Redskins: A Big-Bodied Play-Maker Could Be Used

Over the past two seasons the Washington Redskins have not been able to score six points even when they have had ample opportunities. For instance, back in 2013, under former Head Coach Mike Shanahan, the team capitalized on only 52% of their scoring chances in the red zone. Last year under then-rookie Head Coach Jay Gruden, the results were even worse with the team ranking 27 out of 32 teams in red zone efficiency.

Perhaps drafting a big wide-out in the middle of this year’s draft could remedy this scoring outage?

Last year when the team signed play maker DeSean Jackson to a three-year deal worth $24 million(including $16 million guaranteed), most saw the move as a way to add scoring and speed to a position of need for the team. The wide out was seen as the person to blow the top off of defenses and help quarterback Robert Griffin, III regain his rookie year form. As well, the three-time Pro Bowler’s presence would  help fellow receiver Pierre Garçon who was coming off of a record-breaking year in which he recorded 113 catches but was constantly double teamed.

Jackson would certainly do his part, recording 56 receptions for a team-high 1,169 yards and six touchdowns. His 20.9 yards-per-reception were also tops in the NFL.

Garçon did not have the same type of season in 2014 that he had become accustomed to. He did finish the season as the team leader with 68 receptions but he also only produced 752 yards and three touchdowns.

Andre Roberts, signed from the Arizona Cardinals last off-season, had an up-and-down year and it will be interesting to see how he plays into the team’s long term plans. Perhaps second-year receiver Ryan Grant, who showed flashes in preseason, can carry over his rookie campaign into more of a role this year. It remains to be seen if the team has a true slot receiver on the roster.

Between Jackson (5’10”, 178lbs), Garçon (6’0″, 217 lbs), Roberts (5’11”, 187 lbs) and Grant (6’0″, 193 lbs), none of these Redskins receivers are taller than six feet tall. Gruden’s offense thrived in Cincinnati where he was offensive coordinator. The Bengals’ imposing receivers A.J. Green (6’4″ 207 lbs), Mohamed Sanu (6’2″ 210 lbs) and Marvin Jones (6’2″ 198 lbs) were all productive.

Surely Gruden and new General Manager Scot McCloughan are looking to address this situation with a receiver that could add a dimension that has been lacking from the Burgundy and Gold going back to the days of Hall of Fame wide out Art Monk. The two did so to some extent when they signed big-bodied wide out Braylon Bell earlier this off-season. Bell, listed at 6’6″ and 205 lbs., caught 19 passes for 202 yards and four touchdowns in the Arena Football League last year. At 28 years old, the team might be hoping he is more of a late bloomer than a project.

Washington should have its choice between several prospects in rounds three through five of this year’s NFL draft. There are several players that might demand a serious look for the Redskins and could blossom into true number-two receivers with the right coaching and seasoning.

Despite the off-the-field issues that led to his transfer from the University of Missouri to the University of Oklahoma, Dorial Green-Beckham could be an intriguing option. Listed at 6’5″, 237lbs and with speed (his 40-yard dash is in the 4.45 range), receivers with his kind of talent get second and sometimes third chances to prove themselves. Green-Beckham has Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver Dez Bryant written all over him.

Devin Funchess, a converted tight-end-to-wide-receiver from the University of Michigan, comes in at 6’5″, 230lbs. His size and strength could be a valuable asset for a team in the red zone.

Vince Mayle out of Washington State University is 6’2″, 219lbs. Is he a product of a system where Cougar Head Coach Mike Leach passes and then passes some more? You can’t teach size and Mayle has that to go along with some decent hands.

Darren Waller is a massive wide out from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). The comparisons to perhaps the game’s best receiver — Calvin “Megatron” Johnson (Detroit Lions) — are inevitable. The former fellow Yellow Jacket is listed at 6’5″, 236lbs. Even Denver Broncos’ wide out Demaryius Thomas, listed at 6’3″, 229lbs., had to deal with being compared to Johnson after he too played for Georgia Tech.

Waller is more of an unfinished product but with his size (6’6″, 238lbs.) and skill set, he could be a prime target for a team in need of size on the outside.

Another player to keep an eye on is Deontay Greenberry from the University of Houston. As is the question with the aforementioned Mayle, is Greenberry a product of a spread offense that passes in bunches? Listed at 6’3″, 200lbs. he may be worth a gamble in round five.

One thing for sure is that this year’s draft has some extraordinarily big receivers who will have to prove they can be factors going forward.