Riggo's Rag
FanSided

Redskins vs. Ravens: 5 players to watch in Week 4 of preseason

By Ian Cummings

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 24: Running back Kapri Bibbs #39 of the Washington Redskins carries the ball against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 24: Running back Kapri Bibbs #39 of the Washington Redskins carries the ball against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 1: J.P. Holtz #86 of the Pittsburgh Panthers dives into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown in the second quarter of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Heinz Field on November 1, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 1: J.P. Holtz #86 of the Pittsburgh Panthers dives into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown in the second quarter of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Heinz Field on November 1, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

No. 4 – TE J.P. Holtz

Remember when Washington’s full back experiment ended? Well, it didn’t.

When the Redskins waived Elijah Wellman earlier in the preseason, it was, on the surface, the end of the team’s full back experiment in 2018. But since then, the Redskins have found another player to carry on the role of the lead blocker in the backfield: Tight end J.P. Holtz.

Holtz was used as a full back often in the team’s last preseason matchup against the Broncos. The 2016 undrafted free agent blocked for seven-time Pro Bowler and 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson, and together, the two made for an impressive, but somewhat unlikely tandem. Peterson ran for 56 yards on 11 carries in his Redskins debut. And Holtz, with his physical blocking style, made his debut on the preseason hype train.

Holtz is far from a lock to make the roster; the Redskins were simply experimenting, and although that experiment generated positive results, they aren’t done evaluating just yet. To cement a roster spot as the team’s special teams, full back chess piece, Holtz will need to have another solid outing on Thursday. Judging by his performance against the Broncos’ first-team defense, a repeat of Week 3 is well within his reach.

Home/Commanders News