Washington Football: Analyzing even more receiving options

Predicting a resolution

Here’s what I think is going to happen. WFT is scanning rosters looking for likely cuts. Eric Stokes and Jeff Scott have been running pro scouting for close to two weeks now, so they ought to be ready for this. But in case they aren’t, I’ll offer some suggestions.

Since all three lost players were likely to be Z receivers, WFT should be looking for guys who have decent size and speed. Ideally, your Z will have the speed to get deep, but generally does not require the quickness and strength to beat press coverage off the line. Antonio Gandy-Golden doesn’t have ideal speed, but he has the other attributes you want in your Z. But he is also a rookie and no one knows how he will adjust. If a guy like Isaiah Wright or Darvin Kidsy doesn’t wow you by the final roster cutdown, then make sure you know the agents for these guys.

Washington football team receiver options

Maurice Ffrench (Kansas City)

That’s not a typo. That’s his name. We’ll call him Double F. We’ll also note that while at the University of Pittsburgh, he broke major receiving records previously held by the likes of Tyler Boyd and Larry Fitzgerald. He is an all-purpose player with decent speed, elusiveness, and toughness. Throwing him on the field with Antonio Gibson would create a world of possibilities from two guys most WFT fans had never heard of three months ago. That’s how you turn a page and start a new era. Ffrench might make the Chiefs’ final roster, but he is likely headed for the practice squad. I’m not too proud to accept a hand-me-down from the Super Bowl champs.

Devin Gray (Atlanta)

Gray has put in a couple years on the Falcons’ practice squad. At 6-foot-0, with 4.4 speed and other impressive measurables, Gray shows some of what had fans excited about Emanuel Hall. He caught 86 balls in two years at Cincinnati, averaging more than 15 yards per catch. He has not played a regular season game yet, but made several tough catches last year in the preseason.

Tim Patrick (Denver)

I talked up Patrick in a recent podcast, and that was before Latimer’s suspension. You don’t find a lot of 6-foot-5 receivers with the speed to be effective special teamers, but that is exactly what Patrick is. He also has solid receiving skills. To me, he is a better route runner than Cam Sims, and as of now, he looks to be a 50/50 shot to make the Broncos final 53.

Jon’vea Johnson and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (Dallas)

Barring injury to one of the top receivers, it is highly unlikely that both of these guys survive Dallas’ final cuts. Johnson has just been placed on the Cowboys’ COVID-19 list, and we are all still trying to wrap our heads around what that means. Wilson has been injured in each of his first two seasons after starring for Boise State. But both players are just 24, have decent size and good speed. There may not be room on the Cowboys for one or both, but there should be space in the WFT locker room to check them out.

(And BTW, did you know that WFT also stands for Wet Film Thickness, Wire-Fox Terrier, and, my personal favorite, Walleyes For Tomorrow? Hopefully, no trademarks are being infringed upon.)

We are all hoping that Terry McLaurin, Steven Sims Jr., and Gandy-Golden stay healthy for the 2020 season because they are likely it at receiver for WFT. We are also hoping that a Kidsy or a Wright will emerge and become a valuable contributor. But I am guessing if there is another receiver doing anything at all for WFT beyond the current top three, it is going to be someone who is currently wearing another team’s uniform, just waiting for the day when he will be snapped off a practice squad and given a real chance to produce at the NFL level.