Clinton-Dix acquired from Packers for 4th-rounder

WASHINGTON — Aiming to improve a defense that’s carried them to the top of the NFC East, the Washington Redskins added safety Ha Ha ClintonDix from the Green Bay Packers at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick.

Clinton-Dix, who can become a free agent after this season, joins D.J. Swearinger to give the Redskins (5-2) a pair of veteran safeties who rank at the top of the league in interceptions.

Second-year player Montae Nicholson has been starting at safety alongside Swearinger for Washington, which is on a three-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s game against the visiting Atlanta Falcons.

Clinton-Dix was drafted out of Alabama in the first round in 2014 by the Packers and has appeared in all 71 games since, start- FALCONS @REDSKINS Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: Ch. 5 Radio: 980 AM ing 65.

He has 14 interceptions, including three this season for Green Bay (3-3-1), which is in third place in the NFC North and also traded away running back Ty Montgomery on Tuesday to Baltimore.

With the Packers, Clinton-Dix accumulated 419 tackles, 51⁄ sacks and 38 passes defensed.

One of Clinton-Dix’s picks came in Green Bay’s 31-17 loss at Washington in Week 3. After grabbing the football when tight end Jordan Reed went one way and quarterback Alex Smith threw another in the second quarter, Clinton-Dix ended up by the Redskins sideline, where he slapped palms with Swearinger.

Currently, Swearinger leads the NFL with four interceptions, while ClintonDix is in a group of 14 players tied for second place right behind him.

Clinton-Dix, who tweeted “Much love y’all” with an emoji of a piece of cheese, joins a substantial core of defenders on Washington’s roster who played for coach Nick Saban at Alabama. That includes recent first-round picks Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne along the defensive line, and second-round pick Ryan Anderson at linebacker.