New Washington Redskins LB Zach Brown sets sights on NFL defensive MVP

ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins inside linebacker Zach Brown knows exactly what he wants to achieve with his new team in 2017.

After a breakthrough season with the Buffalo Bills in 2016, Brown made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. Now, he wants more.

"Got a bigger goal this year," Brown said at Wednesday's organized team activity session. "My individual goal -- I want to win a defensive MVP. Right now, I'm in one of the best shapes of my life. Hopefully I get it. But I'm going to work to get it."

Brown found a home in Buffalo last year under head coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Rob Ryan. Brown finished with 149 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.

That was a big step forward for a player who started 27 of 31 games for the Tennessee Titans in his first two NFL seasons before falling out of favor with the coaching staff. He left Tennessee as a disappointment after being chosen in the second round of the 2012 draft.

The Ryans told Brown exactly what they expected from him and let him make plays. He said the Redskins under defensive coordinator Greg Manusky have taken the same approach. A new coaching staff in Buffalo left Brown seeking other options as a free agent -- though he wanted to stay in a base 3-4 defense. Washington was a good fit. Redskins players have noticed the sideline-to-sideline speed Brown brings.

"It's all very natural to that dude," fellow inside linebacker Will Compton said. "He moves very well. He runs very fast. You watch him in the individual stuff that we do, and that athletic ability comes easy. It's something we can use."

Brown will compete with Compton, the primary signal-caller at inside linebacker the past two seasons, and Mason Foster, who also has two seasons with the Redskins at inside linebacker. The three players have split repetitions during both OTA sessions open to reporters at both inside linebacker positions.

"Everything will sort itself out. It's competition," Brown said. "Someone is always going to come in and try to take your job. For me, every year I've been in the league there's never competition. I've never just been certified as a starter."