Last season, the receiver position was a weakness for the Washington Redskins. They have added talent, so that shouldn’t happen again in 2018.
When the Washington Redskins let both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson walk in free agency, it was widely assumed that the team would be able to find capable replacements for them. After all, they added a quality player in free agency and they had a former first rounder at the position too. However, their receiving corps never panned out.
The new starters didn’t quite work well with Kirk Cousins, and the passing offense suffered a bit as a result. Thankfully, Ryan Grant was there to help the squad as a starter, but he left in the offseason. So, there were some questions about what the Redskins would do at receiver.
But, those questions now appear to be answered. Here’s a look at the Redskins receiver depth chart and where all the talent that they added to roster will fit in.
No. 1 Receiver: WR Paul Richardson
The Redskins didn’t bring Paul Richardson into the fold to be a role player. Not at all. Once the former Seattle Seahawk agree to a five year, $40 million deal with the Redskins, it became clear that they viewed him as a starter. And possibly something more.
This isn’t the same situation as last offseason when they inked Terrelle Pryor to a deal to be their No. 1 receiver. It’s not similar at all. The Redskins have made a long-term commitment to Richardson because they believe he can be a top receiver in their offense. And the main reason behind that is his speed.
On tape, it’s apparent that Richardson is one of the faster receivers in the NFL. He can burn any corner in the NFL and will add a DeSean Jackson type element to the Redskins offense. That is something that the team sorely missed last season, and it’s why they elected to pay Richardson so much to come to town.
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While Jackson was mainly a speed threat, Richardson has more upside than the former Redskin. Still just 26, Richardson put together his best career season last year, recording career highs in catches (44), receiving yards (703), and touchdowns (6). And he should continue to improve.
In addition to his speed, Richardson possesses excellent body control and solid hands. He can make ridiculous catches look easy in a way that only the likes of Odell Beckham can match. So, that combined with his speed will give him a chance to be a very strong starting receiver.
Some may say it’s too soon to pencil Richardson in as the top receiver on this squad. And they could be right. It’s possible that Alex Smith could spread targets around to all his pass catchers. But as it stands, it seems that Richardson has the most upside to potentially be the team’s No. 1 option on the outside. And at the very least, he will be a starter.
Redskins fans should be excited to see what Richardson can do. He has a lot of talent and is still young. He may just be starting to enter his prime, and that could do enough to give the Redskins a great weapon in their receiving corps.
No. 2 Receiver: WR Josh Doctson
Across from Richardson, it seems highly likely that the other starter will be Josh Doctson. He will reprise the role he was supposed to take on last year: the No. 2 receiver position. While Doctson still has yet to live up to his draft billing, he did show signs of improvement last year.
After spending most of his rookie year hurt and only logging two catches, Doctson played in all 16 games during his second season. He didn’t start in all of them, making way for Ryan Grant early in the season, but Doctson did prove to be valuable. He recorded 35 catches for 502 yards and scored six touchdowns. He flashed solid starting ability at times, but he was also marred by problems at times.
Notably, Doctson dropped a lot of passes that he was able to get his hands on. There were a few times that he had a potential touchdown in his hands and he wasn’t able to reel it in. The most egregious case of this came against the Broncos when he dropped a pass that was thrown perfectly into a window and he just couldn’t hang on. That’s something that cannot continue if Doctson wants to be an effective NFL player.
FanSided
It also may help Doctson to try and become a possession receiver and focus more on route running and physicality, as I wrote back in January.
"Doctson’s 6-foot-2 frame will allow him to have a size advantage on most of his opponents. The average height for a corner in the NFL is usually about 5-foot-11, so that will give Doctson three inches or so on some of his matchups. Either way, Doctson has to learn to use his body to his advantage. Ideally, he could run downfield and body up against defensive backs when he can’t get separation. If Doctson can learn to run step for step with corners and then fight for the ball thrown his way to make the catch, he will have a much greater chance of sticking around in the NFL."
Should Doctson be able to do that, he will have a chance to become a solid complement to Richardson. And that’s exactly why the Redskins elected to bring Richardson in.
This is a make-or-break year for Doctson. He has to play well or this may be his last chance to win a starting job. It will be interesting to see how he looks during the preseason and if he can develop any chemistry with Alex Smith.
Slot Receiver: WR Jamison Crowder
Last season, Jamison Crowder had to serve as the de facto No. 1 option early in the season when both Pryor and Doctson struggled. And that didn’t work well. Crowder had issues of his own, as opposing teams were able to key in on him as the top receiver in the Redskins offense. That, compounded by other factors including his struggles on special teams, made it a tough season for Crowder.
Despite the early season struggles, Crowder did have a mini-renaissance midway through the season and that gave him a chance to bolster his stats. Still, one thing became apparent. Crowder couldn’t be the most talented receiver on the offense and find slot success. He had to have someone on the outside to help him.
The good news is that the Redskins found that. Richardson should help to draw attention away from Crowder, as he is an explosive downfield threat. That will give Crowder more space to operate, and that will be beneficial to his success. And Crowder is explosive in his own right, so that will really create more opportunities for the offense.
Crowder is already very good at patrolling the middle of the field, so adding quality candidates on the outside was a key move. Also, the team added young talent that will allow them to move Crowder around a bit more, as they have some potential slot talent among the players they have added this offseason.
There’s no doubt that Crowder can be an effective piece of this offense, and it’s possible that he will be the best target on this squad. He just plays his role so well and the Redskins will be happy if he can continue to improve his his fourth season with the squad.
Top Backup/No. 4 Receiver: WR Trey Quinn
Somebody is going to have to step up and take over for the now departed Ryan Grant. For the past five seasons, Grant has been used as the top backup by Jay Gruden, and Grant really had earned Gruden’s trust.
However, after a season that saw Grant become a starter, the Redskins had to let him walk in free agency as he got a massive offer from the Ravens. That deal ended up getting voided, but Grant still signed with the Colts. So, the Redskins have to replace him. And that’s exactly what Trey Quinn will be perfect for.
Quinn has gotten so much hype to begin his Redskins career. At times, it has been borderline ridiculous. But, at the same time, he is a very good candidate to take over as the top backup because of his great skill set.
Quinn is a precise route runner with really good hands and surprising athleticism. He has the tools needed to be a contributor in the slot, but he also has the ability to play outside. With the Redskins, he should be the first receiver to come off the bench and he could be an impactful role player in his first year with the squad.
It’s also worth noting that Quinn is coming off the most productive season of his career. In his first and only year at SMU, Quinn logged a ridiculous 114 catches to lead the FBS, and he totaled 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns in the SMU offense. So, he has proven production stemming from his ability to catch the ball consistently. And that should help his chances.
If Quinn can prove that he’s a reliable target, there is no doubt that he should be the No. 4 receiver in Washington. He’s a very strong player and has enough tools in his arsenal to make an impact in his first season in the nation’s capital.
Other Backups: WR Robert Davis and WR Simmie Cobbs
I think that the Redskins could opt to have somewhat of a youth movement at receiver. They had previously had veteran players in the fold as the backups, but with Quinn looking good and there being a lot of young talent on the squad, they could be inspired to keep a couple of younger players.
With these backups, the team will look to keep the players with the most upside. Robert Davis would certainly qualify. Davis was a sixth-round pick by the team in 2017 and he has a nice physical skill set. He ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash at the Combine and has a well-built 6-foot-3, 220 pound frame. He’s a very good athlete, and that could allow him to develop into an outside threat.
Working as a backup for the Redskins, Davis could shadow Richardson in the No. 1 role and learn how to be both a downfield threat and become a good route runner. He has the combination of speed and size to become a good pro player. And for the reason, the team should absolutely keep him on the active roster in 2018.
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Though the Redskins have recently stuck with only five receivers, I think they will consider keeping six this year because of the talent and potential they have at the position. And if they do keep a sixth, I like Simmie Cobbs to win that spot.
Cobbs was an undrafted free agent out of Indiana, but some thought that he could have been a Day 2 pick. I broke down his college performance in a UDFA profile, and this is what I said of him at the time.
"When watching Cobbs play, it’s pretty clear that his best trait is his size. Cobbs has a very solid 6-foot-3, 220 pound frame that will allow him to be a physical, jump ball receiver at the next level. And that’s what makes him such an intriguing prospect. During Cobbs’ career, he made a lot of contested catches. In fact, it seemed that he was always trying to rise above other defensive backs to go up and make catches. This could have been because it was his best skill set, but it also could have been partially due to his lack of overall speed. That may have forced him to have to function as a possession receiver as opposed to a downfield threat."
That would make Cobbs a perfect backup to learn behind Doctson. He could play a role on special teams as a big, physical tackler or a blocker. Then, he could work on becoming a jump-ball weapon and even could carve out a role in red zone packages. Because of this, I think that Cobbs will have a shot to make the roster over a couple of the veterans that the Redskins have on their roster.
Missing the cut
It really is hard to pick the players who will miss the cut. The Redskins did a great job of adding young talent through the draft and the undrafted free agent markets, so it’s possible that the team could part ways with some underwhelming veterans to make room for the youngsters.
Namely, Brian Quick and Maurice Harris appear to be on the bubble. The latter seems like a roster long shot at this point, as he made the practice squad last year and after getting promoted, he didn’t contribute much. He’s a good special teams player, but guys like Cobbs and Quinn should be able to help fill in for that production.
As for Quick, it always seemed strange that he returned to the team for the 2018 season. They barely used him at all last year in spite of all the injuries they suffered. He should have been given more of a run, but they obviously don’t value his skill set. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him miss the cut if a younger player like Cobbs outplays him.
Elsewhere, the Redskins have a plethora of players who aren’t likely to make the team but could push for practice squad spots. They are Cam Sims, Shay Fields, Darvin Kidsey, and De’Mornay Pierson-El. Of that group, Sims and Pierson-El probably stand the best chance of latching onto the practice squad.
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The Redskins have depth and upside at receiver, so it should be interesting to see what they can accomplish during the 2018 season. But this is certainly a position battle to watch, particularly on the back-end of the rotation.