Washington Redskins: Top 30 players in franchise history

In today’s day and age, there is uncertainty surrounding the Redskins receiving core. Yes, Josh Doctson is a former first-rounder. Paul Richardson is a former second-rounder. And Jamison Crowder works wonders in the slot. But as of right now, we don’t know who the group, as a whole, will fare heading into the season.

It makes it mean that much more that, at one point in time, the Redskins didn’t have this problem.

They called them “The Posse”. Art Monk was the headliner of the group; the ever-consistent first-round pick. Gary Clark was Monk’s right-hand man, running laps after every touchdown. And then there was Ricky Sanders.

Sanders’ path to the Redskins was a winding one. He started out at Texas State University, then played in the USFL for a spell. The New England Patriots drafted him in the 1984 NFL Supplemental draft and traded him to the Redskins in 1986 after he failed to play a snap in two years.

Sanders’ career would arrive at a turning point in Washington, however. He assumed a role as a depth receiver right away, and just two years after joining the team, he broke the 1,000-yard mark in receiving. He accomplished the feat once more before his production took a dip, but for five more years beyond that, he would be a steady contributor in the Redskins’ offense.

Sanders is most known for his performance in Super Bowl XXII. Behind the arm of Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, Sanders caught nine passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-10 blowout. Sanders’ speed was an inexhaustible resource, and it gave him an edge against some of the best the NFL had to offer.

Sanders never went to a Pro Bowl, and the peak of his career was relatively short. But for his role in forming one of the greatest receiving corps in NFL history, and for the performance he had on the game’s biggest stage, he deserves a spot on the list. People will remember him.