The second of Washington's two 2019 first-round picks is under contract.
The Redskins announced they signed defensive end Montez Sweat to his four-year rookie deal. As with all first-round contracts, Sweat's pact includes a fifth-year team option.
Washington traded back into the first round to draft Sweat at No. 26, after the Mississippi State defensive end fell due to a reported misdiagnosed heart issue. The ‘Skins traded their No. 46 selection and a 2020 second-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts to grab Sweat.
Sweat, who was ranked much higher on many boards prior to the draft, joins a Redskins front seven already deep with talent: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Ryan Anderson, to name a few. He was initially projected to go earlier by many analysts, but a diagnosis of a heart condition at the Scouting Combine reportedly led some teams to take him off the board.
A subsequent report from NFL Media, however, stated that he was misdiagnosed. It’s unclear if or how teams adjusted Sweat on their boards, but Washington thought he was worth the risk. So far, that chance has been paying off.
The defensive end has already made quite an impression on coach Jay Gruden, who expects Sweat to play right away and compete for a starting spot.
Sweat, who had 22½ sacks the past two seasons for Mississippi State, is rather cool about the flood of compliments coming from the coaches.
“You can’t listen to all that type of stuff,” he said.
The only remaining Redskins draftee currently left unsigned is third-round wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
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