Redskins Roster Projection: Team loads up in the trenches
Wide Receiver (6)
Terry McLaurin, Kelvin Harmon, Steven Sims Jr., Antonio Gandy-Golden, Cody Latimer, Johnathon Johnson
The top four players on this depth chart — McLaurin, Harmon, Sims, and Gandy-Golden — should all be roster locks. They are all very young pass-catching weapons who could develop into big playmakers for the team.
McLaurin, a third-round pick in 2019, has already flashed star potential while Sims, an undrafted free agent in 2019, and Harmon, a sixth-round pick in 2019, showed a strong rapport with Dwayne Haskins last season. So, needless to say, this group has a lot of potential.
However, the team isn’t very deep. And as a result, the final two roster spots could go to several different players. Emanuel Hall was a top sleeper before he tore his Achilles this offseason. But now, a different Missouri receiver is occupying the sleeper spot: Johnathon Johnson.
In a recent article, I outlined why Johnson could be a dark-horse candidate to make the Redskins team as a backup slot man and special teamer. Here’s what I said about him in that piece.
"Johnson isn’t a big receiver; he’s just 5-10, 180 pounds, and those listed measurements may be generous. But he does have speed and can serve as a vertical threat and slot playmaker for the Redskins if all goes well. He’ll need to improve his hands and the team will have to draw up some plays to get him the ball, but the potential is there. Johnson certainly has potential and while other players may get more hype, there’s a chance that he could make the team. He’s a bit similar to Steven Sims, who also averaged 10.1 yards per catch as a senior and is similarly sized to Johnson. So, maybe Johnson could be an ideal backup for him. We’ll see what he can accomplish this offseason, but if he bursts onto the scene like Sims did, he should have a chance to make the team."
We’ll see what Johnson does in training camp, but there are reasons to be excited about his potential.
The final spot available goes to Cody Latimer in this projection. While Latimer has had some legal trouble this offseason, he gives the team a needed veteran presence and has a good track record of producing on special teams. he’s an ideal fifth receiver, provided that his off-the-field concerns check out.