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Plenty of former Redskins players make XFL rosters

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 30: Josh Johnson #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 30: Josh Johnson #8 of the Washington Redskins looks to pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at FedExField on December 30, 2018 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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Running backs

The XFL managed to pick up one formerly highly-touted Redskins running back and a couple of former fan favorites.

RB Matt Jones, St. Louis Battlehawks. Jones was a third-round pick by the Redskins in 2015, and Scot McCloughan had visions of him becoming the next star running back in Washington. However, things didn’t pan out for him.

Jones averaged only 3.4 yards per carry as a rookie and while he improved carrying the ball in his second season (4.6 ypc), he fumbled three times on just 99 carries that season. In the previous year, he had five fumbles on 144 carries. Those fumbling issues prompted Jay Gruden to bench him in favor of sure-handed Rob Kelley.

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Jones was cut by the Redskins the following year and struggled to catch on with the Indianapolis Colts. All told, he finished his career with 964 yards and seven total touchdowns compared to eight fumbles.

RB Mack Brown, Tampa Bay Vipers. Remember this guy? He’s the poster child for why the fourth game of the preseason doesn’t matter. Brown starred in the fourth game of the 2016 preseason and totaled 149 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet he still didn’t make the team.

Brown made the practice squad but eventually was elevated to the active roster. In 12 games with the Redskins, Brown totaled 111 yards on 16 carries, including a 61-yard touchdown run against the Chicago Bears. He never really got his chance to be a big part of the rotation but fans loved watching him run in the preseason and always hoped he’d get one.

Maybe if he proves himself in the XFL, NFL teams will call the 28-year-old again.

RB Martez Carter, L.A. Wildcats. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Carter played one preseason game for the Redskins, generating 45 yards on seven carries. The 5-foot-7 tall player had potential as a receiving back but the Redskins waived him after that preseason game as part of an injury settlement.

RB De’Veon Smith, Tampa Bay Vipers. Smith spent two weeks with the Redskins before the 2018 season. He was merely added as preseason depth amid a number of injuries to the running back corps (Derrius Guice, Chris Thompson, and Samaje Perine were all banged-up). He played in the AAF for the Orlando Appolos.

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