After trading Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders turned to former Dallas Cowboys wideout Noah Brown to presumably be the team’s No. 2 wide receiver behind star Terry McLaurin.
However, that proclamation will be on hold for at least a week. Brown was surprisingly made inactive for Washington’s regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The decision not to dress Brown leaves the Commanders with five active wide receivers — Terry McLaurin, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder, rookie Luke McCaffrey, and Dyami Brown. Only McCaffrey is over six feet tall.
Washington’s undrafted rookie quarterback Sam Hartman, safety Darrick Forrest, linebacker Dominique Hampton, guard Chris Paul, and rookie defensive Johnny Newton are also inactive against the Buccaneers.
We’ll have to wait for an explanation for why Brown won’t play against Tampa Bay. Yet, there could be several reasons. Maybe Brown wasn’t acclimated with the system?
The Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels worked extra time with Brown. Outside McLaurin, McCaffrey got drafted to be the slot receiver. Zaccheaus has had an impressive training camp after coming over from the Atlanta Falcons.
Dyami Brown flashed throughout the preseason. Washington also has other receiving options at running back and tight end. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz expects to be a big part of the offense. So does rookie tight end Ben Sinnot. Running back Austin Ekeler has 440 catches for 3,884 receiving yards and 30 touchdown catches.
Can Noah Brown be the WR2 the Commanders need?
Noah Brown, who stands 6-foot-2, was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He had a breakout season in 2022 with 43 catches, 555 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Brown spent last season with the Houston Texans. He had 33 catches for a career-high 567 yards and two touchdowns in ten games. His season was cut short with a shoulder injury.
The Texans added DMV native Stefon Diggs this offseason in a trade to go next to Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Brown got outplaced in Houston and got released during the final cuts.
The Commanders have a strong need for a WR2. The Commanders drafted Dotson to partner with McLaurin, but things didn’t work out, and the new regime of General Manager Adam Peters and Head Coach Dan Quinn parted ways, trading him within the NFC East.
It’s a strong possibility the Commanders’ No. 2 WR is not currently on the roster. Washington, at the very least, needs a suitable threat. Noah Brown has the most success of any options Washington has right now. For whatever reason, the jury will have to wait to see if Brown is it.
