Washington Football Team: Three moves that will help open Super Bowl window
2. Bring in a complimentary piece opposite of Terry McLaurin
The Washington Football Team has a combined 15 drops on the year. Terry McLaurin has only two of them.
The leading receivers on this team outside of “The Captain” are tight end Logan Thomas and running back J.D. McKissic. Outside of McLaurin’s 77 yards per game average, the rest of the wideouts on the roster average 68 yards per game combined.
You can look at that two different way. Yes, McLaurin should lead this team and targets, catches, and yards. He’s a proven elite talent at the next level, and deservedly so he should get the lion’s share of balls thrown his way.
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Another way you can look at it is this passing offense is essentially Terry McLaurin or bust. In recent weeks, teams have begun to bracket McLaurin in double and sometimes triple coverage to defend Washington‘s passing offense.
When you’re playing top defenses and overall better teams, you have to have some sort of balance offensively when it comes to your skill position players. You can’t match up with teams like Kansas City or Las Vegas in terms of going blow for blow with them in the passing game, but you will have to pony up some points to stay in games among the NFL’s elite offenses.
The goal isn’t to win a 42-35 shootout, it’s to have the ability to strike quickly and consistently when needed throughout a game. Washington will need dynamic, versatile wideouts to compliment McLaurin and keep him on that 1-on-1 island with opposing DB’s.
McLaurin is an exceptional talent, but if he sees two every time he lines up on the field, his impact will be marginalized. That’s why Washington should look to upgrade at the wide receiver position opposite of him and in the slot moving forward.
Proving they can draft gems in the third round, Washington’s best answer for this issue will come in the draft. They’ll have a real shot at grabbing a great talent at a position of need, with four picks within the top 85 in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Two wideouts fit best for Washington going forward in this draft. One is a first-round talent, the other you can steal in the third.
Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman would be an ideal pick for Washington in the first round. The 6-foot-1 wideout is as versatile as they come, he can play outside or inside, he’s active in the run game as a blocker, and savvy and smooth in his route-running ability. He can break the game open for you not with his speed, but with his footwork, technique, and consistency. Bateman is a dream fit in Washington.
The second wideout that would be beneficial for the Football Team would be Amon-Ra St. Brown from USC. St. Brown is someone who also has shown the ability to play both inside and outside, but his burst, strong hands and run after the catch ability can truly break games open for Washington and this passing offense.
St. Brown can be the difference-maker and the game-changer that’ll open up the short-intermediate passing game for Washington QB’s going forward.