Redskins WR Antonio Gandy-Golden had COVID-19, now fully cleared

Redskins rookie receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden had COVID-19 but has since been cleared.

The Washington Redskins spent a fourth-round draft pick on Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden. The pick was widely viewed to be a solid one as the smart, big-bodied receiver has a lot of tools that could make him an effective weapon at the next level.

Recently, some concerning news came out about Gandy-Golden. Apparently, he had tested positive for COVID-19 during the offseason.

But the good news is that Gandy-Golden has recovered from the illness and has been cleared of it. He confirmed as much in a statement via his agent that was passed along by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

It’s certainly good news that Gandy-Golden is healthy. And it sounds like his case was mild, so he was just playing it safe and self-quarantining to ensure he got better and prevent others from being exposed to the illness. But ahead of the 2020 NFL season, he should be good to go.

Gandy-Golden should challenge Kelvin Harmon for an outside starting spot as a rookie and be no worse than the team’s fourth receiver in 2020. While Harmon may stave him off to start his career, Gandy-Golden’s 6-4 frame and insane production at Liberty (79 catches, 1,396 yards, 10 touchdowns during his senior season) demonstrate that he should have shot to be an effective receiver during his career. He’ll just need to adjust to facing higher-level competition.

If Gandy-Golden can prove to be a red-zone threat and jump-ball weapon, he should find playing time right away in some capacity. He’s certainly an exciting prospect and has all the upside in the world.

But for the time being, Gandy-Golden’s role in the offense isn’t what matters. What does is that he’s safe and healthy after beating COVID-19 about a month and a half ago.