Nate Washington - Where Does He Go Next Year (1 Viewer)

[Steel Dillo]

I'm pretty sure Nate is an UFA next year and Pitt doesn't have a history of matching offers to guys who are mid-tier FAs.

Does he have a chance of getting a contract with a team that needs a tall WR that is a great down the field threat, runs great routes, but only has so so ball skills?

Seems to me he be a good option for a team that has a good possesion WR, but needs someone who can stretch the field.

What team would be a good fit?

NYJ - Seem to me most of their guys are short

Tenn - Seems like he could compete with any of the rest of the WR there

Jax - Who else do they have???

Baltimore - Could be a good compliment to an aging Mason & young Clayton

Cincy - Ocho & TJ gone?

Cleveland - Stallworth hasn't been the answer

KC - Besides Bowe, who do they have?

Oakland - For Nate's sake I hope not

Dallas - Would let Roy/TO & Witten run free underneath

Wash - Definitely need a tall down the field guy

NYG - Plex replacement?

Carolina - could start opposite of Smith

Seattle - needs all the help they can get at WR

SF - Could replace Bruce in a few years

any others?

 

[fruity pebbles]

Think he's good enough to be a #2 WR on several teams.

 

[Godsbrother]

I have heard the Steelers are planning on make a decent offer to Washington.

I think Holmes' off-field issues and Sweed's slow development have made signing Washington a higher priority than previously expected.

 

[JoeSteeler]

The CFL

 

[Jayrod]

I'd hoped for more big games from Nate this year in the $35K subscriber contest, but he hasn't been awful.

I just don't see him making huge money as he seems to get a lot of his big catches on gimmicky plays like flea flickers and reverse passes, etc. I don't know how good he really is.

Can he get open in single coverage? Does he run good routes? Is he easy to jam?

I honestly don't know any of the answers, but his production seems to hinge on fooling the defense rather than his ability as a receiver.

 

[JoeSteeler]

His hands seem very shaky to me. Even on easy catches he seems to bobble the ball around before he secures it.

 

[CrossEyed]

His hands are average, at best. He drops way too many catchable passes. I don't think teams will be beating down his door. I'd guess he comes back. For now he's better than Sweed.

 

[Godsbrother]

I just don't see him making huge money as he seems to get a lot of his big catches on gimmicky plays like flea flickers and reverse passes, etc. I don't know how good he really is.

The Steelers have done VERY few gimmick plays this season unless you consider Ben running for his life a gimmick play.Nate does have suspect hands but he has made some clutch catches in the past couple games.

 

[McBokonon]

I just don't see him making huge money as he seems to get a lot of his big catches on gimmicky plays like flea flickers and reverse passes, etc. I don't know how good he really is.

The Steelers have done VERY few gimmick plays this season unless you consider Ben running for his life a gimmick play.Nate does have suspect hands but he has made some clutch catches in the past couple games.

I was going to highlight the same thing. Nate actually has a great ability to get open and does so regularly and, as you said, they've run very few gimmicks this year. If he could stop Brayloning the easy ones he'd be great.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Nate is having his best year so far (contract year reasoning perhaps??) but its still only on par with being an average #3 NFL receiver. I think some foolish team will overpay for Washington and the Steelers won't match (because the Steelers front office is smart) and the Steelers will bank on Sweed stepping up in his 2nd year. Also the Steelers will pick up a cheaper journeyman free agent WR as well to go into next season. That is how I see it playing out, just based on the Steelers historical decision making.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I agree that he's a #3 type. Washington has good speed and deep ball tracking, but he often hears footsteps going over the middle, and definitely has suspect hands. I think he would be exposed as a starter, no longer going up against nickel backs, and I don't expect a ton of free agent interest.

 

[Sweet Love]

I agree that he's a #3 type. Washington has good speed and deep ball tracking, but he often hears footsteps going over the middle, and definitely has suspect hands. I think he would be exposed as a starter, no longer going up against nickel backs, and I don't expect a ton of free agent interest.

Agreed, but it only takes one of thirty-one other teams to believe he can be a #2 (see DJ Hackett). I would be shocked to see him as a Steeler next year unless the economic hardships surface in the US surface in the NFL (which I do not expect it to for a year or so).

 

[Evilgrin 72]

His hands are poor, at best. He drops way too many catchable passes. I don't think teams will be beating down his door. I'd guess he comes back. For now he's better than Sweed.

Fixed.He benefits from the attention paid to Holmes and Ward, along with 7-8 in the box on every down. Most of his big plays come when he's wide open. Sweed has better hands and I expect him to make progress over the summer, as his main problem is route0running, which is fixable. there are questions about Sweed's ability to gain separation from NFL corners, but to play Washington's role, he really doesn't need to be a burner, just run to a spot and catch the damn ball when it's thrown to him.