NFL Free Agency News and Rumors: Veteran Wide Receiver Nate Washington Joins Patriots
The New England Patriots bring in another potential contributor to their roster right before the start of the new NFL season by adding free agent wide receiver Nate Washington. The 32-year old veteran became an unrestricted free agent this summer after playing one season for the Houston Texans. No further details were provided by the team about the deal, but it sure does fire up rumors of Danny Amendola's impending exit.
Washington has played for more than a decade of NFL football, most notably for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers acquired him as an undrafted free agent back in 2005 and his stint with the team is highlighted by winning two Super Bowls. The former Tiffin University standout already owns 159 games to his credit, starting in 107 of them. Along the way, he has amassed 458 receptions, producing 6,954 yards and 44 touchdowns.
The Patriots could also take advantage of his postseason experience. He has played in eight postseason games, producing 10 receptions, which is good for 86 yards. Already an established veteran at 32, he is one of the few wide receivers in the league who hasn't really seen a significant decrease in his play. As a matter of fact, he was still playing great when he signed with the Titans as an unrestricted free agent in 2009, performing his best season as a pro with the team two years later, where he caught 74 receptions for 1,023 passes. He also had seven touchdowns that year.
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Patriots coach Bill Belichick now has a bunch of top quality wide receivers at his disposal, including Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobdon, and Keshawn Martin. But Washington is expected to provide something different, which is probably why the Pats got to him in the first place. He surely will be another viable option for Tom Brady, as well as the team's new additions in Chris Hogan and Martellus Bennett.
