Washington Redskins sign RB Kenny Hilliard, waive Keith Marshall
By Ian Cummings
The Washington Redskins wasted no time seeking out a replacement for Keith Marshall. The team signed running back Kenny Hilliard to a deal on Monday.
The gap left by Keith Marshall‘s injury has promptly been filled. The newest member of the Redskins is former LSU running back Kenny Hilliard, per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post.
#Redskins have also signed RB Kenny Hilliard. 7th rd pick out of LSU in 2015. Spent the last 3 seasons with the Texans
— Master (@MasterTes) July 31, 2017
The Washington Redskins had reportedly scheduled a workout with former Miami running back Joe Yearby. But that workout apparently wasn’t good enough to warrant a contract, and as a result, the Redskins looked elsewhere for their replacement back. In the end, they decided on Kenny Hilliard. Also per Master Tesfatsion’s twitter feed, a factor that likely went into the signing is the fact that Hilliard is the younger cousin of Redskins receivers coach Ike Hilliard. The connection was already there, so a signing out of the blue makes sense.
Hilliard was drafted by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He had a relatively unspectacular career at LSU, registering 1,557 yards and 27 touchdowns on 302 carries. That and his size, listed at 6-foot-0, 232 pounds, was enough to get him drafted, and although he has potential, he’s been nothing more than a practice squad player for the Texans in his short time playing professionally.
Hilliard provides the Redskins with potential and, if nothing else, depth at the running back position. Marshall’s absence is a hard one to accept, and Hilliard’s presence as the sixth running back will help soften the blow.
Meanwhile, Hilliard’s signing spells doom for Marshall, who was officially waived by the Redskins this afternoon. Marshall was ruled out for the 2017 season following a practice injury in which he tore his patella tendon.
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The injury is a tragic one for Marshall, who spent a chunk of his college career on the recovery plan for a torn ACL, and his rookie year recovering from an elbow injury as well. A return won’t be ruled out for the former Georgia Bulldog, but he faces an incredibly steep uphill battle.