Washington releases WR Steven Sims Jr. after two seasons originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Steven Sims Jr.’s tenure in Washington is over.
The Washington Football Team has released the wide receiver after two seasons, the club announced on Monday. In a corresponding move, Washington activated offensive tackle David Sharpe from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
As an undrafted free agent in 2019, Sims impressed during the preseason and earned a spot on the team’s Week 1 roster that season. After playing a primarily return role through the first half of the season, Sims got his opportunity at wideout late in the year and made the most of it. He finished his rookie season with 34 catches for 310 yards and four touchdowns, with most of it coming from Week 12 on.
Yet, in 2020, Sims took a step backward. He finished with just 27 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown. He struggled as a returner, too, as ball security proved to be an issue for him last season.
Sims’ inside path to the 53-man roster became more difficult this offseason when the team added speedy wideout Curtis Samuel and slot specialist Adam Humphries in free agency. Sims could have provided value as a returner, but he failed to stand out at that spot in either preseason game.
Entering camp, Sims, 24, had been battling for what figures to be the sixth and final wide receiver position on the 53-man roster. Now, he’s the second wideout the Burgundy and Gold have cut since camp began, as Washington released 2019 sixth-round pick Kelvin Harmon earlier this month.
Washington has four wideouts — Samuel, Humphries, Terry McLaurin, and Dyami Brown — that are locks to make the team. Cam Sims is the favorite to be the fifth wideout kept, while Antonio Gandy-Golden, DeAndre Carter, Tony Brown, Isaiah Wright and Dax Milne will continue to compete for the last spot.