Despite barely cracking 200 passing yards per game for the 12th-worst average in the league last season, the Washington Commanders still had a number of productive receivers that showed out despite COVID craze that caused a quarterback carousel.
Dominantly led by the newly-extended Terry McLaurin, along with contributions from Adam Humphries, DeAndre Carter, and Cam Sims, the Commanders had an underrated receiving corps.
Carter is now with the Los Angeles Chargers, while Humphries remains unsigned. Sims, rookie first-round receiver Jahan Dotson, and the potential return of a healthy Curtis Samuel means that Washington still has promising pieces behind McLaurin for the upcoming season with new quarterback Carson Wentz to catch passes from.
This has left third-year pass-catcher Antonio Gandy-Golden on the outside looking in, as he made the change from receiver to tight end this offseason in hopes of maintaining a final spot on the 53-man roster.
But in 10 career games, he's totaled just seven targets for one catch and seven yards along with one carry for 22 yards. It'll be an uphill battle for the 2022 fourth-round pick out of Liberty headed into the season.
ESPN recently released its candidates to land on the roster bubble for all 32 teams. Gandy-Golden was listed as a potential victim of the chopping block later this offseason for the Commanders. Here's what the list had to say:
Gandy-Golden switched from wide receiver to tight end this offseason, likely a last-ditch effort to carve out a spot in the NFL. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Gandy-Golden's size helps, but it will take a bit to successfully transition. Coaches have liked his progress thus far, but the 2020 fourth-round draft pick has to continue showing improvement to earn a spot. And he'd likely only make it if the Commanders keep four tight ends (assuming Logan Thomas has recovered from his torn right ACL/MCL in time to open the season). Gandy-Golden made some nice plays this spring but will have to show he can handle the physical aspects of the position when the Commanders put on the pads.
Per OurLads.com, Gandy-Golden is listed as the fifth tight end on Washington's depth chart as of Tuesday. Like ESPN mentions, 2021 starter Logan Thomas still has to work his way back from his season-ending knee injury, leaving some hope for Gandy-Golden to make the opening-day roster.
But with the Commanders as a team on the rise in the NFC East and little room for error in roster cuts, Gandy-Golden could find himself on Washington's practice squad or elsewhere in the league.
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