Redskins sign preseason standout J.P. Holtz to practice squad

The Redskins cut Cashaud Lyons off of the practice squad just one day after signing him, and to fill the void left by the defensive lineman, they chose to bring in a familiar face.

Every preseason, certain under-the-radar players get drenched in hype. It’s a natural reaction, to combat the unknowns of such a player. Among others who made the Washington Redskins 53-man roster, former Pittsburgh tight end J.P. Holtz attracted plenty of hype, for a somewhat unique reason.

After the Redskins signed veteran and former MVP running back Adrian Peterson to fill in for injured rookie Derrius Guice, the issue of finding a full back to lead block for Peterson became a priority in the eyes of onlookers. Washington has done their homework. They knew that Peterson thrives behind a full back, and in the preseason, they used Holtz as that full back. And he played far better than expected.

The emergence of Holtz led many to believe that the Redskins would continue utilization of a full-time full back for the first time since the days of Darrell Young, but when final cuts came around, Holtz was among those released. He passed through waivers, and now, he will return to the Redskins as a member of the practice squad, per D.C. sports reporter Craig Hoffman.

The Redskins now have two players listed as tight ends on the practice squad, Matt Flanagan and Holtz, although the two players are different enough where no conflicts should arise. With Holtz in tow, Washington has a fall back if Robert Kelley fails in the full back role, or if an injury occurs and the team needs to bolster the running back room once again.

The burgundy and gold play their first game of the season on Sunday, against the Arizona Cardinals. Holtz will be on the sidelines for that matchup, but just like he so suddenly emerged in preseason, Holtz, with his skill set, has a chance to work his way up into a role on the roster before the 2018 campaign concludes.