The Sports Xchange

ASHBURN, Va. — When right guard Chris Chester’s play tailed off last year, the Washington Redskins didn’t feel comfortable benching him in favor of little-used backups Josh LeRibeus and Spencer Long.

However, new offensive line coach Bill Callahan and new general manager Scot McCloughan didn’t feel the same loyalty to Chester, who had been a starter since signing in 2011.

Chester became expendable after the Redskins drafted Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio in the fourth round, determined Long is the likely starter at right guard and liked what they saw of LeRibeus this spring.

So Chester, 32, was cut Wednesday.

The move saved $4 million against the salary cap despite Chester’s $800,000 in dead money. The Redskins saved another $2.297 million by cutting cornerback Tracy Porter, who played in only three games last year while struggling with shoulder and hamstring injuries. Porter, 28, counts $1 million in dead money.

Porter was expendable due to the development of cornerback Bashaud Breeland as a rookie last year; the signing of cornerback Chris Culliver in March and the expected return from a torn Achilles by longtime starter DeAngelo Hall.

Chester worked with the starters during Tuesday’s first organized team activities. Porter was absent because of flight complications, according to coach Jay Gruden.

–Outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who had a career-high 13.5 sacks in 2014, wasn’t on the field this week after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on May 20. Kerrigan had the same knee scoped in January 2014 but responded with arguably the best of his four seasons.

“Ryan’s going to be fine,” Gruden said. “He’s going to be ready to roll soon.”

The Redskins have two more weeks of OTAs and then minicamp June 16-18, so it’s possible that Kerrigan, whose contract expires after the season, won’t be on the field until training camp in late July.

Trevardo Williams, who had a sack in three games last year after signing with Washington in December, took Kerrigan’s place with the first-team defense as OTAS began Tuesday.

“(Trevardo’s) a very strong guy,” Gruden said of the 6-foot-1, 237-pound Connecticut product. “He’s got a very good first step. Just a matter of getting him out there more often so he has better knowledge of the system and what he’s doing.

“But, as far as a third-down rusher, he’s got a chance. He’s got the strength. He’s got the speed to get around the corner. We’ve just got to see more of him. … He has a great opportunity to be a third guy or a fourth, no question.”

–Nose tackle Terrance Knighton, who signed as a free agent from Denver, seems larger than his listed 6-3 and 331 pounds.

“When you put him out there on first and second down, it’s going to be hard to run the ball between the tackles,” Gruden said. “He takes up quite a bit of room in there. He has great hands and great get-off. You see how big he is, but you don’t realize how quick his first step is, which is really rare for a guy of his size.”

–Not long ago, it took months for the Redskins to get all of their draft choices signed. Sometimes the top pick didn’t even put his name on the bottom line until after training camp began.

But this year, all 10 of Washington’s selections, including No. 5 overall Brandon Scherff, were under contract just 10 days after the draft.