Last season, fans loved Zach Brown. They clamored for the team to re-sign him this offseason and let the tackling machine do his thing in the middle of the Redskins defense.

Things appear to have changed.

He got benched last week during the 40-16 blowout loss to the Giants after missing a few days of practice with an illness. For Brown, that was a clear message.

"I'm just sitting here just doing what I'm supposed to be doing 'till it's time for me to leave," Brown said Wednesday. "You see the writing on the wall. It is what it is. Just here now I just got to contribute to the team and help us get to the playoffs."

Time for him to leave?

That's an eye-catching quote from Brown, who was the biggest defensive signing the Redskins made in the 2018 offseason. Not to mention he was heading towards a Pro Bowl selection in 2017 before injury ended his season with three games remaining.

The Redskins signed Brown to a three-year, $21 million deal in March. He got more than $5 million this season, but should the Redskins release Brown after the season, the team would save $5.75 million and take a $3 million cap hit.

The Redskins started rookie Shaun Dion Hamilton in Brown's spot last week against the Giants, and head coach Jay Gruden hinted that Hamilton will continue to get more work in a recent interview on the Redskins Talk podcast.

"It's been very frustrating. You get benched and it's not like you get a reason or anything for," Brown said. "Just got to keep doing things, just got to keep practicing. You've just got to just stay ready. But at the same time it's frustrating. It's frustrating on anybody to get benched and you not know the reason."

On the season, Brown has 80 tackles and two forced fumbles.

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