Redskins OLB Junior Galette Plans To Test Free Agent Market

Redskins OLB Junior Galette during an interview with 106.7 The Fan that he expects to test the free agent market next month.

“I haven’t spoken to them personally,” Galette said, via the Washington Post. “But speaking to my agent, Drew Rosenhaus, . . . he just basically said they’re pretty much gonna let me test free agency, because I’m pretty sure that if it was the other way around, I think they would have offered me a deal and nothing has been offered. There’s nothing else left for me to believe but they want me to test free agency.”

According to Galette, he still views himself as an “elite” pass rusher in the NFL.

“I consider myself elite,” Galette said. “You look at the numbers, it is what it is. I don’t care what you tell me. I had back-to-back [double-digit sack years] in New Orleans. I think only four players were during that span and I was on pace, had a promising career. I still do, I feel like, but pass rush is so relative. There are so many things and other variables that play into pass rush, so if you just look at my [stats] and it says that I’m top-three in the win percentage and the sacks don’t match, okay, so you look at the tape and you’re like, ‘Wait, how come the sacks don’t match?’ Well, maybe this guy deserves more playing time. If you give me more playing time, that’s how it works. In ’13, I had I think 800 snaps in New Orleans, in ’14 I think I had 750. In both those years, [I had] double-digit sacks. It just is what it is.

“That’s just how pass-rush goes. You need the opportunities. If I had made all the sacks that I missed — about eight or nine this year — I’d have double-digit sacks, but that’s almost impossible to do. … I feel like as long as you’re disrupting the quarterback, then you show that you’re really effective in just how promising that you are with getting after the quarterback.”

Galette, 29, originally signed on with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Stillman back in 2010. The Saints later signed him to a massive four-year extension only to cut him loose less than a year into the new contract.

Galette signed on with the Redskins in 2015 but suffered multiple season-ending injuries. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

In 2017, Galette appeared in all 16 games for the Redskins and recorded 20 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and two pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 31 edge rusher out of 106 qualifying players.

We have him featured in our Top 100  – 2018 NFL Free Agents list.