Houston Texans free agent spotlight: Nate Washington
Dec 22, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nate Washington (85) runs the ball past Jacksonville Jaguars safety Johnathan Cyprien (37) and cornerback
Alan Ball(23) during the first half at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Previous Teams
Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington was signed by Pittsburgh following the draft, and somehow managed to go from no-name tryout to making the final roster. His first and only reception of the season would be during the AFC Championship Game versus the Denver Broncos. Washington would then watch his team go on to win Super Bowl XL, all in his rookie year.
Washington became the Steeler’s primary slot receiver from then on, and would resign with the team for a year in 2008, when he would travel with the Steelers to the Super Bowl again, and once again come out victorious.
After his second Super Bowl ring, Washington would sign a 6 year, $27 million contract with the Tennessee Titans.
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Tennessee Titans
Washington arrived in Nashville to be the Titan’s second starting receiver, behind Kenny Britt. Washington enjoyed a bit of success, and was a consistent factor in the passing game. But when Britt went down with an injury in 2011, Washington finally got his chance to start.
That season, Washington would post career highs in all categories, finishing with 72 receptions for 1023 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Titans finished with a record of 9-7, and just missed out on the wild card spot in the playoffs. But the Titan’s offense was about to hit a serious roadblock: Jake Locker.
The whole Titans’ offense slowed in 2012 due to Locker’s poor play and the lack of production from Chris Johnson. Nate Washington was pushed back into the rotation of receivers and finished with similar stat lines as Kenny Britt and Kendall Wright. He would spend those next three seasons in mediocrity, until as a free agent in 2015, he left Tennessee for division rival Houston.
Next: Predictions for 2015