Washington Football Team signs RB Lamar Miller off Bears practice squad

The Washington Football Team has signed Lamar Miller.

The Washington Football Team made an important roster move on Wednesday afternoon to bolster their running back depth. According to NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, they added veteran Lamar Miller to their 53-man roster.

Miller had previously been with the Chicago Bears and had been a member of their practice squad for much of the season. He played in just one game back in Week 11 and caught two passes for six yards in his first NFL action since 2018.

Miller was once a strong starter for the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans. He has two, 1,000+ yard seasons to his name and made the Pro Bowl in ’18 when he came up just shy of the mark. Miller adds some solid experience to the running back room and some needed depth as well.

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As a result of Antonio Gibson‘s toe injury, Washington was left with just two healthy backs on their 53-man roster last week. They called up rookie Javon Leake from the practice squad to serve as a third-string option and depth piece for the squad, but he played just six snaps, all of which came on special teams.

Miller, 29, will have a chance to fill in as some veteran depth and perhaps take on a few carries to help keep J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber fresh. The move is a smart one, as Miller’s experience will make him a nice depth option, but Washington won’t need him to be a starter for the squad. They just need to have one more piece around while Gibson recovers from his injury.

Speaking of that, the signing of Miller makes it likely that Gibson will miss at least one more week of action as he deals with turf toe. That’s unfortunate news for Washington, given that the rookie back had been coming on of late and was sparking the Washington offense to new heights, but playing it safe with their rookie makes sense.

Gibson could be a budding star, so there’s no point in rushing him back and playing him at less than 100 percent, even with Washington in the running for a playoff spot.

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We’ll soon see what Miller can do for Washington. It’s unlikely that he’ll regain his Pro Bowl form after his ’19 ACL tear, but he can still play a role in the Washington offense. At the very least, he could be a nice mentor for the younger backs on the roster and may have some fresh legs after playing just one game in the last two seasons. This is a no-risk move for Washington that could pay off.

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