Pettis & Ginn are Free; Should WFT Jump?

ASHBURN, Va-- The Washington Football Team struck out at the deadline - or maybe they didn't even take a turn at bat. But now comes a post-NFL trade deadline chance to take a couple more swings.

In all likelihood, the WFT never came close to landing Will Fuller from the Houston Texans, and apparently did not have much of an interest in bringing in the speedy John Ross III from Cincinnati, who wants out.

Could those choices of inactivity now lead to interest and a claim on Dante Pettis, a recent second round flame-out with the 49ers, or on veteran Ted Ginn Jr., let go by the Bears?

The price was way too much on Fuller, even for a legitimate contender in Green Bay. Also, Fuller is on a fifth-year option, meaning he is a free agent to be.

Ross is on an expiring rookie deal as well (no fifth-year option), which Ron Rivera made fairly clear that he would not be willing to take on.

Fuller and Ross are part of a huge free-agent receiver bonanza awaiting NFL teams this offseason, which would include Allen Robinson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, among others.

Washington is aware of all of this. And Washington also went hard after Amari Cooper last offseason, before he opted to re-up with Dallas ... so WFT knows it needs help here.

With the deadline come and gone, the waiver process and "street free agents'' are going to be the only way that Washington can improve short-term.

That brings us back to Pettis and Ginn.

Ginn, 35, has plenty of experience and a connection to Rivera, having played in Charlotte under the Washington coach.

The Chicago Bears released WR Ted Ginn, per source and as @AdamSchefter 1st reported.

Fwiw, Ginn played 47 games w Carolina under Ron Rivera from 2013-16. Career-high 10 TD in 2015. Only 12 TD over next 4+ seasons. 3 rec in 6 games in 2020. Seldom used in return game anymore.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) November 4, 2020

Experience and familiarity matters. Even if a player is on the downside, logic says Rivera is more likely to roll the dice on someone like Ginn (5-11, 185) as opposed to someone with whom he doesn't have first-hand familiarity.

Pettis, 25, is a name getting a lot of run from amateur GMs on Twitter once word of his release came from the 49ers. The downside here: If Kyle Shanahan has no use for the 6-1, 195-pound Pettis, WFT should question whether he has what it takes to make it at this level.

The coaches on that Niners staff worked here in Washington and helped develop guys like Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Armstrong, Josh Morgan and, to a lesser degree, Pierre Garcon, among others. There is evidence they can coach the position.

Sometimes a player just doesn't have it - even a recent second-round pick like Pettis. The same was true for Josh Doctson, a complete flame-out as a recent Washington first-round pick, selected after Fuller in a trade swap with Houston. Pettis remains more "suspect'' than "prospect.'' Ginn has limitations, but is a known quantity.

The choices are laid out there for a Washington team that could use wideout help ... if WFT chooses to again step up to the plate.