Let’s Talk Receivers
March 31, 2021
by Steve Thomas
Washington did a smart thing this offseason: they needed significant help in their receiver group, and they actually went out and found some significant help. We now know the identity of the probable starters, but what sort of performance can expect and what gaps are left in this position group? Let’s talk some receivers.
Currently, the Redskins Washington has twelve receivers signed, so at least half of these players will not make the regular season active roster. At this point, the projected starters are Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Adam Humphries. The most likely candidates for backup spots are one or two of Cam Sims, Kelvin Harmon, and Antonio Gandy-Golden, and one or both of Steven Sims and Isaiah Wright. Jeff Badet, Tony Brown, Trevor Davis, and Emanuel Hall will fight it out for one or two practice squad spots.
Obviously, Terry McLaurin is the “X” receiver and one of the most talented receivers in the league. He’s been held back by some bad quarterback play and a lack of other threats around him, which has caused him to face a significant number of double teams. I’m not in favor of the “#1” label commonly thrown around because it is a subjective term without a clear set of defining evaluative criteria, but if you are predisposed to throw it around, McLaurin certainly qualifies. His best skill is his elite route running ability and inherent knack for getting open. Throw in his 4.35 second speed and you have the makings of a player that all defenses need to respect. We saw that happen last year when almost every defense started to focus on him in the second half of the season.
As far as Samuel goes, Washington paid him way too much money for him not to start. He’s another burner, with a 4.31 second 40 time, which is great, but as a former running back, Samuel is a bit of a non-traditional talent. He is sort of Antonio Gibson-like in play style, rather than a traditional, downfield vertical threat in the mold of Desean Jackson. For that reason, I’m not sure Samuel’s highest and best use is as a full-time “Z” receiver. Clearly, he will be a tremendous benefit to the team, but whether or not his “highest and best use” is as a traditional “Z” receiver is an open question. Adam Humphries’ skillset primarily limits him to the slot, so by default that makes Samuel the outside receiver opposite McLaurin (the “Z”). Humphries isn’t a speed demon like McLaurin and Samuel. He’s more of an over the middle possession receiver, as evidenced by his career 10.5 yard per reception average. Washington may actually have two players who are more suited to the slot than anywhere else.
Between the three bigger receivers, Cam Sims, Harmon, and Gandy-Golden, it’s tough to see at this point who has the most potential. Sims is the only one of those three who’s had the opportunity to prove himself, but Harmon and Gandy-Golden both have talent. None of those players have breakaway speed, but are all big and strong enough to be able to defeat one on one coverage. One of those three is going to end up as Washington’s principal 50 / 50 ball recipient, end zone fade guy, and “moving the chains” target. Last year, the honor went to Sims, but he’ll be challenged by the talented but injured Harmon and a developing Gandy-Golden. You have to think that these three players are competing for time at the “Z” spot, although Cam Sims was a slot receiver in college and could perhaps play there in the NFL as well.
Steven Sims and Wright, both undrafted free agents, are going to fight for playing time behind Humphries in the slot, but long-term, all three have a shot at the job. Humphries’ best season was 2018 when he was paired with new Washington starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He and Fitzpatrick are on one year contracts. It’s not certain that (a) either Fitzpatrick or Humphries is going to be in DC for more than a year, or (b) Humphries can maintain the same level of production with a non-Fitzpatrick quarterback. It’s also not certain how much better Steve Sims can get, or whether Wright will ever rise up to the level of NFL starter. The bottom line is that despite the excitement of the Humphries signing, the future of the slot position is up in the air.
All of the rest of these players are lottery tickets, and while I wish them the best of luck, the odds are against any of them developing into starting-quality players. Jeff Badet is a burner, probably the fastest player on the team – he was timed at 4.27 seconds in the 40 yard dash at his pro day, and at 5’11”, he also at least isn’t undersized. We haven’t seen much of Badet on the field, but the fact that a player who ran a 4.27 forty went undrafted tells me that he has a long way to go as a professional receiver.
What’s the executive summary here? Washington has its “#1” receiver in McLaurin, and paid a large amount of money to Samuel to be a new weapon with perhaps an as yet undefined role, but the team does still have some holes – they need (1) a dedicated deep threat, (2) to figure out if they have a solid big target, (3) define how to best use Samuel, and (4) the team also needs to find the long-term answer in the slot. Is Samuel just going to be a “gadget guy”, as our friend Mark Bullock mentioned on this week’s episode of The Hog Sty, or is he actually a complete receiver? If he isn’t a complete receiver, who’s going to fill the “Z” role? Also, the slot receiver position is still up for grabs.
Given all of this, it should not surprise anyone to see the Redskins WFT the Football Team the Team Washington draft a slot receiver this year, even despite an already crowded receiver room, maybe even in the first few rounds, particularly if one happens to fall to them. They’ve done a decent amount of work this year to improve what was surely one of the least-respected receiver groups in the NFL, but they probably aren’t done yet.