Washington Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger made it clear via social media that he did not like the team's decision to trade cornerback Kendall Fuller as part of the deal for quarterback Alex Smith.
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A number of teammates expressed their support for Fuller on Twitter after the Redskins traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs, along with a third-round pick, for Smith. Many players said privately after the season that he had the best year of anyone in the secondary.
Swearinger, though, took it one step further. His initial comments after the trade stemmed from wondering whether it was a joke to a three-word tweet: "This is unbelievable." His opinions grew harsher Wednesday morning.
It started with a tweet that read, "Never Saw Any Bulls--- Like This In My Life!! Idc who i rub wrong because you never sat in a meeting nor put in work with my dawg!! People say they wanna win right but you throw away your best defender!?!? Somebody you can set a standard with?!?! #Defense will win championships!!" A short time later, he tweeted that the Redskins took a "Major Step down from the best slot corner in The Game!!"
Swearinger later deleted both tweets.
D.J. Swearinger, No. 36, isn't happy the Redskins traded away Kendall Fuller, No. 29, in the trade to acquire quarterback Alex Smith. Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Swearinger also pointed out how Fuller had graded out to 90 percent on his assignments, the best score among the defensive players.
Other players were more measured in their social media comments about the trade, but Swearinger has been known for being vocal since joining the Redskins in 2017. Before the first practice of the week, he routinely gathered the team together after stretching exercises to let them know what needed to be done. After a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, he criticized some players for not being as prepared as they should have been.
He punctuated his thoughts on Twitter with this: "Men And Woman Lie!!! #NUMBERS Tell The Truth!!! Offense Wins Games!! Defense Wins Championships!!!"
Although Swearinger disagreed with the Redskins' decision to trade Fuller, he did welcome Smith to the team as well, tweeting that after his rant.
DJ Swearinger
ā
@JungleBoi_Swagg
Alex Smith Welcome To The Squad We Got Championships To Win!
Fuller was widely respected in the Redskins' locker room because of his preparation and performance. When he joined the Redskins as a rookie in 2016, he was coming off a knee injury that he suffered while playing for Virginia Tech. He struggled in the slot and was eventually replaced. But in 2017, he played well all season in that position, with coaches praising him throughout the year. They liked how smart he was and how he reacted decisively.
The Redskins had discussed the possibility of moving Fuller to the outside corner position opposite Josh Norman, as Bashaud Breeland is a pending free agent.