How much glue will Washington need from Cam Sims in 2021?
Cam Sims started the 2020 NFL season on the Washington Football Teams practice squad. But he wound up being the glue for Washingtons wide-receiver corps during the teams drive for a playoff berth, in the view of position coach Drew Terrell. Among Washingtons wide receivers, Sims finished second to Terry McLaurin in receptions and receiving yards in 2020, even though he had three receptions for 39 yards six games into the season. ALABAMA, OHIO STATE ALUMNI LEADING WASINGTON TOWARD BRIGHTEST LIGHTS  After catching a 22-yard pass for his first NFL touchdown with 36 seconds left in Washingtons 20-19 loss to the New York Giants (a 2-point conversion try failed after the score) on Oct. 18, Sims started for the remainder of the season. He caught 29 passes for 438 yards in the 10 games. Washington went 6-4 in Sims starts after opening 1-5. The 7-9 record was good enough to win the NFC East title and earn a postseason berth. In Washingtons 31-23 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs, Sims had seven receptions for 104 yards. We relied on Cam heavily last year, Terrell said during Washingtons mandatory minicamp. He was kind of the glue of our group. From training camp to the end of the season, you really saw his mindset and the way he attacked each day. He became a true pro last year, I thought, and we relied on him a ton. Its all a credit to him and his mindset and the way he worked. Hes done a fantastic job. Hes only a guy thats getting better and better, and you can see that every day. He practices his butt off. Hes one of the smartest guys in the room in terms of being able to move him around and being able to adjust. Hes doing a really, really good job. Really excited for Cam and whats ahead.  With 87 receptions for 1,118 yards and four touchdowns in his second NFL season, McLaurin played like a rising star in 2020. But there was a big gap among Washingtons wide receivers between McLaurins production and Sims 32 receptions for 477 yards and one touchdown. Running back J.D. McKissic (a former Central-Phenix City standout), tight end Logan Thomas and running back Antonio Gibson finished between McLaurin and Sims on Washingtons receptions list last season. Washington sought to bolster its wide-receiver depth chart by signing Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries as free agents and drafting North Carolinas Dyami Brown in the third round and BYUs Dax Milne in the seventh round. Washington also has Antonio Gandy-Golden, Steven Sims Jr. and Isaiah Wright returning from the 2020 team, and Kelvin Harmon will be back after catching 30 passes for 365 yards as a rookie in 2019. Harmon missed last season because of a knee injury. Samuel had 77 receptions for 851 yards and three touchdowns and 41 rushing attempts for 200 yards and two touchdowns in 2020 for the Carolina Panthers. Humphries is a veteran slot receiver who was limited to seven games for the Tennessee Titans last season. He had 23 receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns to bring his career totals to 279 receptions for 2,931 yards and 13 touchdowns in six seasons. Washington re-signed Sims this offseason when it could have let him leave in free agency. Washington put a right-of-first refusal tender on Sims, who was a restricted free agent. Under that tender, Washington offered a $2.133 million contract for the 2021 season to Sims, who could negotiate with other NFL teams. If Sims had gotten a better offer, then Washington would have had the opportunity to match those terms and retain Sims. Sims re-signed with Washington on March 24. Sims opportunity to play as large a role for Washington in 2021 as he did in the second half of last season might depend on how the coaching staff decides to use Samuel. If hes paired as an outside receiver with McLaurin, that could mean more playing time for Humphries and less for Sims. If Samuel sees a lot of slot duty, that could mean more playing time for Sims and less for Humphries. Washington snapped the football only twice with four wide receivers in the formation in 2020 but will have a new quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick and more wide-receiver depth this season. After catching 41 passes in four seasons at Alabama, Sims signed with Washington in 2018 as an undrafted rookie. Sims led Washingtons wide receivers with five catches for 131 yards in the preseason, and he made the regular-season roster. But blocking on a kickoff return in the opening seconds of the 2018 campaign, Sims suffered a high ankle sprain and missed the rest of the season. In 2019, Sims didnt make the active roster coming out of the preseason. After a stint on Washingtons practice squad, he played in seven games. Sims had two receptions for 27 yards as he got on the field for 56 offensive snaps and 63 special-teams plays. In 2020, Washington again released Sims at the end of training camp and re-signed him for the practice squad. But he played in every game. Washington elevated Sims from the practice squad for the first two contests, then signed him to the active roster. He ended up on the field for 639 offensive snaps and 118 special-teams plays last season. Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.  Former Alabama backup J.C. Hassenauer could be Steelers starting center in 2021   NFL All-Rookie selection Raekwon Davis: It wasnt a good season   Cam Newton feeding his focus with detractors   Vikings Irv Smith Jr. sticks to his diet in New Orleans   Las Vegas Raiders glad to have Alex Leatherwood   Nicholas Morrow: Hes going to do everything right   Challengers keep coming for Levi Wallaces starting spot with Bills