Washington Redskins post-NFL Draft 53-man roster projection

Running Back

Roster Projection: Derrius Guice, Chris Thompson, Samaje Perine, Kapri Bibbs

Roster Locks: Derrius Guice, Chris Thompson

Offseason Sleepers: Kapri Bibbs, Martez Carter

This position is very exciting to look at.

There are two roster locks at the running back position, and neither one should come as a surprise: Rookie running back Derrius Guice and third-down running back Chris Thompson.

Guice gives the Washington Redskins a true two-down back who can also come in on third-down and provide a little quickness and pass catching ability. Guice is the full package; he runs with a full head of steam, but at the same time, he has the short-range agility to make decisive cuts and throw defenders off guard. Combine these traits with Guice’s balance through contact and his innate ability to simply stay on his feet, and it’s easy to see why he’s penciled in as the starter next to Chris Thompson. He was a top-fifteen talent in the draft this year, and he fell to the Washington Redskins at No. 59.

Speaking of Thompson, the Washington Redskins’ third-down back is still recovering from a season-ending knee injury suffered in last year’s Week 11 matchup against the Saints. Thompson has said that he feels confident about the progress he’s made, and he will likely be one hundred percent by training camp. That is important. Thompson was a dynamic weapon for the Washington Redskins last year, and if healthy, he will be one of Alex Smith’s favorite targets, as well as a schematic chess piece that can make Jay Gruden’s job a lot easier.

Guice and Thompson form the perfect combo. But who makes the roster after them. Samaje Perine seems unlikely to get cut. The Oklahoma product was decent as a part-time starter last year, and while he displayed lacking vision and burst, he was at least better than his counterpart Robert Kelley, in this regard.

The Washington Redskins will be forced to choose between Perine and Kelley, and common sense says that they’ll choose Perine. Perine is quicker, slightly more athletic, and he’s three years younger than Kelley. In a league where running backs decline faster than players at other positions, that age difference could be important in the decision making process.

After the injury issues at running back last year, the Washington Redskins may also choose to keep a fourth running back. This running back could serve as both depth and an occasional change-of-pace back, while also providing value on special teams, if need be. For our purposes here, I chose Kapri Bibbs. Bibbs, in a small sample size, showed impressive burst and running ability last year with the Washington Redskins.

Bibbs is almost as quick as undrafted free agent Martez Carter, and he has the NFL size that Carter lacks. That size could be key in the decision making process. The Washington Redskins had a 5-foot-8 linebacker last year named Nico Marley who impressed in preseason with his energetic play. As solid as Marley was against the competition, the Washington Redskins chose to cut him loose, without even so much as signing him to the practice squad. Measureables matter, and at 5-foot-7, Martez Carter might simply be too small for the Washington Redskins’ standards.