Redskins young receiving corps could be in for growing pains

The Washington Redskins revamped their receiving corps this offseason and went with a youth movement at the position. They could be in for some growing pains as a result.

While the Washington Redskins were able to make some upgrades to some of their weaknesses during the 2019 offseason, one of the positions that was a major question mark was receiver. The team’s receiving corps looked unproven at best and underwhelming at the worst for most of the offseason. But during final cuts, the Redskins fully shaped their receiving corps and ended up embracing a youth movement at the position.

To begin with, the Redskins moved on from former first-round bust Josh Doctson. The fourth-year receiver was entering a lame-duck year and despite the team’s best efforts to trade him, they couldn’t find an offer. He was waived, went unclaimed, and landed with the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year deal.

The team also parted with veteran Brian Quick. He was entering his third offseason with the Redskins, but he was always a longshot to make the team. Despite his experience, he was cut as the team trimmed down to 53 men on the active roster.

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Ultimately, the team ended up choosing to keep six receivers on the roster. Three are rookies (Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, and Steven Sims Jr.). One is entering his second year with the team (Trey Quinn). Robert Davis is in his third year, but he missed all of last season with an injury. And the veteran-most option of the receiving corps, Paul Richardson, is entering his second season in Washington.

The Redskins certainly don’t have a lot of experience at receiver. That is a double-edged sword, as it means their group has a lot of potential, but they could have some growing pains as they learn to play at the NFL level.

To give you a better idea of just how experienced the Redskins receiving corps is, here are some interesting numbers. Outside of Richardson, the ‘Skins’ five other receivers have a total of nine receptions at the NFL level. Combined, they have played in four NFL games (Richardson has played in 54 total). So, this group is really, really inexperienced.

Of course, the team does have some players with intriguing upside. McLaurin was a third-round pick, has very good speed, and can contribute on special teams. Sims Jr. flashed during the preseason and could be a speedy slot weapon if Quinn struggles to hold onto that role. And Davis is great on special teams and also flashed some deep speed for Washington. The upside is there. It’s just a matter of tapping into that.

As the Redskins receivers get comfortable with their roles, they should improve. But early on in their respective NFL careers, there will be some serious growing pains. That could cause there to be a lack of chemistry with the team’s quarterbacks and for the roles of each player to change until they find a combination that works. That could cause the passing game to stagnate a bit though it has the potential to improve along with the receivers.

Next. Five bold predictions for the Redskins 2019 season. dark

But that’s part of the reason why potential is one of the scariest words in the NFL. Because there’s no guarantee that it will happen.

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