

Could Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall move into the nickelback role when he gets healthy, allowing Bashaud Breeland to remain a starter? (Toni L. Sandys/ The Washington Post)

There’s a big decision Redskins coach Jay Gruden will have to make at … cornerback. In non-quarterback news, Washington could soon have a healthy, pun intended, problem at cornerback. It’s still unknown when Chris Culliver and DeAngelo Hall will return, but it’s hard to believe that even Gruden thought he’d have five solid options at this position after releasing David Amerson during the third week of the season.

There’s Bashaud Breeland, a fourth-round pick last year who has played well over the past two games as the team’s top corner. Yes, he allowed two touchdowns on Sunday against the New York Jets, but Breeland also had three takeaways. He recorded two fumble recoveries and an interception, his second in as many games.

There’s Will Blackmon, a street free agent who didn’t sign until after the season opener but has quickly turned into a solid acquisition. He showed up with 14 previous career starts and, a month later, has been relied on as a starting outside cornerback over the last two games.

And then there’s rookie Kyshoen Jarrett, the biggest surprise of them all. The sixth-rounder switched from safety to cornerback, seamlessly transitioning into the team’s nickel spot for the past three games while Breeland shifted to the outside.

It’s clear Culliver will retain his outside cornerback position once he recovers from a knee injury, but what about Hall? Gruden will have to decide whether he wants to stick with the veteran, who will turn 32 next month, or use a younger, faster and more aggressive option in Breeland. Hall hasn’t played since suffering a foot injury against the Giants in Week 3, but he struggled at times even when he was healthy.

It’s clear Breeland has outplayed Hall this season. Leaving Breeland as the starting outside corner, then kicking him inside with Hall entering as the outside corner in nickel formations, would make the most sense once Hall returns. That was a role similar to one Hall played in 2012, when he slid to the slot in nickel situations while Josh Wilson entered the game as the outside cornerback. Later that season, however, Hall was used exclusively as an outside corner with Wilson entering the game as the third corner in the slot. Hall hasn’t been used in the slot since that season.

Breeland has the ability to play both positions, and it’d allow Hall to remain on the outside when the Redskins need a third corner. It would be a demotion for Hall, but he’d still receive a significant amount of reps. Over the past three games, Jarrett has played 156 out of 203 snaps as the nickel corner. It’s very common to see nickel packages for most of the game in today’s NFL.

This situation would leave Jarrett and Blackmon as the team’s fourth and fifth cornerback options on the roster, with Jarrett also serving as a depth piece at safety. You can never have too many corners though, as the Redskins have experienced first hand with Culliver, Hall and Breeland missing a combined seven games already either because of injuries or suspensions. It’s almost a given that the depth at this position will be tested once again whenever the Redskins return to full strength. Whenever it does happen, Gruden knows he has some reliable and battle tested options at the end of his bench that can step into a starting role.

All in a day’s work

Here’s what you might’ve missed on The Insider:

The opposing perspective

Bucs head coach Lovie Smith hasn’t been pleased with his secondary’s performance this season. Tampa Bay is 29th in the league, allowing a 105.7 opposing passer rating.

The (dreadful) NFC East: Week 6

After Philadelphia beat New York on Monday night, it moved into a tie for first place, and last-place Washington is just a game back.

Eagles (3-3); defeated the Giants, 27-7 Giants (3-3); lost to the Eagles, 27-7 Cowboys (2-3); bye week Redskins (2-4); lost to the Jets, 34-20

Useful stat

The Redskins have recorded three consecutive games with a positive turnover margin. That hasn’t happened since the final three weeks of the 2012 season.

Useless stat

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown a touchdown pass in six consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Noteworthy quote

“I’ve seen him throw the ball out here many, many times. I’ve seen him make every throw there is to make in pro football. We’ve just got to get his confidence going. We’ve got to help him. Players have got to help him around him and we’ve got to do a better job coaching him. I’ve seen him do it and I know he can do it.” – Gruden on why he’s confidence Cousins will bounce back from two bad performances.

“Um, did he really say that?”

“I don’t feel like some of the turnovers this year have been quite as awful as they were last year.” – Cousins on Monday.

Today’s schedule

The players have the day off before returning to practice on Wednesday.