Redskins WR Josh Doctson anticipates he will be allowed to become a free agent after his contract expires following this season.
“I think I’m hitting free agency next year. I won’t be the first, won’t be the last,” Doctson said via ESPN’s John Keim. “It’s nothing to be sad about, be mad about. Someone wants you there, so it’s all love.”
The Redskins declined to exercise Doctson’s fifth-year option this offseason and drafted two other receivers in April, clearly indicating Doctson isn’t in their long-term plans.
However, Doctson says he’s not using the Redskins’ actions this offseason as extra motivation and is focused on auditioning this year for his next team.
“No, because that would mean it would have gotten to me and I’d feel some type of way. There’s no motivation,” he said. “I’m not trying to prove nothing to nobody. Just trying to get chemistry with the quarterbacks.”
The former first-round pick has struggled to make a consistent impact because of injuries and dealing with multiple quarterbacks. Doctson has shown enough flashes, though, that he could generate some interest in free agency with a good season in 2019.
“He goes after the ball like no other. I’m talking about a jump ball,” Redskins CB Josh Norman said. “He has his strengths and abilities to where he can be one of the top guys in this league if he wants it. … We have had a couple quarterback changes since he’s been here. You have to take that into consideration.”
Doctson, 26, was taken in the first round out of TCU in 2016 by the Redskins. He signed a four-year, $10.049 million contract and is slated to make a base salary of $1,820,406 for the 2019 season.
In 2018, Doctson appeared in 15 games for the Redskins and caught 44 passes for 532 yards receiving (12.1 YPC) and two touchdowns.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
