Redskins: Uncoiling the layers of the Josh Doctson dilemma
By Ian Cummings
Why Josh Doctson may be falling out of favor
It was known, heading into 2018, that substantial pressure would be on Josh Doctson to build on last year’s progress and compile a resume reminiscent of a first-round receiver. So far, in 2018, he hasn’t been afforded an opportunity to.
With Alex Smith as the Redskins new quarterback, it feels more and more likely that Josh Doctson will be gradually phased out of the offense. Smith can throw deep, but the particular kind of deep threat Doctson is doesn’t match up well with a speed receiver like Paul Richardson.
Doctson needs his quarterback to trust him. On some teams, he’ll receive that trust fairly quickly. On others, such as the Redskins, he’ll have it subliminally restricted from his grasp, locked in the mind of a quarterback who prefers efficiency over excitement. Doctson would play best with a gunslinger with a degree of recklessness to their game. Alex Smith isn’t the polar opposite, but he’s too close for a player like Doctson.
Doctson’s slow start to 2018 had to draw the attention of coaches, and now, with his heel in a boot and yet another setback to explain, Doctson could be falling out of favor in Redskins Park. His first-round status only makes the matter worse; the expectations were imbued upon him from the very beginning. The contrast from expectations to reality may be enough for the Redskins to end this chapter early.