Zach Brown was the lead tackler for the Washington Redskins last season in his final year under contract with the team. It was his third team in three years but the linebacker followed up a Pro Bowl and All-Pro season in 2016 with a strong 2017 campaign in hopes of inking some security in his next deal.
He got just that from Washington as free agency got underway. He will remain with Washington on a three-year deal worth $24 million.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the agreement.
The #Redskins have signed LB Zach Brown to a 3-year deal worth max of $24M, source said. 127 tackles stay in Washington.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2018
Brown is the third big name Washington secured this offseason. They traded for Alex Smith last month and agreed to terms with wideout Paul Richardson once free agency opened.
Although various leg injuries limited him to 13 games played, the 28-year-old linebacker ranked ninth in the NFL with 127 tackles and also regitered 2.5 sacks last season. Brown did have interest from other teams but he elected to remain with a Washington team in need of a solid force on the defensive end. Washington allowed the fifth-most points (24.2) and the 12th-most yards at 347.9 yards per game so keeping Brown was a priority for a team looking to rebuild their defense.