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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

2016 Season In Review: Wide Receivers

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The Redskins had two 1,000-yard wide receivers during the 2016 season and another that nearly hit the 900-yard mark, highlighting a productive season out of the position group.


As the Redskins head into the offseason following back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1991-92, Redskins.com will provide position-by-position reflections from the 2016 squad.

Up next: wide receivers.

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Take a look back at the top images of the Washington Redskins' wide receivers from the 2016 season.

State Of The Unit**
Perhaps no unit was more productive for this Redskins this season than the team's wide receivers, as Pierre Garçon and Desean Jackson both eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark while second-year Duke product Jamison Crowder improved on all of his rookie receiving numbers.

In the regular season finale, though, it was the team's starting wide receivers that shone brightest, as both Jackson and Garçon were able to hit the 1,000-yard mark, marking the first time since 1999 that the Redskins had a pair of 1,000-yard wide receivers.

Additionally, the team saw some promise out of the undrafted Maurice Harris while Ryan Grant remains one of the hardest workers on the team.

Garçon led the Redskins in both receptions (79) and receiving yards (1,045) as he remained Washington's most steady presence at the position.

In eleven different games during the year, Garçon had at least 50 receiving yards and toppled the 90-yard mark in each of the Redskins' last two games.

He's now 10th all-time in franchise history in receiving yards (4,549), 12th in receiving touchdowns (21) and ninth in receptions (376) after completing the fifth year of a five-year deal signed in 2012.

Jackson, meanwhile, was at perhaps his best down the stretch for the Redskins, as the speedy California product recorded three straight 100-yard games in the December, upping his total on the year to a team-high five.

The three-time Pro Bowler led all qualified NFL receivers with a 17.9 yards-per-reception average, marking the second time in the last three seasons that Jackson has led the NFL in that category (No. 1 with 20.9 in 2014 – his first with the Redskins). Also, three of his four touchdown receptions on the year were 40 yards or longer.

Crowder continued to impress off a solid rookie campaign, as the team's primary slot receiver finished the season with 67 receptions for 847 yards and a team-high seven touchdown receptions.

While he fell off his 1,000-yard pace with just 27 receiving yards in the Redskins' final two games, Crowder proved he can carry a bigger load on offense.

Grant has now appeared in all 48 of the Washington's regular season games since he was drafted out of Tulane in 2014. He finished the season with nine receptions for 76 yards, although his primary contributions came in special teams.

As for Harris, he was signed from the practice squad to the active roster following Josh Dotson's placement on Injured Reserve.

Harris had two big third-down receptions in his NFL debut against the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 13 and also snagged a toe-touching grab against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks later.

The Redskins obviously had high hopes for Doctson as their first-round pick in 2016, but the 2015 unanimous All-American was slowed by Achilles issues that kept him out of the majority of offseason workouts.

He would return just in time for the regular season opener and even caught a 57-yard pass in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, but was inactive for the team's next five games before being placed on season-ending Injured Reserve.

What's Next For The Group
This all depends on what happens in free agency with Garçon and Jackson and whether Doctson can come back healthy to start his second year.

Both Garçon and Jackson will soon be unrestricted free agents, opening to signing with any NFL team.

"I definitely want to play here, but its football," Garçon said. "It's different from January to March. It's football, it's not the Xs and Os, it's the business side of it, which I have no control over."

Jackson just completed the final year of his three-year contract signed in 2014 when the Philadelphia Eagles shockingly released him.

The Redskins were the only team he visited during his brief stint on the open market.

"It's been a great three years," Jackson said in December. "I've had a great time here in Washington. I love the city, a lot of great memories. As far as me thinking about my time being here, if it could be my last, I don't really look at it like that. We'll see how it plays out. That's all I can say."

The hope for Doctson is that he can be ready for OTAs, providing him a fresh opportunity and an entire offseason to get acclimated.

"Hopefully he can ramp it up…here in the next couple weeks and start running and moving, because he's going to be a big part of our plans next year if he's healthy," Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said.

And for Crowder, the soon-to-be third-year player understands that he's become a key cog in a high octane offense, but wants to make sure his production remains consistent.

"I'm still kind of disappointed in a way, because I felt like I didn't end the season as well. I felt like you know my production went down these last three, four, five games whatever," Crowder said. "You know I'm just going to use it as motivation to just keep working, working hard in the offseason and trying to get better as my career continues."

Grant and Harris are under contract for the 2017 season. 

2016 Redskins Season In Review:

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