The Washington Redskins retained another familiar face by re-signing offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus on Wednesday.
LeRibeus is a versatile interior lineman who gives the Redskins good depth and is familiar with offensive line coach Bill Callahan’s system. Last season, LeRibeus made the transition from guard to center and started 11 games in place of Kory Lichtensteiger, who was place on short-term injured reserve because of a nerve issue in his neck.
Lichtensteiger was eligible to return for the playoffs and started in the team’s wild-card round loss against the Green Bay Packers. The center position is one the Redskins were expected to address this offseason. Lichtensteiger, 30, is entering his ninth season and has two years remaining on his contract. The team also has interest in getting bigger at the position, but Lichtensteiger also has a valuable veteran presence on the line.
For LeRibeus, it took some time to adjust to center. His snaps were sometimes inaccurate or poorly timed, which led to his teammates getting beat when defenders got an easy jump. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, the Redskins were penalized for a false start when the entire offensive line moved — except LeRibeus, who was yet to snap the ball.
Toward the end of the season, LeRibeus showed improvement and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the transition after another season of OTAs and training camp under his belt. The Redskins can still look to add depth through the draft, but LeRibeus gives them versatility as a low-risk option.
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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