With Michael Crabtree now under contract with the Raiders, only two of PFR’s top 50 free agents for 2015 remain unsigned, and one of those two players is former Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski. While Wisniewski doesn’t appear to be on the verge of a contract, he did receive interest last week from a potential suitor. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Washington hosted Wisniewski for a visit last Friday.
A market has been slow to develop for Wisniewski, but that can be at least partly attributed to the fact that he underwent surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum. The veteran lineman has made several visits since free agency began, meeting with the Patriots, Jaguars, and the Titans before he headed to Washington. Presumably, a physical exam played a significant part in those visits for Wisniewski.
Wisniewski, who turned 26 last month, wasn’t at his best in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which rated him as the league’s 22nd-best center. Of course, his shoulder injury could have played a role in his decreased production, as PFF has assigned him a higher grade in years past.
Washington got solid production at center in 2014 from Kory Lichtensteiger, who ranked as PFF’s ninth-best player at the position. However, it was Lichtensteiger’s first season at center, after he spent the previous few seasons playing left guard for the club. Chris Chester and Shawn Lauvao held their own as Washington’s guards last season, and both players appear poised to return for the 2015 season, but signing Wisniewski could give the team a little more depth and a few more options along its offensive line.