With the Redskins 2015 Training Camp less than two weeks away, Redskins Capital Connection is taking an in-depth look at some of the pivotal positional battles that will be playing out in front of thousands of fans eyes at the Bon Secours Training facility in Richmond, VA. Redskins Capital Connection will be at Training Camp daily bringing you the latest news, analysis, photos, video and podcasts, so make sure you check us out!

For a team that has won only 7 games in the last two seasons, the Washington Redskins are oddly strong at Wide Receiver. With DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon the established veterans at the top of the receiver depth chart, there will be fierce competition among players seeking to cement themselves as the starting slot receiver. Today we look at the two players who will be competing for that starting slot receiver spot all throughout Training Camp and Preseason.

Andre Roberts

Age: 27

27 Height: 5 ft 11

5 ft 11 Weight: 187 lbs

187 lbs 40 yd time: 4.46

4.46 2015 Cap Hit: $3,750,000*

Andre Roberts joined the Redskins via Free Agency before the 2014 season had commenced, and quickly after signing saw his hopes of being the #2 receiver dashed when the Redskins snapped up DeSean Jackson following his departure from the Eagles.

In 2014, Roberts was targeted 72 times for 36 receptions, notching up 453 yds and 2 touchdowns. He also saw work on both punt and kick returns, and whilst he was an upgrade over Niles Paul and Josh Morgan who shared the return work in 2013, it’s fair to say that Roberts didn’t exactly set the world on fire with his return work.

Strengths

Speed

Good route runner

Competes with DB’s well

Ability to turn short catches into big gains with YAC

Decent return specialist

Weaknesses

Dropped some catchable passes in 2014

Has not demonstrated a good ability on jump-balls

Seemed to struggle in run blocking game

Needs to improvise better when QB is flushed from pocket

Although his first year with the Redskins did not produce the kind of results that either the team or player were hoping for, Roberts does bring versatility, reliability, and a certain level of veteran presence to the team.

It’s completely fair to say that Roberts suffered due to the instability at Quarterback that plagued the Redskins in 2014 more than either Jackson or Garcon, and did not appear to be given the chance to establish an effective rapport with any of the three players who rotated through Quarterback. Out of Cousins, McCoy, and Griffin, Roberts seemed to mesh better with Cousins -both of Roberts two touchdowns last year came in games that Kirk Cousins started- but unless something dramatic occurs between now and September, Robert Griffin III will be the starting Quarterback in 2015 and Roberts will need to establish a strong rapport with him throughout Training Camp and preseason.

Jamison Crowder

Age: 22

Height: 5 ft 9

Weight: 185 lbs

40 yd time: 4.56

2015 Cap Hit: $571,406*

Selected with the 105th overall pick in the 4th round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Jamison Crowder joined the Redskins from Duke University, where in his final game as a collegiate athlete he tied the Atlantic Coast Conference all time receptions record with 283. When you consider that players like Calvin Johnson and Sammy Watkins played in the ACC, it’s certainly not a feat to be ignored.

Crowder finished his college career with 3,641 yards and 23 touchdowns, and was a consistent weapon in the Duke offense every single year.

Strengths

Excellent acceleration

Strong return specialist

Good footwork and bodywork on cuts

Plays bigger than his size

Has ‘X-factor’

Weaknesses

Size – shorter than the NFL average for Cornerbacks

Was not asked to run a complicated route tree at Duke

Strength may be an issue when it comes to run blocking against NFL defenders

Dropped some catchable passes in college

Potential off-field concern

The biggest thing working against Crowder at the moment is his size; 5 ft 9 is well below the NFL-average of 5 ft 11 when it comes to receivers, and Crowder will almost always be giving up a height and weight advantage against defenders. However, Crowder definitely has an X-factor that stems from both his burst speed and agility, and although he may give up size, if he can utilize his quickness to create separation then he can be a very productive NFL player.

Some have questioned Crowder’s top-flight speed, labeling him as more of an acceleration/burst player, but there were definite examples at Duke of Crowder being able to run vertical routes and beat defenders as shown above. One would have to imagine that at the Redskins, however, this role firmly belongs to DeSean Jackson.

There is also the concern that stems from the incident in June, where a disturbing and accusational photo appeared on Crowder’s Instagram accusing the player of domestic violence. At the time of writing, no further public accusations have been made, and no one has stepped forward to verify the claims. Crowder, for his part, claimed that his Instagram was hacked and denies any wrongdoing. In the current NFL climate, verified domestic violence accusations are border-line career enders, so this issue will be one to watch.

Verdict

This Training Camp battle is not going to be determined by any one specific facet of either Crowder or Robert’s game; whomever wants to win the starting slot receiver role will have to demonstrate a versatility and consistency across not only catching passes, but run blocking, improvisation, and special teams.

Going into camp Andre Roberts has the advantage of being an NFL veteran with a years head-start over Crowder when it comes to knowledge of the Gruden/McVay offense. If Roberts can build upon his 2014 and take the next-step towards truly being a strong slot receiver and return specialist, then his production should trend firmly upwards and his spot as the starter will be entrenched.

That said, the one thing that Crowder has over Roberts is the aforementioned X-factor. There is a sense that whenever the ball is in Crowder’s hands, anything could happen. This was seen briefly at team OTA’s and minicamp, with many observers excited by Crowder’s playmaking ability. If Crowder can knock peoples socks off during Training Camp, then he has an excellent shot at earning a starting spot during the preseason.

For now though, the advantage lies with Andre Roberts

Projected Starter: Andre Roberts

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