Washington Redskins Training Camp Profile: Steven Sims Jr.
Steven Sims Jr. may have been an undrafted rookie, but don’t be surprised if the Washington Redskins rookie can impress in the preseason.
The 2019 NFL season is almost here. The sounds of pads being hit, coaches yelling at rookies, and young fans clamoring for autographs from their favorite gridiron stars…yes fans training camp is days away.
For veterans, training camp is the same grind day-to-day they are used to but yet despise as many dreams of greatness are evaporated with season-ending injuries (see Derrius Guice‘s ACL). For rookies like Steven Sims Jr., it is a time to prove one’s worth to the team.
The rookie draft picks by the Redskins, such as Dwayne Haskins, Montez Sweat, and Terry McLaurin are all but guaranteed spots on the 53-man roster. However, for undrafted rookies such as Steven Sims, it is a time to display his talents and willingness to work that caused the team to sign him as an undrafted free agent this past draft year.
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Sims is a wide receiver out of the University of Kansas. He comes from a traditional basketball school which continues to restock the basketball team year after year with McDonald’s All-Americans to compete for championships.
On the football field, things are much different. During the past four seasons as a Kansas Jayhawk, the football team with Sims was a combined 6-42. It was extremely difficult for a player like Sims to get noticed with this type of record and lack of talent surrounding him even though he was able to regularly display his football abilities in the Big 12.
Sims has the tools to excel in the Redskins offense as head coach Jay Gruden and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell are known for their excellent route concepts and creating space for wide receivers. With the Redskins, Sims will also have better athletes around him that he did at Kansas. His speed and route running abilities may make him an excellent slot-receiver candidate as he does indeed have a slight build at 5-foot-10, 176 pounds.
Sims will hope to replicate his importance from his old team to his new team the Redskins. He ranks top-three all-time in receptions (214), receiving yards (2,582), and receiving touchdowns (19) in Kansas history. He also led the team in receptions and yards in his junior year.
It won’t be an easy task for Sims to make the 53-man roster. In fact, his best chance to make the team will be with the practice squad. For the Redskins, the wide receiver group is mostly unproven, inexperienced, and inconsistent. Many of the players besides Paul Richardson will make the team due to the term fans love to hate. Potential.
Players such as Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, Cam Sims, Robert Davis, Kelvin Harmon, Darvin Kidsy, and even Brian Quick are expected to be ahead of Sims on the depth chart once training camp begins. The do-it-all Sims, who received a verbal nod from Head Coach Jay Gruden in rookie minicamp, will have his work cut out for him but don’t be surprised if he ends up being the next preseason sensation to the likes of Marko Mitchell, Darnerien McCants, Marcus Mason, and Lache Seastrunk.
In fact, Sims should hope to be the next Simmie Cobbs Jr. Cobbs signed with the Redskins last year as an undrafted free agent loaded with potential. Towards the latter part of the 2018 NFL campaign, Cobbs was offered a spot on the Redskins active roster but turned it down in favor of being signed to the active roster of the eventual NFC Championship bound New Orleans Saints.
Cobbs performed well in the preseason for the Redskins and worked his tail off on the practice squad to where he was being noticed and talked about by Chris Cooley on his own podcast through the Redskins official team website.
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Might a similar path — impressing in the preseason, making the practice squad, and eventually making it onto a 53-man roster — in Sims’ future? We will find out soon enough and Sims’ past college success and attitude might tell us as soon as the first preseason game.