up short against the Dallas Cowboys.
There were still several noticeable performances in the loss on both sides of the ball. Some were good, and some were awful, and one was very surprising. The injuries have added up all season long, but that means players had the chance to step up with more opportunities, and that’s what one undrafted rookie did against the Cowboys.
Rickey Barber saw his first action in his rookie season against the Cowboys, and he made the most of it with a sack and a performance that is worthy of more snaps.
Undrafted rookie Ricky Barber steps up in his season debut
The Commanders were short-handed on defense going into the game against the Cowboys with Daron Payne and Eddie Goldman out. We knew this would be a bigger opportunity for Johnny Newton, who showed up with a three-sack game, but they needed someone else to join him. Barber was the unlikely player to step up as the undrafted rookie making his debut, but he outplayed veterans like Sheldon Day and showed that he needs to play in the final game of the season.
It only took one game for Barber to show he deserved more playing time after getting a sack against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offensive line.
The Commanders’ pass rush has struggled, especially on the interior
The Commanders’ pass rush took a major hit after losing Deatrich Wise and Dorance Armstrong for the season, but the defensive tackles haven’t helped much at all either. Payne started hot this season, but then cooled off and only has two sacks. Javon Kinlaw was the same way, and he hasn’t registered a sack this season. Newton has more sacks than Payne and Kinlaw combined, and Barber passed Kinlaw in his first game.
It might have only been 15 snaps for Barber in his debut, but he finished as the sixth-highest graded defender for the Commanders on PFF. Barber is an intriguing player at 6-3, 295 pounds, and hopefully, we will actually get to see him play in the final game against the Eagles. Goldman is on IR, and Barber should be getting snaps over Day anyway. The defense will undergo numerous changes this offseason, and having an undrafted rookie become a solid depth piece is a win for the roster.
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