Washington Redskins: Andre Roberts hampers young players

The Washington Redskins signed Andre Roberts last off-season in an effort to shore up the wide receiver position across from Pierre Garcon. Shortly after Roberts signed with the team, DeSean Jackson became available and also opted to join the team. With the uber-talented Jackson now on the roster, Roberts found himself moving downwards on the depth chart.

At the time, it was easy to dismiss Roberts’ demotion by saying that it was strictly because of Jackson’s presence on the team. While that was certainly true at the time, I don’t think that would be the case anymore. Roberts has done nothing to make me believe that he is a player capable of sustaining success in Washington.

In his first season with the team, Roberts appeared in 16 games for the Redskins. He hauled in 36 catches for 453 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was targeted a total of 73 times in 2014, meaning he caught less than 50 percent of the passes thrown his way. Obviously not all of the missed passes were his fault, but the amount of passes thrown his way versus the amount of passes he caught is concerning.

In my opinion, his presence on the team does nothing but hamper the potential of the young players on the team. I say this because Roberts is taking valuable reps away from players that could benefit from the playing time. Basically, we’ve already seen what Roberts is capable of.

He’s a less than average receiver that was billed as a high-end number two with kick and punt return skills. After nearly 20 games with the Burgundy and Gold, it has become abundantly obvious that Roberts isn’t what the Redskins had hoped. His return skills are nothing to brag about, and his play on the offensive side of the ball is equally as mundane.

The former Arizona Cardinal has showed very little flash thus far into his stint with the Redskins, and I honestly think that his presence on the team is toxic. I’m not saying that he’s a cancer in the locker room or anything like that, but I do believe that Washington would be better off without him on the roster.

He’s proven that he can’t catch passes on a consistent basis. Whether it’s a bad route or a bad drop, Roberts always seems to find a way to make a vital mistake. Personally, I believe that the team should move on without him and split up his reps among the younger players on the team.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

I say this because players like Ryan Grant, Jamison Crowder, and Rashad Ross have plenty of upside. It’s possible for them to develop into future starters, while we’ve likely already seen the best that Roberts has to offer. He doesn’t possess the skill set to be a full-time starter, and I believe that the Washington Redskins would be better off grooming young talent of their own.

Will Washington part ways with Roberts before the end of the season? It isn’t likely, but I certainly think that they should.

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