The Washington Redskins have a lot of talent at the running back position. Among that group is Rob Kelley, but he might have a bit of trouble making the roster.
Last season, the Washington Redskins cycled through many running backs as they dealt with injury issues at the position. But the issue at the position wasn’t just related to health. It was also related to the fact that the Redskins didn’t have an effective starter at the position.
The Redskins elected to go with Rob Kelley as their starter for the 2017 campaign. This was more inspiring than their choice to roll with Matt Jones as the lead back in 2016, but it was still a questionable move. Kelley had been a solid between the tackles runner, but he lacked the explosiveness and receiving skills to be an effective starter. Still, he operated in that role for about half of the season before landing on Injured Reserve.
Coming into 2018, the Redskins are dealing with a much different situation. They drafted Derrius Guice in the second round of the draft to serve as their lead back. Chris Thompson figures to play a big role in offense after having a breakout year as an explosive playmaker. And of course, Samaje Perine was a fourth round pick in 2017 and he should play a role as a backup.
Because of the crowded nature of the backfield, it may be difficult for Kelley to make the roster again. He will be battling with Kapri Bibbs, Byron Marshall, Martez Carter, and Keith Marshall for a roster spot, and he may be hard pressed to win that. Especially if the Redskins look to keep a fullback like Elijah Wellman.
For that reason, the Redskins should consider trading Kelley if the right offer comes around later in the offseason. If they make Kelley available, here’s a look at the teams that might want to consider making an offer for Kelley.
3. Oakland Raiders
On the surface, this may not seem like a great fit. The Raiders did sign Doug Martin this offseason to compete with Marshawn Lynch, and they already have Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington on the roster. But, that may not be enough for the team to field a competent running attack.
Last season, Lynch showed some signs of life as a tough, physical runner, but he simply isn’t the game-breaking threat that he once was. The veteran is likely to continue to decline entering his age 32 season, and that might make it difficult for him to find success. Meanwhile, Martin is coming off an atrocious year for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it’s possible that he could be cut with a poor camp performance.
Richard and Washington offer more hope. Richard showed a lot as a pass catching back and special teams playmaker, so he should continue to operate in that role. Washington is coming off a poor season that saw him regress after showing explosive ability as a rookie. Still, he is young and has upside. That said, he was also a draft pick by a previous coaching staff, so that could make it an uphill battle for him to make the roster.
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There’s a chance that Kelley would be a nice fit for this backfield. It appears that Jon Gruden wants to build a running game that has big, strong runners who can plow through opponents. That’s what Kelley has done during his two year NFL career, and his penchant for falling forward after contact could intrigue Gruden.
By acquiring Kelley, the Raiders would ensure that they have a young, strong back who can help pick up the slack in the event that Lynch and Martin disappoint. Kelley could earn his way onto the roster as a potential top backup, and it’s possible that he could find success behind the Raiders offensive line, that should be a bit better after adding first rounder Kolton Miller to the mix.
And also, this would be a good opportunity for Jay Gruden to make a deal with his brother. If he can’t fit Kelley onto his roster, there could be a spot for him in Oakland. So, helping his brother would make sense, and it would also make it so the team won’t have to face Kelley at any point in the near future.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a top-heavy running back depth chart. It features Le’Veon Bell, a true three-down starter with excellent receiving and running ability, at the top. And behind him, former third rounder James Conner is entering his second season with the team and averaged 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie.
However, behind that duo, the Steelers don’t have much. Fitzgerald Toussaint is more of a special teams player while Stevan Ridley was signed to provide veteran insurance last offseason. Ridley hasn’t done much since the Patriots got rid of him, so it’s safe to assume that he won’t be much of a factor.
Given Bell’s injury history and his knack of being banged up in the playoffs, it will be important for the Steelers to add some depth behind him to make sure the team will be okay if he goes down again. Conner could be the starter if Bell gets hurt, but having another capable back as insurance would be sensible.
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Kelley would be an ideal fit in this circumstance. Kelley could pair with Conner to ensure the duo stays fresh. Kelley could see some action on early downs while Conner would handle a bulk of the load and handle some third down work as well. For the price of a late round pick, it would be worth it for the Steelers to have another strong back who is capable of carrying the load.
Kelley’s ability to grind out yards would likely appeal to the Steelers as well. He’s not likely to emerge as a starting candidate should Bell go down, but he could help Conner to wear down opposing defenses. And with the other offensive weaponry the Steelers have, that would do a lot to open things up for their receivers and tight ends.
The Steelers may not look to acquire more help at running back now, but if they aren’t confident in their position group during training camp and the preseason, Kelley is a guy who should be on their list. And Washington would probably be happy to get some compensation for them if it appears that he is losing the camp battle.
And also, it’s worth noting that Bell has been franchise tagged by the Steelers this offseason. So, it’s possible that he could try to leave in the near future. And if he does, Kelley would at least provide extra depth for the team as they search for a replacement.
1. Los Angeles Rams
If any team is going to trade for Kelley, the Rams would be the one. They already have a stellar starter in Todd Gurley, who is arguably the best running back in the NFL, but they don’t have a lot of depth behind him.
Behind Gurley, the Rams have Malcolm Brown, who has been with the team since the 2015 season, sixth round pick John Kelly, Justin Davis, and Nick Holley. While Brown and Kelly are fine backup options, relying on either as a starter should Gurley go down could create a problem for the Rams.
Kelley would remedy that situation right away. He could serve as the primary backup for the team and get about five carries a game. He can spell Gurley and afford the other Kelly time to develop. For the price of a sixth or seventh round pick, that might be a good insurance policy for the Rams to invest in.
Beyond the need for a backup runner, Sean McVay knows Kelley from his time with the Redskins. Kelley totaled 168 carries for 704 yards and six scores, and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. He was a good fit as an early downs runner in that offense, and it’s reasonable to expect him to have similar success in Los Angeles.
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The Redskins may not want to trade Kelley. But if they’re going to end up cutting him anyway, it makes sense to deal with the Rams. They’re already familiar with McVay and dealt Derek Carrier to the organization last season. So if they decide to move him, sending Kelley to the Rams would be a sensible decision.