Redskins: Uncoiling the layers of the Josh Doctson dilemma

What happens next?

To summarize all of the information conveyed in earlier slides, Josh Doctson has not done nothing with the Redskins. Some act as if Doctson has been the equivalent of a vegetable, but he has had his good moments, and he produced at a solid rate last year, albeit in a depleted receiving core. Despite the perceived progress, there are serious limitations that the Redskins’ system has on Doctson, and his slow start, which can be somewhat attributed to injuries, didn’t help matters. Is he a bust? Maybe. But the book on Doctson is far from published.

It’s essential that we emphasize the fact that no one knows the severity of Doctson’s latest injury. Daron Payne was in a walking boot during training camp, and he didn’t miss a great deal of time. Doctson could be out for this week only, and return to the Redskins roster in Week 6. He could remain on the roster for the rest of the season, putting up a modest stat line. And then, he could stay for another year, play out his contract, and hit the free agent market at 28 years old.

But what if the injury is worse than it seems? Would that then spell the end for Josh Doctson in D.C.? In a situation like this, it’s not about comparing Doctson to perceived draft busts in his class, like Laquon Treadwell and Corey Coleman, and saying “it could’ve been worse”. No one benefits from playing that game. Instead, it’s about diagnosing what has led to the events that have occurred in Doctson’s individual career thus far, and whether Doctson’s career in D.C. is salvageable.

Let’s not act like the Redskins don’t want Doctson to succeed. They do, because they would ultimately be the beneficiary. But at the same time, a functioning team must cater to their own strengths, and they must recognize when a player doesn’t fit their tendencies, and when it’s best to start over. It could be the best choice for both parties.

It’s become clear that Doctson is not the type of receiver the Redskins need. He can be good, if he is afforded the chances he needs. But the Redskins’ current offense, helmed by Alex Smith, doesn’t place a great amount of value on receivers to begin with, and there’s a type of receiver that fits it best. Doctson isn’t it.

If Doctson is healthy enough to stay off injured reserve, the Redskins could look into trading him, but the amount of suitors would inevitably be sparse. There’s too much uncertainty surrounding the TCU product. More likely than not, he will spend the rest of the season with the burgundy and gold, in some capacity. In the case of any relocation, a question must be asked: Is the situation bad enough, that the Redskins feel it would be best to cut ties altogether, if no trades materialize?

That’s a conversation no one on the outside is going to have yet. Doctson is still a talented player with a skill set he’s used to win before, and he can still rebound. But there’s a reason he hasn’t produced in a Redskins offense that has been, in Alex Smith and Jay Gruden’s own words, pass happy. DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder all amassed plenty of receiving yards with Washington, and Paul Richardson has gotten off to a fast start as well. Doctson, for all his talent, has not.

Doctson’s case isn’t pure bad luck, and it isn’t injury proneness alone. There is a fundamental part of Doctson’s game that holds him back from reaching his full potential in the Redskins offense. Can he reach it somewhere else? Save your speculation. In time, we may find out for ourselves.