Re-evaluating the roles of the Washington Redskins running backs

Chris Thompson

It’s safe to say Alex Smith has never had a weapon like Chris Thompson.

Don’t misinterpret that sentence. Of course he’s had dynamic running backs before. Kareem Hunt was a versatile godsend last year. But who did he have beside him in that stable? Charcandrick West? Akeem Hunt? Spencer Ware was injured.

Kareem Hunt, more or less, did it all on his own last season. Chris Thompson won’t have to. He has Derrius Guice, Robert Kelley, and Samaje Perine to help with that. It might not seem like much, on the surface, but while Hunt had a lot of tread taken off of his tires in 2017, Thompson will be able to stay fresh, and keep others fresh in the process.

In this sense, Thompson already holds value as a compliment to Guice, and a player who can shoulder some of the workload. But luckily for the Redskins, Thompson is an electric player in his own right. He serves a specific, limited role, but in that role, he’s one of the best in the business.

Thompson doesn’t make a living out of trucking defenders, although he’s more physical than most scat backs across the league. With his quickness and his explosive burst, Thompson can easily shoot through gaps and evade slower players, cementing his status as a valuable change-of-pace back.

On receiving downs, however, Thompson’s best traits shine through. He didn’t log over 500 receiving yards through 11 games on luck and limited quarterback vision alone. He’s elite taking screens and dump-offs at or behind the line of scrimmage, and he can also gain separation on crossing routes up the middle. With so many options in that area of the field, Thompson will inevitably find more room this season, if he can stay healthy. And if that happens, Alex Smith will have a new favorite receiver.