Keith Marshall Expected To Miss At Least 3 Weeks With Elbow Injury

Keith Marshall has suffered an elbow injury that will keep him out for three weeks. This could end up being bad news for him as he battles to make the 53-man roster.

The Washington Redskins have reportedly got some bad news in regards to one of their young running backs late on Sunday night. According to CSN’s Chick Hernandez, rookie running back Keith Marshall is going to be missing three weeks due to an elbow injury that he suffered on Friday night against the Bills.

Redskins team source tells me Redskins RB Keith Marshall (elbow) will be out roughly 3 weeks then re-evaluate him. #RedskinsTalk
— Chick Hernandez (@MrChickSports) August 29, 2016

Marshall will be reevaluated in three weeks, but there is no guarantee that he will be ready for the start of the season. Because of this issue, the Redskins will possibly have to find a new running back to replace him on the depth chart.

After the 2016 NFL Draft, there was some buzz that Marshall could end up being the No. 2 running back for the Redskins. The team had just lost Alfred Morris to free agency and there was no guarantee that Matt Jones was going to stay healthy. Marshall, a seventh round pick out of Georgia, had some talent and he was expected to compete immediately.

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Though he was able to get in on the battle for the primary backup position, Marshall was not able to win it. In Week 3 of the preseason, Marshall essentially went head-to-head with rookie running back Robert Kelley to try and win the job. Kelley posted 12 carries for 51 yards in the game. Marshall had one for 3 yards before he hurt his elbow. Now, it looks likely that Marshall will have to make the team as a fourth stringer. That is, if he makes it at all.

The elbow injury makes it less likely that he will be able to do that. With Marshall already likely out for the opener and Jones also hurting, the Skins need to make sure that they have proper insurance in case another runner goes down. Kelley and Chris Thompson are two key cogs, but can Marshall be the fourth guy? I would wager not.

The reason for this is the performance of second year player Mack Brown. After a year on the practice squad, the former Florida runner looks ready to take on a role in the NFL. He has great elusiveness and speed. He could be a quality backup. If he can play special teams, he will provide more value than Marshall. If that happens, Marshall could end up getting cut and possibly getting sent to the practice squad.

Of course, there is also a chance that Marshall could land on injured reserve. If his elbow does not show significant improvement over the three weeks, the Redskins could choose to be cautious and give him the season to recover. Regardless, that would cause him to lose his roster spot and fight an uphill battle to get it back.

Marshall is in a tough situation right now. He is hurt while trying to battle for a final roster spot. Hopefully he will be able to get healthy for the season, but currently the outlook on him making the 53-man roster is grim. However, he could go to the practice squad and get a call up if another back gets hurt. Only time will tell how Marshall’s rookie season will go.

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