NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Saints announced today that they have agreed to terms with RB Dwayne Washington on a one-year contract. The announcement was made by Saints’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Washington, 6-1, 223, was originally a seventh round choice (236th overall) of the Detroit Lions in the 2016 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington. The sixth-year pro has played in 57 regular season games with two starts and four postseason contests over his career, carrying 153 times for 538 yards and one touchdown while catching 13 passes for 82 yards and posting 12 special teams tackles. Since joining New Orleans in 2018, Washington has become an impact player on special teams, recording eight coverage stops, deflecting one punt and recovering one blocked punt and when called upon, rushing for 229 yards on 43 carries (5.3 avg.). In 2020, he appeared in 11 regular season games and both postseason contests, making two coverage stops and returning two kickoffs for 31 yards on special teams, while rushing eight times for 15 yards on offense. Washington played a key role on a Saints coverage unit squad that ranked first in the NFL in opponent punt return average (team-record 2.3 avg.), the third lowest total since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and second in opponent kickoff return average (17.2 avg.).
After redshirting his freshman season, the Lakewood Calif. native played three years at Washington (2013-15), where he carried 226 times for 1,311 yards (5.8 avg.) and 17 touchdowns while catching 41 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns in 34 games for the Huskies. In 2014, Washington carried 132 times for 697 yards (5.3 avg.) and nine touchdowns as he was named his team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
{Press release courtesy of the New Orleans Saints}
