Has the amount of criticism for the Redskins wide receiving unit this off-season been warranted?

The Redskins have a glaring weakness at the wide receiver position. Well, that seems to be the league-wide perspective. Two full seasons removed from one of the best wide receiver trios in the NFL in Pierre Garcon, Desean Jackson, and Jamison Crowder, Washington has been left reeling at a position that was once one of their most reliable.

“The investments Washington has made at wide receiver have not worked out,” says ESPN’s staff writer Bill Barnwell, who ranked the Redskins “offensive arsenal” at 28th out of 32 in the NFL.

“Thankfully, the Washington Redskins feature a talented backfield because their receiver corps leaves much to be desired. Doctson is well on his way to earning bust status. The 2016 first-round pick set career highs last season with a meager 44 receptions for 532 yards. Washington’s passing attack could set the league back 20 years.” These are quotes from Bleacher Reports Brent Sobleski, who has ranked the Redskins receiving corps dead last heading into the 2019 season.

There are many more analysts ready to give you the same opinion of the Redskins receivers, but the question here is - are they undervaluing the Redskins wide receivers?

Well, you have one of the most hyped seventh-round picks in recent Redskins history in Trey Quinn, whose first NFL season was riddled with injuries, but his most-productive stretch of the season (week 10 and 11) produced nine catches on ten targets for 75 yards and a touchdown.

His numbers are not eye popping; however, Quinn is the player that coaches are looking at to replace Jamison Crowder now that he has moved on to the New York Jets. The two-game stretch in the latter part of the ‘18 season was impressive, seeing how Trey Quinn was able to function from the slot position. His lack of exposure to the NFL makes him still, largely, an unknown prospect, and understandably so, so Quinn’s 2019 season will be significant for him as well as the Redskins.

Moving on from Quinn, the Redskins have Cam Sims, who has had himself a hell of a pro-journey already, as he was an undrafted rookie out of Alabama in 2018, having to fight to get a roster spot.

Unfortunately for Cam, he was injured in week one last year and lost his entire rookie season as a result. Cam’s physicality is unmatched by anyone else on the Redskins roster with this unit, and he has a respectable playmaking ability; he is always looking for a way to extend a play and gain more yards. Who else has shown the ability to do that at this position for Washington?

The most veteran player in this young receiving group, Paul Richardson is in year two of a big-money contract in Washington. His first season as a Redskin in 2018 was very underwhelming. However, injuries are what have defined his career thus far, going back to his playing days in Seattle. Richardson needs to re-define his storyline and become a consistent factor in the Redskins offense immediately, and then stay healthy and productive moving forward.

Rookie receivers Kelvin Harmon and Terry McLaurin provide value on pape; however, neither one has played a snap in the NFL yet.

The lack of experience and production from the position does back the stances of the analysts on their respective rankings. However, it does beg the question - how much are their opinions penalizing Washington for the unknown, versus respecting the potential that the unit can bring to the team?

Just how good this unit can be in 2019 has yet to be determined. For now, it is a group with more promise than proven production. However, the Redskins receiving corp is far better than the bottom five in the NFL. This is a top 20 unit that has room to prove quite a lot before seasons end.

What do you think? Let us know