Washington Football Team: Giving up on Antonio Gandy-Golden feels like a mistake
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Football Team has officially submitted its 53-man roster for the 2020-21 season. The journey to this point was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions, as Ron Rivera and Co. made some fairly shocking decisions.
From releasing Jimmy Moreland, to axing Peyton Barber, cutting Jeremy Reaves and giving up on Antonio Gandy-Golden, the Football Team really tugged on the heartstrings of its passionate fan base.
While all those moves were gobsmacking to some degree, the release of Gandy-Golden really stuck out like a sore thumb.
The 2019 fourth-round selection flashed in training camp and he used that momentum as a springboard into the preseason, where he was one of Washington’s standout performers on the offensive side of the ball.
Though we understand that the Football Team’s wide receiving corps is deep, giving up on Gandy-Golden feels like a big mistake.
Washington is waiving WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, per source. A fourth-round pick out of Liberty last year with rare athletic traits, "AGG" is one to watch on waivers.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2021
Why did the Football Team waive Antonio Gandy-Golden?
It’s duly noted that the Football Team’s receiving corps has undergone a transformation since Gandy-Golden was drafted. Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries were signed in free agency this offseason, whereas Dyami Brown (third round) and Dax Milne (seventh round) entered the fold through the 2021 draft.
However, we still can’t wrap our minds around why Gandy-Golden wasn’t kept as the sixth or seventh option on the depth chart. Was it because DeAndre Carter is capable of returning kicks? Was AGG not proven enough as an intermediate WR?
Basic logic says not to pull the plug on a 6-foot-4, 223-pound receiver who has elite athleticism and is a jump ball monster.
Maybe there’s more to this than what meets the eye, but Gandy-Golden has (or had) the makings of a worthwhile development project for Washington, who will be lucky if he goes unclaimed on waivers given his size and draft status.
Was Gandy-Golden disappointing as a rookie? No doubt, but he was limited by injuries and, other than Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas, no pass catchers stood out with Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen presiding over the offense.
AGG was a better player during camp and the preseason than he was as a rookie, but there were also better players on the WR depth chart to battle with. So, the 2020 fourth-rounder is gone https://t.co/nur3dcQnUR
— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) August 31, 2021
We’re not saying Gandy-Golden would’ve flourished with Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him the pigskin, but the 38-year-old vet would’ve accentuated GG’s skillset A LOT better than Smith, Haskins and Allen. That’s not up for debate.
We saw the type of mismatch Gandy-Golden presents in Week 1 of preseason against the Patriots when he used his imposing frame to box out his defender and haul in a two-point conversion. Other than McLaurin, the 23-year-old might be the only receiver on the team (at that point) who could’ve made that play.
Maybe we’re proven wrong and Gandy-Golden doesn’t pan out. However, we just think Washington could’ve done better to keep the Liberty product as one of seven (!) receivers on the 53-man roster.
After all, if he puts it all together, the Football Team will look at AGG as the one that got away…for absolutely nothing.
