Redskins Reconstruction: Wide Receivers

[celts32]

Originally Posted by ethat001

No way, my guess is this is just a bad article to start rumors in a dead offseason. After Galloway, Larry Johnson, Willie Parker last season - this wouldn't surprise me. Although he probably is more talented than every other WR we have -- he's old, unmotivated, underachieving, and definitely wouldn't help us rebuild a team for the future. If he couldn't motivate on the Titans, then he's not going to get motivated playing for a 4-12 team either.

Pat Kirwin and Bruce Allen are good friends...I hope this is pure specualtion and not based on anything Allen may have said to him. We need to be done with all these old guys whether they can play anymore or not...

Sidney Rice is the perfect free agent target to spend a lot of money on...a position of need that is just entering his prime. Getting a young guy like Rice is like buying a high draft pick.

[MTK]

I think Kirwan is just speculating, R. Moss is too much drama.

[celts32]

I tend to agree. If Bruce did give Patty real inside info he would never go public with it anyway.

[Monkeydad]

I'm liking Armstrong's attitide:

Armstrong: 'I have to win a spot all over again'

One might think that Anthony Armstrong of the Washington Redskins has it made.

After working his way through various NFL practice squads and stops in places like the Intense Football League, Armstrong finally made it to the NFL. As a 27-year-old rookie in 2010, he quickly worked his way into a starting job and caught 44 passes for 871 yards, an impressive average of 19.8 yards per catch. On a team that has been in search of some offensive pop for years, Armstrong would appear to be set up to have an even bigger role in the offense in 2011.

Armstrong doesn’t see it like that. He intends to keep the same work ethic that got him through his long climb through stints with the Odessa Roughnecks and Dallas Desperados to the NFL.

“The way I look at it, I basically have to win a spot all over again,” Armstrong said on Monday before a charity golf event.

The NFL lockout, of course, has all organized NFL events on hold indefinitely. Armstrong has been passing the time working out with a trainer and playing a little more golf. Unlike players such as Reggie Bush of the Saints and teammate DeAngelo Hall, who appear to be enjoying the added vacation time, Armstrong believes that the lockout is have a detrimental effect.

“I think it’s hurting everybody,” Armstrong said. “The majority of the players in the NFL need to be out there right now, working and improving themselves.”

Armstrong remembered back to a year ago when he was trying to earn a roster spot after being a late-season addition to the Redskins’ practice squad in 2009.

“I needed every single day and OTA and minicamp just to make an impression,” he said. “I think it kind of built up as we went along.”

Armstrong believes that if the lockout wipes out most or all of the minicamps and OTA’s, teams will be forced to keep more veterans rather than bringing on some young, developmental players.

“It’s not always fair, but that’s the way it’s kind of going to be this year,” he said.

Even if Armstrong was inclined to take it easy and rest on his accomplishments from last year, the recent NFL draft would have changed that anyway. The Redskins drafted three wide receivers and Armstrong took note of the development

“I knew they were going to take one,” he said. “Then we end up taking two and then three.

“It’s one of those things where they feel like they have to address the need and that’s fine. I take it as a challenge and I take it as motivation. You can take it as a sign of disrespect, however you want to take it. I use it as fuel, put it in my tank to make me work out harder in the morning, work out harder on the field.”

[Monkeydad]

Also, Niles Paul could make an impact on offense this year:

WR Niles Paul adds size, versatility - The Insider - The Washington Post

By now, you’ve heard all about Redskins draft pick Leonard Hankerson’s big hands and healthy confidence. The day after they selected Hankerson in the third round, the Redskins went for size and big-play capability again, drafting 6-foot-1, 220-pound Niles Paul out of Nebraska.

In Paul, the Redskins believe they have a versatile receiver capable of shining on both offense and special teams.

The Cornhuskers are known for running the ball, so Paul’s opportunities weren’t that plentiful. But he still managed to produce one of the best careers of any Nebraska receiver during his four seasons in Lincoln. His 103 career receptions for 1,532 yards rank fifth in school history, and his 1,887 kick return yards rank second on Nebraska’s all-time list.

As a senior, Paul recorded 39 catches for a team-high 516 yards while also averaging 24.2 yards a kick return and 11.4 yards per punt return.

The year before, Paul had 40 catches for 796 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and four touchdowns and averaged 27.9 yards on kick returns.

Paul’s senior numbers weren’t what he had hoped for partially because he missed two games with a foot injury. He is confident that he would have compiled bigger numbers had Nebraska’s offense not featured his good friend and fellow Redskins’ draft pick Roy Helu. so heavily...

Said Shanahan: “He’s a tough guy. He’s got good size: 220-pound range. He’s one of the better blockers, he can return punts, kickoffs, very competitive. Now you get to throw him into the mix. He’s a little bigger than the guys we have had. You know he’ll be able to help right away on special teams and have a chance to grow as a receiver.”

Suddenly, we're very deep at WR!

Santana Moss (possibly)
Anthony Armstrong
Leonard Hankerson
Malcolm Kelly
Brandon Banks
Terrence Austin
Niles Paul
Aldrick Robinson
Taurus Johnson

Also, still technically on roster:
Roydell Williams, Mike Furrey, Maurice Price

Plus:
Cooley
Davis
Paulsen





We COULD survive without Moss, but I'd prefer not to. It's going to be tough to keep all of the WRs on that list (Niles Paul and up) but if we can, we're set at WR, possibly for years. That's one deep, talented WR corp in my opinion. Yes, we have a lot of young guys but they have a huge upside. Then again, so did Malcolm Kelly at one time.

I'm happy and confident in this part of the roster though.

[Jontrem]

Originally Posted by celts32

Pat Kirwin and Bruce Allen are good friends...I hope this is pure specualtion and not based on anything Allen may have said to him. We need to be done with all these old guys whether they can play anymore or not...

Sidney Rice is the perfect free agent target to spend a lot of money on...a position of need that is just entering his prime. Getting a young guy like Rice is like buying a high draft pick.

Even with the Hip injury? Makes him at least somewhat risky

[Monkeydad]

We do not need to target any WRs. Offensive line must be our focus now. We're ready to go at WR and RB. Torain, Keiland Williams, James Davis, Helu and Royster...good depth. Torain will be a monster when healthy and word is, Helu is going to compete for a top spot too.

[MTK]

I would bring back Moss and be done with the WRs. We've now got some youth and depth and a good core to move forward with.

[Monkeydad]

^ Agreed 100%

Moss can still play, he wants to come back. Bring him back. I think the # of rookies we drafted could be used as leverage in negotiations if he's asking for too much, but in the end, I think he'll be back. Losing him would hurt. Shanahan used him correctly last year, in the slot, and he had a great year after people doubting him.

[Alvin Walton]

I wonder if we're still in the Sidney Rice sweepstakes.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Alvin Walton

I wonder if we're still in the Sidney Rice sweepstakes.

Last I heard, which was the night of the draft...no we're not

[wilsowilso]

Those Anthony Armstrong quotes are amazing.

He is already one of my favorite players on the team.

I think the WR position is going to be very very interesting to follow whenever they sort out this labor mess.

[SBXVII]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

We do not need to target any WRs. Offensive line must be our focus now. We're ready to go at WR and RB. Torain, Keiland Williams, James Davis, Helu and Royster...good depth. Torain will be a monster when healthy and word is, Helu is going to compete for a top spot too.

Wide Receiver Corps Gets An Influx Of Youth

The Redskins could add a veteran receiver in free agency to anchor this young group.

^This is the last line. Basically saying that if Moss does not return the team may look into signing another Vet to help out the young group. So don't say we are set, the coaching staff might not think so.

[SirClintonPortis]

S. Moss: Le Inconsistent. Le emotionally fragile.

[ethat001]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

“I knew they were going to take one WR,” he said. “Then we end up taking two and then three." -- Anthony Armstrong

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

Suddenly, we're very deep at WR!

Santana Moss (possibly)
Anthony Armstrong
Leonard Hankerson
Malcolm Kelly
Brandon Banks
Terrence Austin
Niles Paul
Aldrick Robinson
Taurus Johnson

Also, still technically on roster:
Roydell Williams, Mike Furrey, Maurice Price

Plus:
Cooley
Davis
Paulsen

I liked our draft for a change. But -- why exactly did we take three WR? Reminds me of when we took three pass catchers in round 2 a couple of years ago. They were all late draft picks, so I don't care as much, but... Perhaps they knew the hit rate on these draft picks is about 20-30% in the later rounds, and so if they took 3 one should work out.

Would have liked to address O-line, as all of us have said. Ah well, there's free agency.. I think.