While Bashaud Breeland put up his best numbers of his career in 2015, the addition of free agent cornerback Josh Norman will push him to improve in his third season.
Despite cornerback Bashaud Breeland's impressive numbers in 2015, he believes he still has more to prove to everyone in the league.
Breeland started 14 games last season and racked up 81 tackles (59 solo), 16 passes defended, three fumbles forced, two fumbles recovered and two interceptions. The stats indicate it was a step up from his rookie year, however Breeland doesn't think its enough.
"I'm coming [into the season] healthy, the most balanced I've felt in my life," Breeland said on ESPN 980's "Inside the Locker Room" on Monday at the Redskins Charity Golf Classic. "I feel like I got a point to prove to the world and myself of what I'm capable of."
Breeland said he was "excited" when the Redskins signed Josh Norman in April, but it was also a bitter-sweet moment for the former fourth-round draft selection.
"Well we [Redskins cornerbacks] didn't show the world what we were capable of last year," Breeland said. "For us to go sign someone of that caliber, I took it as disrespect. I am happy for him, but it's just me as a competitor."
With Norman in the fold, Breeland believes the secondary is now a strength of this Redskins defense and feels it gives him an opportunity to showcase his versatility this coming season.
When talking about defensive coordinator Joe Barry's defense, Breeland knows it to be a "zone-match" defense. He thinks if you just enjoy playing football, you'd "like this system."
"Sometimes we will play zone, sometimes we will play zone-man, or if we have to, we'll play man," Breeland said.
Breeland, a former Clemson Tiger, said that head coach Dabo Sweeny and company helped him become a better player in the NFL, instilling in him the drive to prove his doubters wrong.
"At Clemson they put you right into the game as a freshman, so you either sink or swim," Breeland said. "I went up against Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins and Martavius Bryant every day in practice throughout my college career so those guys have prepared me for the NFL."
Ultimately, Breeland, as he and the Redskins take part in OTAs this week, wants to prove people wrong both on the field and off of it.
"I'm a football player but I see it as my hobby, but I want to be more than just a football player," Breeland said. "I want to do more things, I want to impact lives in a different way just not on the football field."
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