Redskins set to work out UFA running back Joe Yearby on Monday
By Ian Cummings
Keith Marshall will soon occupy a place on injured reserve once again, opening up a spot on the 90-man roster. The Redskins will waste no time looking for candidates to fill that spot. Word on the street is that they’ll bring in Joe Yearby for a workout on Monday.
Promising young running back Keith Marshall had a disastrous date with destiny on Saturday, clipping his knee on a defender as he ran during practice. The contact, although quick, proved to have a lasting impact. Marshall tore his patellar tendon, and he’ll be out for the season.
It’s impossible not to feel sorry for Marshall, who’d worked his way back to health after an elbow injury last season. But as much as they may want to, the Redskins have no time to mourn. Someone will need to fill the gap left by Marshall. Per J.P. Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic, that someone could be former Miami running back Joe Yearby.
With Keith Marshall done, #Redskins will bring in undrafted Miami Hurricane RB Joe Yearby for workout on Monday, per source
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) July 30, 2017
Yearby, 5-foot-9, opted to forgo his senior season and enter the 2017 NFL draft following a season in which he registered 608 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 carries. His best work came during the season prior, in which he recorded 1,002 yards and six touchdowns on 205 carries.
Yearby’s career arc was an interesting one. He became the full-time starter his sophomore year, but following a coaching change, he was relegated to a lesser role. Following a frustrating junior year, he took his talents to the draft, where he failed to be selected.
Yearby offers an intriguing skill set for an undrafted free agent. He had proven success against ACC competition in 2015, and he’s quick and agile, as are most 5-foot-9 running backs. But like the lot of them, he lacks the ability to consistently break tackles and impose himself physically. This is a problem that Keith Marshall had an easier time of solving.
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Nevertheless, Yearby will be given a look on Monday. The Redskins’ running back stable is down to five after Marshall’s injury, and Yearby will look to fill that gap. He’ll be a long shot to make the roster no matter what, but his skill set is intriguing at the least. Yearby is set to showcase his craft for the Redskins on Monday. Time will tell if that audition earns him a contract.