Top 2012 Free agents: Will the Redskins make a play for a WR?

By Rich Tandler

Our friends at Rotoworld have come up with a comprehensive list of players who will be free agents when the new league year starts at 4 p.m. on March 13. We’re going to go position by position and take a look at the top players who may be available and how they might fit with the Redskins.

Earlier, we looked at the available quarterbacks and running backs. Here is a closer look at the top wide receivers available.

• Vincent Jackson, Chargers
• Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs *
• Wes Welker, Patriots *
• Brandon Lloyd, Rams
• Marques Colston, Saints
• DeSean Jackson, Eagles
• Stevie Johnson, Bills
• Reggie Wayne, Colts

Vincent Jackson may be the most talented of the group but he comes with a couple of red flags. He turns 29 next month and he is subject to a one-year suspension if he violates the NFL’s substance-abuse policy again. Despite the fact that just about everything has changed at Redskins Park since Lloyd left following the 2007 season it is unlikely that either side would be amenable to a return.

DeSean Jackson and Johnson carry attitude questions. Colston, who also will be 29 before next season starts, is looking for a big payday but it might take a hefty premium to get him to switch from Drew Brees to the Redskins’ question-filled quarterback situation. Wayne is 33 but he still nearly managed to extend his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to eight last year despite the Colts’ very shaky quarterback situation.

Despite all of the issues, it would not be surprising to see the Redskins make a play for someone in the top tier of wide receivers. They reside in a division filled with playmaking receivers and most of the successful teams in the league have at least one. It was widely reported that they tried hard to sign the Jets’ Santonio Holmes despite the fact that he, like Jackson, is one substance abuse strike away from getting suspended for a year.

This will be a very interesting position to watch as free agency approaches in mid-March.

 

Comments

[Mike Shahan]

I think we should ink Eddie Royal he would bring in some good depth

[David Lloyd]

I know he's not considered a top guy, but we really ought to look at Robert Meachem. He would probably come cheap compared to these guys, but he could probably match their production. He's been woefully underutilized in NO.
Not to mention, he almost certainly slips through the cracks in NO, because they have a ton of people to re-sign.
Get him and a burner like Royal and we would have a dangerous squad suddenly.