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Wide receiver Cam Sims was an undrafted free agent out of Alabama in 2018. In his first season, Sims made the roster but was injured in the season-opener.
In 2019, Sims spent time going back and forth between Washington’s practice squad and active roster. The 2020 season was going to be a make-or-break one for Sims, and things didn’t look good when he was released during final cuts and placed on the practice squad.
However, Sims was undeterred and was called up to the active roster for Washington’s first two games and, on Sept. 22, was promoted to the active roster for good. Sims would never look back.
He would catch his first career touchdown in Week 6 and recorded his first career 100-yard game in Week 9. Sims finally emerged once Alex Smith took over at quarterback.
Wide receivers coach Drew Terrell said Sims was indispensable in 2020.
“We relied on Cam heavily last year,” said Terrell, per Zach Selby of washingtonfootball.com. “He was kind of the glue of our group.”
While Sims didn’t end up posting eye-popping numbers, he did finish with 32 receptions for 477 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 14.9 yards per reception.
Sims saved his best effort for Washington’s biggest game. In the wild-card playoff game against Tampa Bay, Sims led the Football Team with seven receptions for 104 yards. He and quarterback Taylor Heinicke — two improbable heroes — almost led Washington to the upset win over the eventual Super Bowl champions.
Washington added reinforcements at wide receiver this offseason, bringing in Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries via free agency and Dyami Brown from the NFL draft. Now, Sims will have to earn his spot yet again.
Don’t count him out.
Sims has outstanding size at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, and good speed. His work ethic and ability on special teams should give him a strong chance to make Washington’s roster again in 2021.
The WFT will carry five or six receivers. Terry McLaurin, Samuel and Brown are locked in. Humphries is almost certainly a lock. That leaves one or two spots for Sims, Antonio Gandy-Golden, Steven Sims, Dax Milne and Kelvin Harmon to battle to compete for.
Thanks to his effort in 2020, expect Sims to make it hard for the coaches to let him go this time around.