By Rich Tandler
While younger players are getting a lot of playing time all around the Redskins’ lineup, the wide receiver position is the exception.
According to our Ryan O’Halloran, Santana Moss (age 32) lined up for 60 of the 74 offensive snaps, Jabar Gaffney (31) for 61 snaps, and Donte Stallworth (31) was in for 37 plays.
None of the receivers on the roster who are under the age of 30 got little more than light reserve actions. Rookie Niles Paul was in for 18 snaps, Anthony Armstrong for 14, and David Anderson for 11. Second-year receiver Terrence Austin was inactive.
Injury does play a role here. It is likely that rookie Leonard Hankerson would have seen considerable playing time had he not sustained a season-ending injury against the Dolphins last month.
Still, this is starting to look familiar. Last year Moss, Armstrong, who was a 28-year-old rookie, and 29-year-old Roydell Williams were the primary receivers after the ancient Joey Galloway was released in midseason.
The Redskins haven’t drafted and developed even a consistently solid wide receiver, much less a star, since Art Monk (Gary Clark came out of the USFL). With Hankerson on the shelf and the older receivers getting most of the snaps, it looks like we are going to have to wait at least one more year to get on the road to developing another.
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