After losing two receivers to injury in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, the Redskins needed another pass catching option. After being by cut by the Saints this summer, Michael Floyd is looking for one more opportunity to prove his worth in the NFL. Together, the two create a pretty good match.
"I think it's a great opportunity for me to be here." Floyd said about joining the Redskins.
The seventh-year veteran has had an up and down career. Floyd entered the NFL with the Cardinals in 2012 and quickly made an impact, catching 45 passes for 562 yards in his rookie year. The Notre Dame product then shined from 2013-2015, with three consecutive seasons of over 800 receiving yards, including a 1,000-yard season in 2013.
Yet just when it looked as if Floyd was hitting the peak of his career, off the field issues forced the Cardinals to release him in 2016, Since then, he's bounced around the league, spending time with the Patriots, Vikings and Saints. But now, he has a shot to make an impact with the Redskins, and is relishing the situation he has been brought into.
To Floyd, there were a few things that make the Redskins appealing to him, the first being the team's style of play. The Redskins have shown through three weeks that when the offense is balanced, it's hard to stop. Both the passing and running games feed off one another. For receivers specifically, the more Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson dominate on the ground, the more opportunities they'll have to get open downfield. Something Floyd is excited for.
"When you have that balance of run and pass there's always opportunity for you to make plays downfield," Floyd said. "So, being a wide receiver that's what you obviously pray for."
The second reason Floyd views the Redskins as a perfect fit: Alex Smith. The two have never played together, but having an experienced man in control of the offense is something that every receiver hopes for.
"You always want to be with somebody, a veteran quarterback who's been there, done that," Floyd said. "[Smith] knows the offense very well, he's very intelligent and whenever you have a brain fart out there or you can't really, something doesn't come click to your head fast enough, he's a guy who can get you in the right place."
The factors are all there for both the Redskins and Floyd to benefit from the signing. Now, it's about making it work. Though Floyd's production has been minimal the last two seasons, he still believes he can be a playmaker for this team.
"That's why I came here, to, whenever I get that opportunity, go out there and make big plays," Floyd said. "I'm capable of doing that, I still think I can and when I get out there that's what I got to show."
In order to do so, he'll need to get on the field. That means trying to learn the offense in a short amount of time. Extra time with wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard and practices will help, but he also benefits from the team's schedule. A bye in Week 4 gives Floyd an opportunity to continue to learn the playbook and get work in, without having the added pressure of game preparation.
If Floyd were to be active for Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, it's clear what his goal will be for the rest of the 2018 season.
"At the end of the day we all have that common goal, want to win," Floyd said. "So however that is going to play out, that's what it's going to be."
