“A play a day will keep the coaches away.”
This New York Giants training camp is not Montrell Washington’s first rodeo as a bubble player trying to prove he belongs on an NFL roster.
A fifth-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2022, Washington caught four passes but the Broncos released him at the end of the 2023 preseason. He spent most of the last two seasons on and off the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs, appearing in six games without catching a pass.
The 26-year-old has learned one important lesson from his three previous training camps:
“A play a day will keep the coaches away.”
Meaning, of course, keep making plays and no one will come to your locker to tell you the coach wants to see you … oh, and bring your playbook.
Washington has been making plenty of plays in recent practices. So many noticeable ones, in fact, that the volume of media requests — including one from Big Blue View — to speak with him on Monday led the Giants’ public relations staff to put Washington on the podium in front of everyone.
Washington’s favorite play of camp? The one-handed grab he made Monday morning on a sideline throw by Jaxson Dart, which featured Washington leaping above a defensive back to make the catch.
“It was crazy, it just happened, I can’t lie to you,” Washington said. “It’s just like an instinct, glad I brought it in.
“I’m just trying to make a play just to get on the team, to be honest with you. That’s just really it, I’m just trying to make plays every day. A play a day, my motto, a play a day, keep the coaches away. So, I’m trying to make as many plays as I can.”
In a crowded wide receiver room, it isn’t clear that the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Washington can keep the coaches away forever. One thing that is clear, though, is that he has gotten their attention.
With Darius Slayton and rookie Beaux Collins sidelined for the last couple of practices, Washington has been receiving a modicum of first-team reps.
Those first-team opportunities are nice, but Washington is simply focused on taking advantage of his opportunity regardless of what group it is with.
“I’m just trying to make a play, kind of a next man up role. We don’t like when guys go down, but I’m just trying to be there to show the guys I’m available, I’m locked in,” Washington said. “I can be that guy to make a play for you guys when y’all need me to, not saying I’ll be able to be a starter or anything like that, but when y’all need me, I’m available and I’m ready.
“If I’m in with the third team, fourth team, first team, whatever team I’m in on, a play a day will keep the coaches away. Don’t matter what it is, and I just go by that, to be honest with you. I’m just trying to make plays with anybody I can, to be honest, just so coaches can see.”
Washington was also a prolific kickoff and punt returner as a college player at Samford. Perhaps that skill might help him stick around, even if it just as a member of the practice squad.
“That’s another way for me to kind of make the team,” Washington said. “We got good receivers, great receivers. Like I said, yeah, I’m making plays, but at the end of the day, you still got to do what you got to do, and I’m a returner as well. So hopefully I can make plays returning as well for my team.”
Washington played with Giants quarterback Russell Wilson during the 2022 season in Denver. Thinking back to their time with the Broncos made Washington think of an opportunity wasted.
“I’m just trying to make sure and show him that I’ve changed from my rookie year to now,” Washington said. “I’m locked in and I’m ready for whatever opportunity comes my way.
“To be honest with you, when I came into the league, I had a whole different mindset. It was just different, I can be honest with you. I came in kind of young-minded, I wasn’t studying enough, wasn’t really taking advantage of my opportunities, I feel like, personally. And now, going over the years, being with Denver, first year, leaving there, somebody took my job, I left, went somewhere different, was able to play a little bit there, didn’t get to what I wanted, but played enough. But now, I see what it takes now, I feel like, and I’m ready. I’m ready to attack each day like it’s my last. I want to be that starter, I want to be that guy to make the play, which I know I can, you know what I mean? So, I’m just trying to do whatever I can to be out there on Sundays with the 53.”
So far, what Washington has done has been pretty good.
