Washington Football Team releases WR Cody Latimer

The Washington Football Team has officially released veteran wide receiver Cody Latimer, who has been on the NFL’s commissioner’s exempt list for almost a month.

The Washington Football Team initially signed Cody Latimer to serve as a veteran in a relatively young receiving core. Coming out of the 2019 season, Washington only had two returning starters at wide receiver, and those players — Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims — were both rookies.

Washington came into the offseason needing experience at the wide receiver position, and Latimer was signed to a short-term deal to fulfill that requirement. But soon after signing, Latimer’s status became questionable again, as he was arrested in May, on charges that included assault with a deadly weapon and menacing.

Latimer seemed to be in limbo after his arrest, but the team did not release him. Instead, he remained on the roster for two months, before he was placed on the NFL’s commissioner’s exempt list on July 27. He’s been on that list for a month now, but was officially released by the team earlier today, as confirmed by the Washington Football Team’s official Twitter account.

Latimer’s chances of being retained became less and less likely as Ron Rivera continued to establish his desired cultural norms. That, combined with the signing of longtime NFL veteran receiver Dontrelle Inman, quickened Latimer’s exit, and Inman’s signing in particular made Latimer expendable as a member of the team’s offensive unit.

Latimer, 27, was originally drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. After catching only 35 total passes over his four years in Colorado, Latimer left in free agency and was signed by the New York Giants. He remained with the Giants through 2019, a year in which Latimer achieved career highs in receptions (24), yards (300), and touchdowns (2).

Latimer’s release confirms that there will be another spot open in the Washington Football Team’s receiving core for the 2020 regular season. Behind McLaurin, Sims, Inman, and Antonio Gandy-Golden, there isn’t much clarity on who else will be rostered. But with Latimer out of the race, the battle will become more heavily contested, and it may come down to one play in training camp, to decide the final group.