Washington, Ron Rivera make a statement by releasing Derrius Guice
Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team made a statement by releasing Derrius Guice.
When the Washington Football Team hired Ron Rivera to be the team’s next head coach, there was a lot of reason for optimism. Rivera had been a rock-solid and well-liked head coach with the Carolina Panthers and he was hoping to accomplish a couple of goals in Washington.
The top goal is to eventually turn the team into a winning squad. But the short-term goal? Create and establish a winning culture. Rivera has repeatedly parroted his desire to build a strong culture and on Friday, he took an important step as he looked to accomplish that.
Shortly after learning that Derrius Guice had been arrested on domestic violence charges, Rivera and Washington made the decision to release him. They reviewed the facts of the case quickly and determined that the team had to part with the third-year running back.
More from Riggo's Rag
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
The decision can’t have been easy. After all, Guice showed promise when he was on the field in 2019 and it looked like he was going to be the team’s top running back in 2020 — provided that he could stay healthy.
But Rivera and the Washington front office didn’t flinch. They decided to send a message to the rest of the team. Players need to be accountable for their actions. And if they’re not, they’re not going to be a long-term part of the Washington Football Team.
This was, unequivocally, the right move to make. Guice had been charged with three counts of assault and battery as well as a felony count of strangulation. The arrest stemmed from three separate reported incidences. The charges were disturbing and they weren’t a one-time thing. Given that Guice had serious character concerns coming out of LSU, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport pointed out, this was another major red flag. And it was one that warranted action from the team.
Besides, despite Guice’s flashes of brilliance like the ones displayed against Rivera’s Panthers in 2019, he has only played in five career games. Sure, there was hope that he could produce if healthy. But he was already moving closer toward that dreaded “injury-prone” label.
With Guice gone, Washington will move on to other options in the backfield. Adrian Peterson will likely be the veteran starter while young backs Antonio Gibson and Bryce Love will compete for playing time. They have depth in the running back room, so they will be able to move past Guice’s absence quickly.
Next. Guice release opens opportunity in Washington backfield. dark
The decision to part with Guice was a major statement by Washington and will go a long way toward establishing a culture of accountability in years to come. It will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this move, but at this point, it seems like the right one for Rivera and the team to make.