The competition at wide receiver has been outstanding in training camp so far. Washington will be forced to make some tough choices over the next month.
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One year ago, you could argue that wide receiver was the weakest position on the Washington Football Team. Second-year pro Terry McLaurin was special — but there was little else.
Boy, how things change.
Washington signed Curtis Samuel in free agency to serve as the team’s No. 2 wideout. Samuel was coming off a career year and can line up all over the place on offense. The WFT also added reliable but injury-prone veteran Adam Humphries.
Then, in the NFL draft, Washington was fortunate when North Carolina wide receiver Dyami Brown fell to the third round. Suddenly, the Football Team had some depth at wide receiver.
Washington would also return some promising younger players such as Cam Sims, Steven Sims Jr., Kelvin Harmon, Isaiah Wright and Antonio Gandy-Golden. There was also seventh-round pick Dax Milne.
One week into training camp, it’s clear which players are making the 53-man roster. McLaurin, Samuel, Brown, Cam Sims and Humphries all feel like locks to make the roster. Humphries could be a surprise cut, but he has a nice rapport with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The biggest question is, how many receivers will head coach Ron Rivera keep?
Most NFL teams keep five or six receivers on the roster. That number could vary depending on which players contribute on special teams.
Washington needs a punt returner. Of those players in camp, Sims Jr., DeAndre Carter, Wright, Milne and Humphries could all get looks at punt returner. Sims has done it before but hasn’t been overly successful.
Carter is the player to watch. The 28-year-old is on his eighth NFL team and can return punts. He’s also had a strong camp as a receiver. That versatility could help him land on Washington’s 53-man roster.
Sims Jr. entered camp squarely on the roster bubble after struggling at times last season. He has looked good this summer.
Sims Jr. has talent. He looked like a future keeper in 2019.
Next is Gandy-Golden. A fourth-round pick last season, Gandy-Golden failed to make an impression before his injury last season. The 6-foot-4 Gandy-Golden is impressive and is another receiver standing out this summer.
A player who is quietly off the radar is Harmon. As a rookie in 2019, Harmon caught 30 passes and looked to be a part of the future as a reliable possession receiver. The previous coaching staff really liked him. Unfortunately for Harmon, he was injured before training camp began last summer and was lost for the season.
He’s back — and catching everything.
Wright caught 27 passes as a rookie undrafted free agent in 2021. He can also return punts.
Milne, the rookie from BYU, has also impressed coaches in camp. He seems like a longshot, more like someone who could begin his career on the practice squad.
What has helped these receivers so far in camp is the absence of Samuel. Nursing a groin injury and also on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Samuel has yet to practice. It has opened the door for others, and they have taken advantage.
Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the month, Washington has some tough decisions to make at wide receiver. The team is going to cut multiple good players who will latch on somewhere else. It’s likely the preseason could make or break some of these young receivers.
Being in a position to cut good players is a problem Washington is glad to have.
