The 20 best wide receivers in Washington Commanders franchise history

Wide receiver is one of the most entertaining positions in the NFL. They are a quarterback’s best friend and have become increasingly important throughout the years. Without a good wideout, especially in today’s game, even good signal-callers can struggle.

The Washington Commanders are one of the most enriched franchises in NFL history. They were founded in 1932 and have been one of the most storied organizations since. The team has been to five Super Bowls in its history, with three being wins and two being unfortunate losses.

The wins came in Super Bowl XVII versus the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos, and Super Bowl XXVI, overcoming the Buffalo Bills. Washington also boasted wins in the 1937 and 1942 NFL Championship games, which were before the Super Bowl era.

Sometimes, a team’s best wide receiver and his impact on success can be the reason a Super Bowl comes home.

Criteria for selection

There are several things we looked for when deciding who the top 20 wide receivers in Commanders franchise history are.

First, we looked at the most obvious metric, their career statistics - receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. We also looked at the impact on Washington’s success over their tenure with the team.

To measure that, we examined Washington’s playoff appearances, playoff wins, and most importantly Super Bowl triumphs during their tenure. If there were any clear leadership qualities and intangibles they boasted, we took that into account.

Longevity and consistency, especially for wide receivers, an important criteria to measure. If a pass-catcher can stay consistently valuable for a team well into his 30s, that is a great measuring stick of high standards over prolonged periods.

Fans remember players most by the most memorable moments and clutch performances they have. For example, when DeSean Jackson housed a deep touchdown versus his former Philadelphia Eagles team. He celebrated by making a bird motion and then kicking the bird.

The 20 best wide receivers in Washington Commanders franchise history

20. Charley Malone

Charley Malone played for Washington from 1934 to 1942. He compiled 137 receptions for 1,932 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns over 84 games. During his career, he won one NFL Championship. He was also selected to a Pro Bowl in the last year of his career.

Although these stats don’t seem impressive in seven years, they were when the passing game was in its early evolution. In the 1935 season, Malone had the third most receiving yards in the NFL with 433.

19. Leslie Shepherd

Leslie Shepherd accumulated 125 receptions for 2,112 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns during his five-year stint with the now-Commanders. His best season came in 1998 when he put up 43 receptions for 712 yards and eight scores.

Washington unfortunately did not make the playoffs while Shepherd was on the team. His most memorable moment came in 1996 when he caught a 56-yard touchdown off of a flea flicker play. This was the longest pass of the season.

18. Albert Connell

Albert Connell only had the luxury of a five-year career in the NFL from 1997 to 2001, four of which were with Washington. He racked up 138 receptions for 2,483 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in D.C. This included one 1,000-yard season in 1999, where he put up 1,132 yards and seven scores.

Connell is remembered for the wrong reasons. Once his promising career took off in Washington, he signed a five-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Just one year into his bumper deal, the wideout was cut due to theft charges from his teammate Deuce McAllister, who accused him of stealing money from him twice and creating a ton of locker room friction.

Once he was cut, Connell never played professional football again.

17. Frank Grant

Frank Grant played in the NFL from 1973 to 1978, and pretty much all of that career was spent in Washington. He played the first 10 games of the season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coming back to the nation's capital for the final six games of 1978.

During his career, Grant compiled 149 receptions for 2,486 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. He had two seasons in 1975 and 1976 where he amassed 776 yards, eight scores 818 yards, and five trips to the end zone. These were pretty good campaigns for this time in NFL history.

In 1975, Grant even had a 96-yard receiving touchdown.

16. Rod Gardner

Rod Gardner had a six-year career in the NFL from 2001 to 2006. He played his first four NFL seasons in Washington.

He put up 242 receptions for 3,165 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. Most of this production came in Washington. In his sophomore season in 2002, he put up his only 1,000-yard season of 1,006 yards and eight scores.

Gardner caught an 85-yard touchdown from Tony Banks to announce himself as a rookie. This was arguably his crowning career moment.

15. Michael Westbrook

Michael Westbrook had an eight-year career in the NFL from 1995 to 2002 where all but his final season was played in Washington. During his career, he put up 285 receptions for 4,374 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns, with pretty much all of that production coming in the nation's capital.

Westbrook unfortunately joined Washington at the very end of its golden years. Despite this stroke of bad fortune, he did contribute to one playoff win in 1999 over the Detroit Lions.

14. Jamison Crowder

Jamison Crowder started his NFL career in 2015 when he was drafted by Washington in the fourth round out of Duke. He played for the now-Commanders from 2015 to 2018 before leaving to join the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills.

Crowder then signed back with Washington in 2023 and is still on the roster. Thus far in his career, the versatile pass-catcher has 431 receptions for 4,826 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. He has been a notable slot receiver in the NFL and even had some success on punt returns.

He has 130 punt returns for 1,055 yards and a touchdown in his career. This is a role Crowder is looking to secure again under the new regime.

13. Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown played a six-year NFL career from 1982 to 1987, half of which he played for Washington and the other half for the Atlanta Falcons. He put up 220 receptions for 3,548 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns.

His best years came in Washington, where he put up 128 receptions for 2,115 yards and 19 touchdowns. Brown was selected to two Pro Bowls, those being in his rookie year of 1982 and the following year.

The wideout's best campaign came in 1983, where he put up 1,225 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. During both of Brown’s Pro Bowl seasons, Washington went to the Super Bowl and even won the Vince Lombardi trophy in his first year, which was Super Bowl XVII with a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins where he put up six receptions for 60 yards and a vital score.

12. DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson is one of the NFL’s fastest and most electric wide receivers of all time. Washington was lucky enough to have him suit up for the team for three years from 2014 to 2016.

Jackson played for 15 seasons during which he made a name for being a deadly deep threat. He retired as an Eagle in 2023 after signing a one-day contract with them.

Over his three years with Washington, Jackson had 244 receptions for 2,702 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. This is a lot more impressive when you realize he never played a full 16-game season in his three years with the team.

Unfortunately, Jackson spent eight of his seasons with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, where he was named to three Pro Bowl selections and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2009.

11. Roy Jefferson

Roy Jefferson finished his career with Washington from 1971 to 1976. He racked up 3,119 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns during his time with the organization despite his advancing years.

Jefferson was named to three Pro Bowl selections, one of which occurred in Washington. He was also selected to second-team All-Pro in 1968 and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 1969.

The prolific pass-catcher made an appearance on the grandest stage of all in Super Bowl VII with Washington. This came with a 14-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

10. Henry Ellard

Henry Ellard played a 16-year NFL career from 1983 to 1998, five of which he played for Washington. The savvy wideout played the first 11 campaigns of his career with the Rams.

During his five seasons with Washington, Ellard had 216 receptions for 3,930 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Considering he was 33 years old upon signing for the now-Commanders, this is fairly impressive.

Ellard went to three Pro Bowls, all as a Ram. He also was selected for two All-Pros in 1984 and 1988. He had an elite career, but due to his stint in Washington only being five seasons and, in his 30s, he comes in at No. 10 on our list.

9. Pierre Garcon

Pierre Garcon started his 11-year career for the Indianapolis Colts before spending five seasons in Washington. The hard-working wideout capped off his career with two campaigns for the San Fransico 49ers.

Garcon's best numbers came in Washington, where he put up 376 receptions for 4,549 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. His most productive year came in 2013 when he led the league in catches with 113 receptions for 1,346 yards and five scores.

He was part of an electric offense that also included names like Kirk Cousins, Jordan Reed, and DeSean Jackson. Garcon helped Washington go to the playoffs in 2016 for the first time since 2012.

8. Hugh Taylor

Hugh “Bones” Taylor had an eight-year career from 1947 to 1954, all seasons being played with Washington. He was considered as legendary quarterback Sammy Baugh’s favorite wide receiver during his time in the NFL.

Throughout his career, Taylor racked up 272 receptions for 5,233 receiving yards and 58 touchdowns. He earned two Pro Bowl selections in 1952 and 1954. He led the team in receptions every year between 1949 and 1954.

7. Ricky Sanders

Ricky Sanders played his first eight seasons for Washington. During his career, he compiled 483 receptions for 6,477 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns. Almost all of this was compiled with the now-Commanders.

Sanders had two 1,000-yard seasons, those being in 1988 and 1989. He also contributed to two Washington Super Bowls. The first was Super Bowl XXII with a blowout 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in which he had an incredible nine receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

The prolific pass-catcher also won Super Bowl XXVI with Washington thanks to an outstanding success against the Buffalo Bills.

6. Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin was selected out of Ohio State in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and is still a member of the franchise five years into his career. He has put up 378 receptions for 5,283 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, quickly emerging into one of the league's most underrated wideouts.

McLaurin should be higher on this list from a pure talent perspective. We all know that poor quarterback play, offensive play calling, and just a poor team, in general, have not allowed his production to match his true gifts. He also has only contributed to one Washington playoff team thus far.

This is the only reason for his lack of touchdown production. McLaurin is one of only six receivers with at least 1,000 receiving yards over the last four consecutive seasons, joining the likes of Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Mike Evans, and Stefon Diggs.

McLaurin earned his first and thus far only Pro Bowl selection in 2022. Hopefully, the Commanders have finally found a quarterback capable of helping him reach new heights in No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels.

5. Bobby Mitchell

Bobby Mitchell spent his 11-year NFL career from 1958 to 1968 as an extremely versatile player. He spent his first four years in Cleveland playing as a halfback before making the transition to wide receiver in Washington.

Throughout his career, Mitchell had 521 receptions for 7,954 receiving yards and 99 touchdowns to go along with 513 carries for 2,735 rushing yards and 18 scores on the ground. He earned four Pro Bowl selections - three being with Washington in 1962, 1963, and 1964.

Mitchell was the league leader in receiving yards in both 1962 and 1963 by a long shot. He was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 1958 and was third place in MVP voting in 1962.

The do-it-all offensive weapon also earned a well-deserved All-Pro distinction in 1962. To top off his illustrious career, Mitchell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

4. Charley Taylor

Charley Taylor spent all 14 years of his career with Washington from 1964 to 1977. Much like Bobby Mitchell, he started as a halfback for the first two years.

Taylor compiled 649 receptions for 9,110 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns to go along with 442 carries for 1,488 rushing yards and 11 scores running the football. He was also selected to seven Pro Bowls, four of which came to start his professional journey.

He also earned the Rookie of the Year award in 1964. On top of all these accolades, Taylor was given his golden jacket when he was inducted into the 1984 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Washington had a lot of playoff success for a good chunk of his career, as Taylor was part of the team that made Super Bowl VII, which was unfortunately a losing effort against the Miami Dolphins.

3. Santana Moss

Santana Moss had a lengthy NFL career in which he played 14 years in the NFL from 2001 to 2014. He started his career for the New York Jets as a rookie and then signed his second contract with Washington, which is where he stayed for the rest of his career.

Moss racked up 581 receptions for 7,867 receiving yards and 47 touchdowns in Washington. He was selected to one Pro Bowl in 2005 and was also chosen as a second-team All-Pro that season due to his 1,483 receiving yards and nine scores, which gave him the second most receiving yards in the NFL.

He was also part of Washington's last playoff win in 2005. That's a long time without any legitimate success to speak of.

2. Gary Clark

Gary Clark spent the first eight years of his career in Washington before a couple of short stints with the Cardinals and Dolphins. During his career, the dominant wideout secured 699 receptions for 10,856 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns.

Clark was selected to four Pro Bowls, all with Washington. He was also selected to second-team All-Pro in 1986 and 1991 as well as first-team All-Pro in 1987. He contributed to two Washington Super Bowls during one of the most prolific spells in franchise history. Fans who were fortunate enough to see the wideout strut his stuff still speak with great fondness about their memories of a golden age.

The receiver had three receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown in the first Super Bowl win and seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in the second.

1. Art Monk

Art Monk played the first 14 years of his career in Washington, before having two one-year stints with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.

During his career, Monk put up 940 receptions for 12,721 receiving yards and 68 touchdowns. He was selected to three Pro Bowl teams and was also selected to first-team All-Pro in 1985.

In 1984, he led the league in receptions with 106. Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 - deserved recognition for a legendary career that few have matched before or since.

Monk played in four of Washington’s five Super Bowl appearances, two being victories. He put up only one reception for 40 yards in his first Super Bowl victory but then seven catches for 113 receiving yards in his second.

The iconic wideout was part of The Fun Bunch. This was a group of Washington wide receivers that always did group celebrations in the end zone after a touchdown. Their most famous celebration was a group high five where they all jumped in the air.

The 10 best wide receivers in Washington Commanders franchise history by receiving yards

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