The Washington Redskins could need depth at the running back position. Here are some free agent options that they could consider signing depending on how serious Derrius Guice‘s knee injury is.
The NFL is often a war of attrition, but over the course of the last few seasons, the attrition has been particularly brutal for the Redskins. And it has continued to be an issue to start the 2019 season.
In the team’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, they dealt with a couple of big-time injuries on both sides of the ball. A couple of strong, young players went down with knee injuries. One was defensive end Jonathan Allen, who is now going to be listed as week-to-week with a knee sprain.
The other was running back Derrius Guice. Information is still coming out about the running back’s injury, but it appears that it is related to the meniscus and he could miss a few weeks at least because of it. It’s the second knee injury he has suffered since being in the NFL. Last season, he tore his ACL in the first preseason game and missed the entire year.
Because of Guice’s potential absence, the team may be a bit thin at running back. They have only three healthy players at the position, so they could decide to add another to help provide depth with Guice out. Of course, that’s not a guarantee — especially if Guice’s injury is only for a few weeks — but it’s still worth exploring the notion that the team could add depth.
If the Redskins do want to add another running back, they’ll probably add a veteran free agent. They could call up Craig Reynolds from the practice squad as well, but they seem more likely to keep him stashed there.
Here’s a look at five running backs the ‘Skins could consider signing if Guice’s injury is longer-term than initially expected. Right now, I wouldn’t put my money on the team adding any of them, but here’s a look at some of the best available options.
5. RB Kapri Bibbs
Remember this guy? The one that the Redskins thought they could stash on the practice squad after Byron Marshall’s return despite the fact that Bibbs was having the superior season in 2018? That was an interesting time for Redskins fans last season.
Bibbs was waived by the Redskins amid a career-best season in which he had rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries and had added16 catches for 115 yards and a score. He wasn’t on the field on offense a whole lot, but the 25-year-old had seemingly emerged as the top receiving backup before his surprising release.
Bibbs would go on to be claimed by the running-back-needy Green Bay Packers. He played in just two games for them and was cut this offseason as the team got healthier and drafted Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams to serve as depth behind Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.
Since then, Bibbs has remained on the free-agent market. The team was deep enough at running back when he was released that they didn’t need to consider signing him. But now, with Guice hurt, Samaje Perine gone, and the team thin on running back options, perhaps adding Bibbs as the fourth back just to serve as experienced depth who can play on special teams would be a smart move.
Bibbs may not be active every game day, but given that he has proven to be a solid replacement for Chris Thompson in seasons past, he could be a nice fill-in at this point. So, don’t be surprised if the team at least kicks the tires on him if they look for some other running back options.
4. RB Alfred Morris
A reunion with Alfred Morris sounds enticing for many Redskins fans. It’s hard to believe that his success with the franchise came five years ago when he made multiple Pro Bowls and helped lead a ground-dominant Redskins offense to the playoffs.
In recent seasons, Morris hasn’t quite been as sharp. Since his final season in Washington, he has averaged 3.9 yards per carry or worse in three of four seasons. He spent time with his former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, and the San Francisco 49ers last year appearing in 12 games and logging 111 carries for 428 yards and two scores.
After returning to the Cowboys this offseason, Morris was cut by the franchise that opted to go with Tony Pollard and Jordan Chunn as their top backups to Ezekiel Elliott. Had Elliott not returned to the team, Morris may have been in line for backup work. But instead, he is now a free agent.
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Morris doesn’t have a lot left in the tank. He’s a 30-year-old running back whose career started to slow down years ago. But in Washington, he wouldn’t have to be anything more than a depth option. He could hang around as the backup to Peterson while Guice is out. He wouldn’t be active on game days unless Peterson was dinged up or one of the other backs went down. But he could be a good locker room presence and at the very least, it would bring a former fan favorite back to the Redskins.
Morris isn’t the type of signing that would likely excite or make a big difference. But at this point, he could end up being the perfect short-term veteran option to help lead this team and just serve as a mentor at the running back position.
3. RB Zach Zenner
Zenner is an intriguing young option that happens to be available. He spent the first four years of his career with the Lions, but after adding C.J. Anderson, Ty Johnson, and JD McKissic to their roster in 2019, there was no room for Zenner.
Last season was the best of Zenner’s career. In eight games for the team, he was able to total 265 yards and three touchdowns on just 55 carries. He also caught seven passes for 56 yards. He was an ideal third-string running back, as he had special teams ability (four tackles) and provided enough between the tackles to be a legitimate running threat.
It’s unclear exactly why the Lions decided to move on from Zenner. He is turning 28 soon, but with relatively little tread on the tires, he could still be a contributor at the NFL level. Provided that he’s healthy, he could still play a role on an NFL roster. But perhaps teams are just interested in picking up younger, potential-based options.
If the Redskins need a fourth running back, Zenner could be an ideal fit. Since he can play special teams, he wouldn’t necessarily need an injury to get him into the lineup. He could challenge Smallwood for playing time and at the very least serve as special teams depth for the team.
2. RB Byron Marshall
Marshall would be another candidate to return. Though he was cut in favor of Smallwood right after the trim to 53, he is a Jay Gruden favorite. And with a spot of trouble at the running back position, he could be the preferred option.
Despite Gruden’s apparent admiration for Marshall, he really didn’t do much during his one-and-a-half-year Redskins career. He averaged only 3.4 yards per carry and 6.6 yards per reception in very limited offensive work.
Marshall’s better work was supposed to come on special teams. But even with those units, he didn’t do much. In 2017, he suffered a hamstring injury while returning a kick and that caused him to miss the season. Last year, on six kick returns, he had a solid 19.0 average, but it was nothing special.
And, of course, he had a terrible play on punt coverage once where he was the last man to beat before the team allowed a punt return touchdown. Marshall took such a bad angle that he missed the ball-carrier entirely and tackled his own teammate. That teammate may not have ended up catching the return man, but it was still an embarrassing play.
Despite the negatives surrounding Marshall, he is a capable receiving back and Gruden does like him. And given that he was with the team just a week ago, they could opt to bring him back into the fold should they need extra depth in Guice’s stead. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the best, but he’s definitely a name to watch.
1. RB Jay Ajayi
Of the running backs left on the free-agent market, Ajayi stands out as the most talented. The now-26-year-old made a big difference for the Eagles in 2017 when he was acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. He gave them a true lead back to use in their rotation. And if healthy, he could provide Washington with a great complement to Peterson.
Health is the big concern with Ajayi. He suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and that prematurely ended his second season with the Eagles. The ended up being his last with the team and he has remained on the free-agent market since that time due to concerns about the overall health of his knee. Some say that it may be “bone on bone” which would explain why he hasn’t gotten work yet.
Still, if Guice is out long-term, taking a chance on Ajayi could be worth it. The team could sign him to a cheap, short-term deal to see if he’s worth anything. If not, they could part with him. But if he does turn into a solid contributor, that could give them at least another option at the position short-term. And it would give them the opportunity to bring him back the next year and make him part of the rotation.
Even if Ajayi proved himself and then Guice returned, the Redskins could try to offload him for a draft pick ahead of the deadline. There’s little downside to targeting a guy like Ajayi depending on the severity of Guice’s injury. They may not ultimately show interest in him, but it would at least be worth it to take a look at the veteran, especially given that he has Super Bowl experience.
These running back options all have their pros and cons, but it still doesn’t seem likely that the team would sign any. That said, if they find themselves needing a veteran for their backfield, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of these guys get the call.