The Washington Redskins have a very crowded backfield heading into the 2017 NFL season. They will have to get rid of one or two players before the end of the season.
Coming into the 2017 offseason, the Washington Redskins were looking to add help at running back. They had a lot of talented pieces, but they lacked a true featured back. In the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the team added Samaje Perine from Oklahoma to their team. Perine was a terrific back in college, and his physical running style will allow him a great deal of success at the next level.
Pairing Perine with Rob Kelley, who is coming off a solid rookie year, and third down/change of pace back Chris Thompson should create a nice committee for the Redskins. Though Thompson is only on a one year deal, the trio could solve the team’s issues and really create a productive running offense to pair with their high caliber passing attack.
However, after these three, the depth chart is a bit unclear. The team has three other backs on the roster, and it is highly unlikely that they will keep all six. Most teams carry four or five backs, so the Redskins will have to take a long look at their fringe players in offseason workouts. Here is a look at the likely fate of those three players.
Matt Jones
By now, the word is out on Matt Jones. The Redskins were looking to trade the third year back during the 2017 NFL Draft, but they did not get any takers. Once thought to be the heir apparent to Alfred Morris, Jones’ time in Washington could be running short.
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Jones was the primary starter for the Redskins going into the 2016 season. Many expected him to take the next step, but he was not able to make good on his lofty projections. While Jones was able to put up a higher amount of yards per carry, his ball security was a major issue.
Jones fumbled three times after putting the ball on the ground five times as a rookie. So essentially, Jones fumbles once every 30 carries. That is a terrible number, and that caused Jay Gruden to deactivate Jones for the last eight games of the season.
Jones is a player that seems destined for the waiver wire. The former Florida product has talent, but he needs a change of scenery. Unless he has greatly improved upon his ball security, it seems unlikely that he will win back Gruden’s trust. Expect Jones to hit the waiver wire, but some team will pick him up. The Green Bay Packers or the Seattle Seahawks would be among the options for Jones should he move on.
Mack Brown
I was fairly surprised at the beginning of last season when the Redskins elected to leave Mack Brown off their initial 53-man roster in 2016. Brown had enjoyed a quality preseason, but the team elected to carry only three backs on the roster.
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However, Brown made it to the 53-man unit by November, and he had an impact. Though he rarely saw action as a running back, Brown had an impact on special teams. He was activate on game days ahead of Jones, and he impressed when given a chance to produce.
In Week 16 against the Chicago Bears, Brown saw eight carries and was able to make the most of his opportunity. He put up 82 yards on those carries, including a 61 yard touchdown run that came late in the game. Brown showed great speed, burst and effort. He is the type of player that coaches want to have on a team.
While Brown may not be a heralded player, the Redskins should look into keeping him. His special teams value could make him an asset on game days, and he would be a perfect backup to Thompson as the shiftier change of pace back. Brown may not play in all 16 games, but he is the best depth option the Redskins could hope for.
Keith Marshall
There are a lot of unknowns about Keith Marshall heading into his second NFL season. The former seventh round pick spent the entirety of his rookie season on the injured reserve thanks to an elbow injury suffered in the team’s third preseason game. Marshall has talent, but he faces an uphill battle to make the final roster.
Marshall’s main asset throughout his playing days has been his speed. He blazed a 4.31 second 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2016, and he was one of the fastest players in college football back in 2012. However, because of an ACL tear in 2013, Marshall has dealt with injury problems and is not quite the same runner. Obviously he still has speed and talent, as the 40 time shows, but he is fragile and that could cost him.
Having Marshall on the team would add an element to the Redskins running game that they do not already have. Marshall could bring that speed and quickness and possibly contribute on a few carries per game. At the same time, he appears to be fifth in what is currently a four horse race for roster spots. He just does not have the same special teams value as Brown, and that will hurt him.
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Though Marshall may not quite make the 53-man roster, there is still hope for him to land on the practice squad. The Redskins could look to further develop him there and potentially add him as a contributor in the event that one of their runners gets hurt. Marshall is a high upside player, but there is too much risk for him to make the 53-man roster right now. If he impresses in the preseason, then the matter will be revisited.