Washington Football Team: Potential fill-ins for Antonio Gibson

Outside Options

Wendell Smallwood

Smallwood is currently hanging out on the Pittsburgh practice squad, and if Washington is prepared to put him on the roster, he could be signed. The advantage to Smallwood is that he was here last year. Of course, there is a new coaching regime in place, but Smallwood could probably get up to speed faster than most other free agents.

Smallwodd has never stood out as a special runner, but he can do a little bit of everything. If Washington wants to add a veteran back, I think Smallwood’s return to DC is fairly likely.

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Elijah McGuire

I’ve always liked Elijah McGuire. In his rookie year with the Jets, he seemed poised to become a solid starter when injuries derailed him. Since then, he has never found a home, traveling from Kansas City to Cleveland to Dallas. He is currently a free agent.

Obviously, McGuire has enough talent to draw the attention of a number of teams but has never been able to impress any of them enough to stick around. He is a long shot at this point, but he’s 26 and doesn’t have much wear and tear on his body. He may be worth a look.

Cameron Artis-Payne

Artis-Payne is a powerful runner who was trying to resurrect his career in the XFL when that league shut down back in the Spring. Since then, I have not heard anything about him. But he played for Ron Rivera in Carolina, and we all have seen how much Rivera values that connection. If he is in shape and looking for a return, he could be on Washington’s radar.

There are several other veterans floating around out there, but most, like Lamar Miller, are coming off injuries, and it seems unlikely that Washington would opt for a player like that.

There is also a current free agent who has a world of talent and who also has some familiarity with the team’s system. But I think we will see John Riggins lining up in the backfield before Washington brings back Derrius Guice.

Let’s hope Gibson returns soon, and that whoever they do bring in takes advantage of the opportunity to provide some badly-needed support.