When the Washington Commanders agreed to terms with former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Cody Barton Monday, many fans were like, who?
That’s not meant to disrespect Barton, but some fans had visions of someone like Tremaine Edmunds coming to Washington. That was never happening.
As we’ve learned over the last few seasons, this coaching staff, led by a linebacker at head coach [Ron Rivera] and a linebacker at defensive coordinator [Jack Del Rio], has devalued the position a bit. Washington often uses an extra safety and rarely has three linebackers on the field.
So when the Commanders scoured the free-agent market for a linebacker, they were looking for a younger player with untapped potential. That led them to Barton, a former third-round pick in 2019.
While Washington wasn’t necessarily looking to upgrade from Cole Holcomb, they liked Holcomb and wanted him back but were only going to offer so much. That led the Commanders to Barton, who signed a one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million in 2024. After Barton signed, Holcomb agreed to a three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Thursday, Barton met with the media and said he wanted to sign with a team that would play him at MIKE linebacker.
“I wanted to be somewhere where I could be a starting MIKE and flourish at that position,” Barton said. “They expressed their interest and belief in me at that position.”
Why MIKE?
“I’ve played all three positions before, but I feel like I play my best ball at MIKE,” Barton answered.
The Commanders have their replacement for Holcomb.