Patriots kick-off 2016 in 84 days: Profiling No. 84 Nate Washington
Welcome to another installment in Musket Fire’s annual jersey number-dictated New England Patriots kick-off countdown series. For the duration of the summer, we will be profiling the player whose jersey number corresponds with the number of days left until the New England Patriots open the season against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 11. Since today marks 84 days until the Sunday Night Football opener, we are profiling No. 84, veteran wide receiver Nate Washington.
Size: 6-foot-1, 177 pounds
College: Tiffin University
2015 stats: 47 receptions, 658 yards, four touchdowns
NFL experience: 10 seasons
Hometown: Toledo, OH
Over the offseason, the Patriots handed Washington what is quite clearly a roster bubble contract, indicating that the 11th-year veteran will have to display his value early and often in training camp to keep his head above the water in the NFL as a 32-year-old wideout. The more youthful legs of offseason additions Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and Devin Lucien could spell trouble for Washington.
That being said, at least the Patriots know what they’re getting in Washington. In 10 seasons with the Steelers, Titans and Texans, Washington has made a living for himself despite his relative anonymity entering the NFL out of Tiffin and weighing under 180 pounds. He’s a seasoned route runner, which could give him an upper hand in the brains part of the competition; Tom Brady doesn’t like wide receivers who don’t know how to read a defense, and Washington certainly can.
Recent installments in Patriots kick-off countdown profile series:
87 days – No. 87 Rob Gronkowski
What do you think the future holds for Washington? Part of me is really rooting for this guy to surprise in training camp and squeeze onto the roster as the No. 4 wideout.
Be sure to stop by Musket Fire tomorrow morning as we mark 83 days until the Patriots open 2016 by profiling the owner of the No. 83 jersey, tight end Martellus Bennett.