There are several interesting storylines to watch on the Washington Redskins offense in 2015, and they go beyond just the focus on Robert Griffin III in what might truly be a make-or-break year for the maligned QB. How many touches will rookie Matt Jones steal from proven workhorse Alfred Morris, who has been one of the league’s best backs ever since his first season in 2012? And how many catches will Pierre Garcon haul in after catching just 68 in 2014 in DeSean Jackson‘s first season with the team?
We’ve heard throughout the offseason that the Redskins are interested in giving Garcon more targets in 2015 after the former Indianapolis Colts wideout had 105 passes sent in his direction last year. That actually led the Redskins by ten targets over D-Jax, but the former Philadelphia Eagles star deep threat had 1,169 receiving yards compared to Garcon’s 752.
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The Washington Posts’s Mike Jones wrote that part of the Redskins plan to give Garcon more targets this season is to move him to the “Z” receiver position with Jackson playing the “X”. This moves makes sense, as the “Z” is traditionally reserved for the more possession-based receiver in the offense. While Garcon is a guy who can get vertical and make big plays, he’s better at moving the chains than Jackson. Although the Eagles offense under Andy Reid differs from the offense Jay Gruden is running in Washington, Jackson thrived as the “X” to Jeremy Maclin‘s “Z” in Philly.
Before Jackson joined the Redskins last season, Garcon was clearly the team’s stop receiver, and he thus led the NFL with 113 receptions in the previous season while hoarding a whopping 182 targets. He didn’t disappoint as the team’s main source of yardage in the passing game, and Garcon has proven that he can do everything that a No. 1 receiver needs to do.
Garcon still faced more desperation throws as the offense’s safety valve, and his yards per reception decreased from 11.9 to 11.1 as he took on the shorter stuff. But, per Advanced Football Analytics, his catch rate rose from 62.1% to 64.8%, and, according to Pro Football Focus, he dropped just two passes for the NFL’s sixth-best drop rate among wide receivers.
That’s the kind of role he’ll continue to play for the Redskins offense, and his ability to be a reliable option for RG3 and the other Redskins up-and-down quarterbacks is critical. Jackson was the best deep threat in the league last year with a ridiculous 12.3 yards per target and 20.9 yards per reception on his 95 targets, but it’s hard to believe that he would have been as successful without Pierre Garcon handling the short and intermediate stuff.
In his first season with the Washington Redskins, Garcon averaged 14.3 yards per reception, so he’s proven that he can stretch the field vertically. However, what’s been needed of him recently with RG3 struggling- and now Jackson in the fold- is more chain-moving, and lining up as the “Z” receiver in the Redskins offense will further that.
I would be surprised if Jackson didn’t lead the team in receiving yards, but I would be even more surprised if Garcon isn’t the Redskins 2015 leader in receptions again (he had 12 more catches than D-Jax last year). After the target disparity between both receivers was just ten, I would expect that gap to rise, though it remains to be seen just how many targets both Garcon and Jackson will receive.
What’s also clear is that Jackson will continue to hoard the deep targets for the Redskins offense, as, per PFF, he caught a whopping 52.2% of all of the passes thrown at him that traveled at least 20 yards downfield. Garcon’s catch rate on deep passes was just 21.4%, and he already went deep far less often than the former Cal standout last season.
Oct 19, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon (88) runs after a catch against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Garcon has become a very valuable receiver for the Redskins, and it will be interesting to see how he does in his move to the “Z”.
The move should allow him to get the ball in space more often, and we all know that he can make something happen after the catch with averages of 5.2 and 6.0 yards after the catch per reception in each of the past two seasons.
With 26 missed tackles forced in both of the past two seasons, Garcon is regularly one of the most dangerous receivers after the catch, so hopefully the Redskins are able to combine Jackson’s downfield playmaking ability with their other receiver’s playmaking ability with the ball in his hands on the shorter routes that he will continue to run.
It’s not a bad idea for the Redskins to try to get the ball into Garcon’s hands more often in 2015, but hopefully they don’t force it to him too often when they also have Jackson, Andre Roberts, Niles Paul, and Jordan Reed, who was the team’s best pass-catcher on third downs last year, as weapons.
Of course, Garcon and Jackson are clearly their top two weapons, with Jackson burning defenses at will over-the-top and Garcon quietly putting his well-rounded game as a receiver to good use.
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