Can the Washington Football Team have one of the top passing offenses in the entire NFL? Though it might sound absurd initially, it may not be so much so in practice.
The Washington Football Team has had an abysmal passing offense for the last few seasons. It’s been a combination of terrible weapons and even worse quarterback play. They slowly worked on the weapons. Then they took a massive step forward this offseason. Now, can we expect them to be one of the better passing offenses in the NFL this year?
Well, let’s look at the criteria. Terry McLaurin became an immediate star at wide receiver after he was drafted in 2019. He had no help in the passing game in his rookie year though. At least in 2020, they added a tight end in Logan Thomas. He wasn’t expected to be a big contributor, but showed out and is now seen as a very solid tight end.
Still, only one star receiver and a good tight end isn’t a formula that’s exactly moving the needle. Washington still had no quarterback and minimal weapons. And yes, Antonio Gibson is a stud at running back and J.D. McKissic is a threat in the passing game from that position, but they aren’t the selling points here either.
The Washington Football Team has overhauled the offense to improve dramatically in the passing game.
Washington went for the overhaul this offseason. They brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick. That’s already a massive get. You can make very fair criticisms about his game. He’s wildly inconsistent and is prone to turnovers. However, Fitzpatrick is also a gunslinger. He’s not afraid to throw it down the field, and he has the arm to do so. That’s already an improvement over a lot of quarterbacks Washington’s had in a long time.
They also added more to the weapon game. Fitzpatrick has a lot more to throw to than McLaurin now. The Washington Football Team brought in star receiver Curtis Samuel in free agency. They also added solid veteran Adam Humphries. Then they took to the draft to bring in dynamic rookie Dyami Brown.
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Two rookie tight ends in John Bates and Sammis Reyes look to help Thomas at the position, while Dax Milne could contribute as a late-round pick at receiver.
Some of those names might not mean much to you, but they are important. Why? Because depth is important. For years it seemed like we were always discussing which players would make the cut at receiver. Not because they were loaded with elite talent but because they had a lot of “unproven but potential” talent.
This year, we had to wonder who wouldn’t make the cut. And even then some names expected to make it didn’t get through camp.
Washington actually has depth, which makes them dangerous. They have a fantastic first three at receiver. Then they have a veteran who has proven he can be a serious asset in Humphries. Milne has potential as a rookie. Of course, Cam Sims showed the world what he could do at the end of last season.
It’s hard to look at all the weapons Washington has in the passing game and still not take them seriously. They have a great quarterback for the situation too.
Again, Fitzpatrick isn’t a superstar. Sure, it would be great if they had Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, or Russell Wilson. But as far as non-stars go, Fitz brings what they need. A veteran presence who won’t be afraid to sling it and doesn’t get rattled by turnovers.
It’s not crazy to think that the Washington Football Team could have a top-10 passing offense in the NFL this season. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised at all if it happens.