Re-evaluating the roles of the Washington Redskins running backs

Backups

Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson are the premier talents of the Redskins running back room, but that doesn’t mean guys like Robert Kelley and Samaje Perine won’t find room to contribute.

As our own Nathan Britton recently suggested, Perine has a skill set that fits well in goal line situations, as does Robert Kelley. Both players aren’t the most agile, but they’re both hard to bring down, and Perine, in particular, is known for his strength.

Both backs have more starting experience than your average backups, which should only bode well for their value as effective depth pieces. When Guice and Thompson need breathers, Perine and Kelley should be able to give them that. At the end of long drives, on the goal line, they may be most valuable.

Although the most likely options to fill in the No. 3 and No. 4 running back spots, Perine and Kelley aren’t the only players listed behind Guice and Thompson. Kapri Bibbs and Byron Marshall are both holdovers from last year, and if one of them were to make it, as opposed to Perine or Kelley, they would be greater factors in the receiving game. The same can be said for undrafted rookie Martez Carter, who, although faced with a massive uphill battle, has the dynamic ability to be a poor man’s Chris Thompson, if he can handle the transition to the NFL.

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That said, Perine and Kelley are the most proven backups, and thus, they’re listed as the team’s final backs here. But no matter what happens, the Redskins are sitting in a good spot with their running back situation. Derrius Guice has the talent to flourish in Jay Gruden’s offense. Chris Thompson, with good health, can build on his breakout season in 2017. And Perine and Kelley are more than reliable, if injuries force them back into the spotlight. What has too often been a weakness now appears to be an exciting strength for Washington.