Riley had several very rough games and a handful of solid outings last season. For his career, he has shown promise but has struggled quite a bit throughout.

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Washington’s talent evaluators and coaches are seeking greater consistency and playmaking ability from both inside linebacker positions.

Riley played better last season when paired with Will Compton (an exclusive rights free agent now), but a stress fracture in his right foot ended Riley’s season prematurely. The Redskins have to decide which Riley they believe they will see in 2016: The player that at midseason’s mark became a more sure tackler while also making big plays in pass coverage? Or, the player that whiffed on tackles and pass coverage assignments, as Riley did early in the season?

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At 27, Riley has plenty of football left in him, and given the fact that Washington also needs to fill the starting “mike” linebacker slot (is it Compton or will the free agent market feature a greater difference-maker?), they could opt to stick with Riley. However, financial ramifications could factor into the decision as well.

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Riley is entering the final year of a three-year, $12 million contract that he signed in 2014. He’s set to earn a base salary of $4 million, plus a $1 million installment of his signing bonus. If Washington were to part ways with Riley, it could save itself a decent chunk of change. His cap hit for 2016 is scheduled to cost $5.05 million, and the team could save itself $4 million by cutting Riley.

The Redskins need to create more cap room. They currently figure to have around $12 million in cap space — sixth-lowest in the NFL. It could make more financial sense to part with Riley and re-sign Mason Foster, who finished out the season on a strong note in Riley’s place.

Fifth-round pick Martrell Spaight missed all of his rookie year on injured reserve, so it’s hard to say where he stands, but it’s unlikely that he could take over as a starter.

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Keeping Riley means the Redskins would at least have one player whose capabilities the coaches know well. Familiarity isn’t everything, however, particularly if Foster — or someone else — is a more affordable and more consistent option, and parting with Riley enables the team to meet more needs elsewhere.