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Does anyone remember when the Washington Commanders had Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder at wide receiver? The last time those three players represented Washington at the same time was in 2016. And, at that time, the Commanders also had tight ends Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, and pass-catching back Chris Thompson.
Now, for three consecutive seasons, Washington has had Terry McLaurin — who is phenomenal — and little else.
Ron Rivera attempted to get McLaurin some help in March 2020, reportedly offering Amari Cooper more money than the five-year, $100-million deal he eventually signed to return to the Cowboys. For what’s it worth, Dallas is expected to release Cooper before the start of the new league year.
In 2021, the Commanders were aggressive again, this time landing McLaurin’s former college teammate, Curtis Samuel, signing him to a three-year deal worth $34.5 million. In five games last season, Samuel caught six passes for 27 yards.
The Commanders also drafted Dyami Brown in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. Brown played in 15 games and finished with 12 receptions for 165 yards.
Washington cannot rely on Samuel or Brown to be a true No. 2 receiver to McLaurin in 2022.
We debated last week whether or not the Commanders should revisit their interest in Cooper — if released. However, there should be some good wide receivers available in free agency next week, whether Cooper is free or not.
In his post-combine column, Ben Standig of The Athletic said Monday that Washington could be looking to make a free-agent splash at receiver.
Don’t expect Davante Adams to hit unrestricted free agency. In the small chance he did, he isn’t coming to Washington.
Chris Godwin could hit free agency. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still haven’t placed the franchise tag on their young star wideout. Other free-agent options include Mike Williams, Allen Robinson, Odell Beckham Jr., Michael Gallup and D.J. Chark.
Of those names, Gallup and Williams will likely remain with their current teams, either by franchise tag or a long-term deal. I still believe Godwin gets the franchise tag because there’s no way Tampa Bay lets him go.
That leaves us with Beckham, Robinson and Chark. Of those options, Robinson and Chark are the most interesting. Robinson has quietly been a star in the NFL for years despite playing with quarterbacks such as Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky. Washington doesn’t have a clear starter at quarterback, so why would Robinson want to play for the Commanders?
What if Washington actually signs Trubisky? That would be interesting.
Chark is a wild card. At 6-foot-4, Chark runs a 4.3 40-yard dash, but he did miss the 2021 season. Pro Football Focus projects Chark to sign a two-year deal worth $25 million. That’s certainly an affordable contract for a team that is currently not paying a franchise quarterback.
As for Robinson, PFF projects him to receive a three-year deal worth $45 million. Again, that’s not a bad deal for Washington.
The key is McLaurin. He is extension-eligible and the team wants to get something done. If you sign a player like Robinson to a three-year deal and owe Samuel two more seasons, the Commanders can afford to pay McLaurin the top-end wide receiver money he deserves.
Whether Washington lands a big-ticket receiver or not, the Commanders are still looking to upgrade the position this offseason.