Washington Redskins RB Robert Kelley's status uncertain in 2018

Washington Redskins UFA Robert Kelley came into 2017 as the unquestioned starter at the running back position. In 2018, he’ll return to a much less certain situation.

For all the fans he gained in his rookie season, with the ‘Fat Rob’ moniker and the pleasing underdog story, there wasn’t overwhelming confidence in Robert Kelley as the starting back for the Washington Redskins in 2017.

It was a path the Washington Redskins had gone down before: Committing to an unproven back well before the start of the season. In fact, it was a path they took in the previous season, when Scott McCloughan put his faith in Matt Jones as the bell cow back.

That didn’t last long. Jones’ inescapable flaws helped him find his way to the door, and if Robert Kelley can’t mount a historic comeback in 2018, then he could end up meeting the same fate.

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For Kelley, it’s not what he does. It’s what he doesn’t do. The back made a name for himself as a physical, brutish runner in his first season, but beyond that, he doesn’t offer much. His vision was seriously lacking in 2016, and in his limited 2017 action, he showed little improvement.

Robert Kelley is like a drill bit. He finds the hole, and he grinds out as many yards as he can. He doesn’t have the speed or the quickness to move to the outside and run around the corner, and he hasn’t displayed the patience required of a No. 1 back.

There was hope after his rookie season that Kelley’s ceiling was higher than a simple role player. But that foregone conclusion appears to have been correct. Kelley still has a chance to take the starting role in 2018, but he needs to build on his current skill set.

It’s time the Washington Redskins stopped settling for good enough. They’ve settled for good enough year in and year out at the running back position, and good enough just hasn’t gotten it done. Is Robert Kelley good enough? For a time, he was. But the team needs better. The blocking can improve, but for too long, there hasn’t been a workhorse back worthy of confidence in the backfield.

Next: Grading the Washington Redskins secondary in 2017

Robert Kelley, for now, is in control of his fate. But the Washington Redskins will undoubtedly add more to an already crowded position group in the coming offseason, and Kelley may be filtered out of the scrum, when it’s all said and done. Fat Rob’s chances are growing slim, in the wake of uncertainty. If he doesn’t make the leap in 2018, he’ll still have a future in the NFL as a goal line back or a depth player. But 2018 is his last chance to be something more.

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Washington Redskins RB Robert Kelley’s status uncertain in 2018

By Ian Cummings | Jan 21, 2018

Washington Redskins UFA Robert Kelley came into 2017 as the unquestioned starter at the running back position. In 2018, he’ll return to a much less certain situation.

More from Riggo's Rag