Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the Washington Redskins' signing of Terrance Knighton.
Link to grade articles on every major deal
Washington Redskins: A
The Redskins continue to revamp their defensive line with a player who has been one of the league's top nose tackles of late. Knighton saw his career take off the past two seasons in Denver after four undistinguished seasons in Jacksonville. He immediately shores up some of Washington's run defense woes, while also providing a pass-rushing threat on all three downs.
Washington's defense has suffered mightily the past few seasons with undersized nose tackles, and after the signing of Stephen Paea it looked like more of the same. Well, those days are no more, as "Pot Roast" brings size (6-foot-3, 335 pounds) and elite run-stopping ability to the middle of their defense. Knighton's 8.5 run-stop percentage was 11th-best among defensive tackles last season, but that doesn't even reflect his superb block-eating ability. The defensive tackle finished in the top 10 the last two seasons in run defense grade and turned in one of the best all-time playoff performances at the position two seasons ago.
The only minor cause for concern is the switch he'll have to make from the Broncos' hybrid 4-3 to the Redskins' 3-4. Knighton likely will play far more 0-technique nose tackle this upcoming season, and while the difference is small, it isn't meaningless. It shouldn't be too big of a deal, though, as Knighton played nose for 323 snaps his rookie season and still performed well against the run.