Why Paul Richardson is a perfect fit for what the Redskins need on offense
Richardson should complement Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson well.
Putting Richardson’s talent aside for a moment, it’s important to consider how well he works with the receivers the team already has in place. That would be slot man Jamison Crowder and former first rounder Josh Doctson.
On the surface, the fit seems almost too good to be true. The main thing that the offense was lacking last year was a true deep threat, and Richardson will give them that. And after a deeper dive, there’s little cause for alarm as to how they’ll fit together.
In the receiving corps, the team could ideally replicate what they had when Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson were around. Garcon served as the bigger, route running possession receiver while Jackson added athleticism to the group. Doctson and Richardson appear to be in place to take on these roles in 2018.
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I’ve spoken before about how Doctson should work on becoming a possession receiver. He flashed promise in his first full year in the league, but he doesn’t have the downfield ability to be a true No. 1 option. He’ll have to use his size and strength to his advantage and get good at battling for 50-50 balls or using a physical style to grind out yards. That’s entirely doable for the former TCU product.
Meanwhile, Richardson naturally would slide in as the semi-No. 1 option, but ideally, he and Doctson would form a 1A/1B type of receiving corps where both see a lot of targets. Richardson would work outside running downfield routes and using his suddenness to lose defenders and make big plays. He could replicate what Jackson offered and that would do a lot to take pressure off Doctson, who was treated as a No. 1 receiver by some opposing defenses last year.
As for Crowder, he just needs other options around him so opposing defenses don’t zero in on him. That happened too often last year, but with Richardson in the mix, teams won’t be able to treat Crowder as the most explosive threat on offense. And that will help Crowder out a great deal.
So overall, Richardson looks like a really good fit in the receiving corps for the team, which answers what should have been the biggest question about bringing him in.