Redskins RB Derrius Guice feared to have torn meniscus, out 6-8 weeks

We now have a tentative range of time for Redskins RB Derrius Guice’s recovery, and it could spell the end of his quick starting stint in 2019.

The Washington Redskins ran head-first into a new era at running back in 2019. After witnessing a resurgence from 34-year old Adrian Peterson in 2018, when the veteran and former MVP ran for over 1,000 yards amidst adversity, Jay Gruden gave the reins to second-round, second-year ball carrier Derrius Guice.

Guice carried with I’m great promise into the first game, and he showed off his burst, vision, and contact balance in preseason. But his debut with the Redskins wasn’t as impressive as his dynamic upside was in flashes. Guice ran for 18 yards on ten carries, and early on in the game, he didn’t look like himself, fielding less spryness with his cuts and more timidity with his style.

It wasn’t revealed that Guice had been injured, however, until after the game, and quickly, worry spread about the state of his other, non-ACL knee. Speculation has gone unchecked for a few days, but now, we have tangible information on Guice’s injury, shared via NFL insider Adam Schefter.

According to Schefter, Guice is meeting with Dr. James Andrews in Florida later today, to receive a second opinion on what is believed to be a torn meniscus. The situation has not yet been resolved, but Schefter said that if Guice undergoes surgery for this injury, he could be out for six to eight weeks.

This extended absence would render Guice a candidate for temporary injured reserve, and it would immediately thrust veteran Adrian Peterson back into the starting role. Much was made of Peterson’s inactivation in Week 1, but it appears as if Washington will need to turn the page from that drama, and quick.

Peterson produced in an inadequate situation last season, but onlookers who are bullish on his outlook should be skeptical. Peterson was a good story in 2018, but his play style was considerably inefficient, and if the Redskins offensive line doesn’t improve at run blocking, then Jay Gruden’s ground attack could only continue to stall when he needs it most, and a reliance on that attack could prove fatal to the team’s contention chances.

Whatever the case, the Redskins get a little bit thinner at running back, and they’ll lose a talented player in Guice for an extended period of time. Be sure to stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag, as we’ll keep you in the loop with updates o this situation.