During the next few weeks we'll take a look at the Texans' pending free agents. The series starts today and all posts can be found here.
Receiver Nate Washington
How he became a Texan: The Texans signed Washington to a one-year deal during free agency last April.
2015 numbers: 14 games, 47 catches, 658 yards on 94 targets, four touchdowns, seven drops.
Why he might be back: The Texans overhauled their receiver corps during the offseason to better fit what Texans coach Bill O'Brien wanted at the position. Only DeAndre Hopkins was left over from the team's 2014 53-man roster. Hopkins became the team's No. 1 receiver, supplanting Andre Johnson, whom the Texans released. Washington, Cecil Shorts and draft picks Keith Mumphery and Jaelen Strong joined Hopkins this season. Washington made the transition a bit easier with his experience. He was able to pick up the concepts and understand the Texans' offense quickly, which was a boon for the team's many quarterbacks. He played well during the season, averaging a team high 14 yards reception. He was especially helpful when Hopkins was tied up by opponents' double-teams. Washington was also a good influence on the Texans' younger receivers, serving as a mentor especially for Strong, who was the team's third-round pick this season.
Why he might not be back: Washington will be 33 next season and the Texans could be looking to go younger to give Hopkins more help at this position. One thing that might trouble the Texans is Washington's drop percentage. At 7.4 percent, it was one of the 10 highest in the NFL.
