Washington Redskins have strong depth at wide receiver position

What can we expect out of Washington Redskins wide receivers going forward?

A lot of Washington Redskins fans are down on the team’s wide receivers going into training camp. In truth, few teams have depth charts boasting a more tantalizing group of pass catchers.

The fact that Washington does not have a number one guy that surpasses 1,000 yards receiving and approaches 10 touchdowns a season on a regular basis does not mean the season is doomed. Examining the players likely to secure a spot on this roster you see not one or two guys who could contribute in a significant way, but five or six.

The Redskins have more speed at the position than they have ever had before. Paul Richardson ran a 4.4 at the combine before being drafted in the second round a few years ago and has consistently shown that blazing speed on the field. Rookie Terry McLaurin ran a 4.35 just a couple months ago. Having two guys with that kind of speed is going to present problems for most defenders.

Cam Sims put on a show at OTAs. It’s hard to believe Gruden is not going to want him on the field a lot. He’s 6-foot-5, has a catch radius that stretches halfway across the field, makes circus catches and is an outstanding blocker. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t start opposite Josh Doctson. And I’ll be just as surprised if Doctson doesn’t rise to the occasion during a contract year and have his best year as a pro.

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But, if he doesn’t, the Redskins actually have some depth at the position this year. I was ecstatic last year when the Redskins drafted Trey Quinn. I think he is a guy that does a lot of things well. His priority this year is to find a way to stay healthy. If Quinn is available he has an important role on this team.

The two other WRs are my two favorites. Kelvin Harmon was considered by more to be a surefire second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. I kept thinking something other than his less than stellar 40 time at the combine would surface to explain his drop into day three of the draft but nothing ever came out.

Teams really passed on a guy with this kind of upside just because he ran a 4.6? I guess that was enough to render irrelevant his back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons and 16 career college touchdowns. Kelvin Harmon, at 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds, is immensely strong and is another Washington wideout that is considered an outstanding blocker.

Finally, there’s Robert Davis. He is a 6-foot-3, 212-pound receiver who is an excellent route runner and, again, an outstanding blocker. Davis is another speedster on the outside, as his 4.44 40-yard dash time at the 2017 combine shows.

Despite all the size, speed and skills of the wide receivers, the Washington Redskins may not have one who exceeds a 1,000 yards or has more than 4 or 5 touchdowns. That being said, it would not be a surprise to see each of them put up 400-500 yards and three or four touchdowns. That would definitely get the job done. Especially when you consider that Jordan Reed will probably continue to be the primary target on most pass plays.

Taking into consideration that Washington will almost certainly make running the ball their highest priority on offense, having such outstanding blockers at all of the receiver spots should prove enormously beneficial as well.

The Redskins have an enticing selection of personnel groups with which to plug and play the receiver positions. As a compliment to a strong running game, the various options at wideout could baffle many defensive coordinators.

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Jay Gruden can choose to go with blazing speed, Richardson and McLaurin, on one play and come back with size and strength, Harmon and Davis, the next. Or he can mix and match throwing Quinn’s quickness, Doctson’s mile-high vertical and Sims’ condor-like wingspan onto the field.

This group is young and raw but each of them is capable of having a tremendous year. Do not sleep on this group of wide receivers for the Washington Redskins.

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