When Kevin Sheehan looked at Bill Barnwell’s rankings of NFL teams by their combos of skill players – wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends – he thought that when you take Sam Howell out of the equation, you’d expect the Commanders to be in the top half of the league with the other skill positions.
However, Barnwell had them ranked 21st overall, and asked where Terry McLaurin would rank “with even average quarterback play.”
Sheehan doesn’t get that, although he admits he’s “very bullish” on the backs, at least.
“I think I’m very bullish on Washington’s running backs, perhaps more than others – I, for instance, don’t see why they’d need Kareem Hunt, because I think Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson can be a good 1-2 punch if they both stay healthy,” Sheehan said, before extolling the virtues of Robinson’s rookie year. “I just don't see the running backs the same way everyone else does, or analytics does - to me, I see a team that struggled to stretch the field last year, which hampered those backs."
That said, he understands why some may be down on Robinson and even the tight end room, but you have to give it up for the receivers, no?
“Terry McLaurin is a Top 10 receiver, and should get a boost from a healthy Jahan Dotson, so they could have one of the best duos in football,” Sheehan read from Barnwell’s write-up, before offering his thoughts: “I think if Dotson plays 17 games and gets good quarterback play, he’s definitely a guy that can take the top off the defense – a DeSean Jackson-style threat you have to game plan for.”
Listen to the full segment starting about seven minutes into the clip above!
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