Redskins running backs have upside but must live up to potential

With Derrius Guice, Adrian Peterson, and Bryce Love as the three running backs on the roster next season, Washington may be in a prime spot to have a quality rushing attack.

Last season under Jay Gruden, the running back position was one of confusion and intrigue for the Washington Redskins at different points in the season. The Week 1 benching of Adrian Peterson and the injuries that Derrius Guice suffered were both factors contributing to a rushing attack that ended the season ranked 22nd in the league in rushing yards per game.

But with the hiring of a new head coach along with replacing the medical staff, can the Redskins running backs improve from last season?

With the Washington Redskins exercising Adrian Peterson’s one-year club option, that means the Redskins will have three running backs that could heavily contribute to the rushing attack. Although Peterson will be 35 years old and heading into his 14th NFL season, he still continues to produce at a high level.

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Peterson’s first season in Washington ended with him rushing for more than 1,000 yards and accumulating seven touchdowns. Peterson then virtually duplicated that production rushing for 898 yards last season while only playing 15 games. Peterson has shown he can continue to be the workhouse for this organization next season.

Guice is the player that will most likely start the season at the top of the depth charts. In 2018, Guice only got to participate in one preseason game before ending up on injured reserve due to a knee injury. After recovering, Guice showed promise in his lone 2019 preseason appearance.

Unfortunately, in Week 1 of the 2019 season, Guice was lost to injury again. He went on to miss the next nine games before returning Week 11 against the jets. Over his next four games, he and Peterson showed that the duo could perform effectively together. Guice rushed for 227 yards averaged 7.1 yards per carry in those games.

Although Guice showed promise in these games, he once again hit the injured reserve after suffering an MCL sprain. If he can return and stay healthy, Guice could be a premier rusher in this Redskins offense. But it is a big if.

Bryce Love is another big question mark on the Redskins roster. Love was selected by the Redskins in the fourth round of the 2019 draft and was a quality back in college. He rushed for a whopping 2,118 yards in 2017 but decided to not declare for the draft that year. He was expected to be a first or second-round pick the following year before suffering an ACL tear which caused his draft stock to fall.

After the ‘Skins drafted him, they held him out for the full length of the 2019 season thinking of the future. If Love can show the dominant running he did in college, he could be a big part of Scott Turner’s offensive plans in Washington.

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Looking forward to the 2020 season, The Redskins don’t have many positions of strength on the offense. If Guice, Peterson, and Love can stay healthy the rushing attack may be one that the Redskins could use to take advantage of opposing defenses.

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