Anthony Richardson is getting one other weapon in former Steelers second-round decide James Washington. Washington signed with the Colts on Friday, three days after he was launched by the New Orleans Saints.
In a corresponding transfer, the Colts positioned linebacker Genard Avery on injured reserve and waived-injured wideout Malik Turner. Avery, who spent final season with the Buccaneers, just lately suffered a season-ending knee harm. Turner, who spent the 2022 season with the 49ers, was combating for a roster spot previous to getting injured.
Washington spent his first 4 seasons with the Steelers earlier than signing with the Cowboys final offseason. He spent nearly all of his solely season with the Cowboys on injured reserve after he broke his foot throughout coaching camp. After taking part in in simply two video games for the Cowboys, Washington was launched by Dallas on Dec. 10 after the crew signed T.Y. Hilton.
Every week after being launched by the Cowboys, Washington was added to the Giants’ follow squad forward of New York’s wild card playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings. Washington didn’t seem in both of the Giants’ playoff video games. He spent three months with the Saints this offseason after his contract with the Giants expired.
The Colts additionally signed free agent broad receiver D.J. Montgomery, who frolicked with the Michigan Panthers of the USFL and was on the Texans’ follow squad final season.
Chosen by the Steelers with the sixtieth decide within the 2018 NFL Draft, Washington confirmed flashes of his potential in Pittsburgh, however discovered that targets throughout the Steelers’ stacked receiving corps have been powerful to come back by. His profession excessive in targets in Pittsburgh (44) got here throughout the 2019 season, a yr when Mason Rudolph — Washington’s faculty quarterback at Oklahoma State — began greater than half of the Steelers video games following Ben Roethlisberger’s season-ending harm.
Regardless of the shortage of targets, Washington caught 114 passes and 11 touchdowns throughout his 4 years in Pittsburgh. He averaged a powerful 14.3 yards per catch that included a career-high 16.7 yards per reception throughout the ’19 season. He caught a career-high 5 touchdowns in 2020 whereas serving to the Steelers seize the AFC North division title.
A local of Stamford, Texas, Washington loved a standout faculty profession at Oklahoma State. Throughout his 4 years with these Cowboys, the 6-foot receiver caught 226 passes for 4,472 yards and 39 touchdowns. He gained the Biletnikoff Award (given yearly to the most effective faculty receiver in Division I) in 2017 after catching 74 passes for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Washington will now look to contribute to a Colts offense that features Richardson and fellow wideouts Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. The Indianapolis offense additionally options Jonathan Taylor, who has been mired in a contract dispute with the crew whereas on the similar time recovering from an harm.
