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New Redskins RB De’Veon Smith could be an underrated addition

By Jacob Camenker

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 31: De'Veon Smith #38 of the Miami Dolphins looks on in the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 31, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Dolphins defeated the Vikings 30-9. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 31: De'Veon Smith #38 of the Miami Dolphins looks on in the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 31, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Dolphins defeated the Vikings 30-9. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Redskins made a splash by signing Adrian Peterson on Monday afternoon. However, their better move may have been adding De’Veon Smith to their squad to serve as running back depth.

A lot of the attention went to Adrian Peterson when the Redskins elected to sign him on Monday. This was sensible, as Peterson is a well-known player around the league, a former MVP, and a future Hall of Famer. That said, the team may have had a more impactful addition in an under-the-radar transaction at the same position.

According to the Redskins official website, the team waived depth offensive lineman Cameron Jefferson with an injury designation and added De’Veon Smith to the squad. Smith, a former undrafted free agent out of Michigan, has some upside and as a depth option and potential practice squad player, he could be a solid addition for the Redskins.

Smith was a solid college player at Michigan, and he was one of my favorite running back prospects in the 2017 draft. Here’s what I said about Smith on my running back big board from before that draft.

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"I really like De’Veon Smith as a player and think that he has the potential to be a really solid rotational guy at the NFL level. With good strength and size, Smith is going to be a physical back who can play two downs, but also offers a little bit in passing scenarios.At Michigan, Smith was an important part of the team’s offense and was able to get yardage constantly for the Wolverines. He always seemed to get positive yardage and was solid on the goal line. In some ways, he is a bit like Rob Kelley, but he offers a bit more athleticism."

That Kelley comparison may not be too appealing at this time, but keep in mind that when this was written, Kelley was coming off a solid rookie season and had a reputation from creating yardage with his strength every time he toted the rock.

It’s also worth noting that Smith is a better athlete and receiver than Kelley as demonstrated by his brief tenure with the Dolphins. Smith caught three passes for 27 yards in five games and he flashed potential as a depth player. He likely won’t make it to the active roster this year, but he’s certainly worth a shot as a high-upside young player.

Smith could be a guy that gets stashed on the practice squad for a year while the Redskins look to develop him. He’s not proven, but perhaps if he flashes in the preseason, he’ll be able to develop into a goal-line back or a No. 3 guy at the next level. And if he doesn’t, the team doesn’t have to keep him.

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Either way, bringing in Smith has little to no downside. He’s a good camp body who could prove himself in the final two games of the preseason. It will be interesting to see what he can do and I’ll be interested to see how he fares in comparison to Peterson this Friday night.

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