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T
he Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels could use another wide receiver, and they’d surely welcome the chance to sign Super Bowl veteran Robert Woods if he doesn’t survive final roster cuts with the Houston Texans.
Woods is on the bubble in Houston, according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine. He believes “it’s hard to justify the 32-year-old Woods when they could save nearly $5 million in cap space by cutting the veteran.”
The Texans could risking cutting Woods because “Nico Collins and Tank Dell were huge assets to the offense last season. Noah Brown was an underrated weapon for them and they traded for Stefon Diggs. John Metchie III has flashed the ability to help in training camp and the preseason.”
NFL teams must trim their rosters down to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 27, so Woods will learn his fate soon. If he hits the market, his experience and skill-set should appeal to a Commanders team with plenty of question marks at wideout beyond established starter Terry McLaurin.
Robert Woods a Good Fit for Commanders
Woods is a tough and resourceful receiver whose career hit a high mark when he helped the Los Angeles Rams reach the 2019 Super Bowl. The 11-year pro hasn’t posted 1,000 yards in a single season the last four years, but Woods still has traits a first-year passer like Daniels would value.
Those traits include Woods making his living between the numbers and being exceptional after the catch. Woods offered a reminder of his core talents with this touchdown grab in traffic against the New Orleans Saints last season.
This was a rare moment of vintage Woods for the Texans. He hasn’t shown his best in Houston, but at his peak, Woods was a player who’d be right at home with the Commanders in coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
Kingsbury saw plenty of Woods at his best when the former Rams star went up against the ex-Arizona Cardinals head coach twice a season in the NFC West. Woods had some of his best games in the division, like this 12-reception, 150-yard haul against the Seattle Seahawks in 2021, highlighted by Two Tone Fanatics.
The clips show the true value of Woods’ game. Namely, his versatility to attack defenses from anywhere on a formation, the backfield, slot or out wide.
Wherever he gets open, Woods turns into a running back once he gets his hands on the ball. The transformation helped him lead the NFL with “1,089 receiving yards after catch” in 2019 and ’20, per PFF Fantasy & Betting.
Washington’s wide receiver corps needs a proven commodity Kingsbury can move all over the field to give Daniels easy reads and quick throws.
Commanders Will Need WR Help After Cuts
Final cuts are likely to leave the Commanders needing wide receiver help. Especially if they’re going to adequately replace former first-round draft pick Jahan Dotson.
There’s no obvious WR2 after Dotson was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, the Commanders have a hotchpotch of options who are effective in limited ways.
Fourth-year pro Dyami Brown is a deep threat with straight-line speed, but little nuance. Rookie Luke McCaffrey can be a size mismatch at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, but his game also needs refinement.
The Commanders have their own roster bubble candidates who might help. Wideouts like Kazmeir Allen, who could spend more time at running back as part of Kingsbury’s grand plans. There’s also Martavis Bryant, who faces a challenge completing a successful comeback after six years away from the pros.
Making room for Woods would give the Commanders a more reliable target to help second-overall pick Daniels make the grade.
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