Is it time to worry about Antonio Gibson?

What’s the level of concern with Antonio Gibson?

We know where the numbers stand and we see where there must be improvement when it comes to Antonio Gibson’s game. Though you’d like more production from an athlete like him, it’s important to note how young he is for the position.

Antonio wasn’t a running back in college and wasn’t used primarily as a ball-carrier behind the line of scrimmage either. Gibson took on a new role, transformed his body into a 230-pound horse that looks to initiate contact and wear defenses down as a pure running back.

With that being said, it’s understandable why he isn’t taking the league by storm in his second season, as there’s a major learning curve to be had at the position, especially if you’re new to it like AG. He does some things well, he has some very good patience and burst, he wears defenses down and can be special in the open field. He’s exceptional around the goal-line, while also understanding angles well in the open field. Gibson has the IQ for the position, the athleticism, and the knack for finding the end-zone.

Right now, he’s like a Chef that has noodles, chicken breast, bread crumbs, pasta sauce, and cheese. He has the ability to make a fine-dining version of Chicken Parmesan on any given Sunday, but sometimes he can give you dry noodles and grilled chicken breast instead. There’s a process when it comes to development, and we’ve seen the highs of Antonio Gibson, something that you’d think will become more consistent as he enters his third year of playing the position full-time.

Right now, there are a lot of growing pains, but he’s still been able to produce at a high level. Eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing, catching 40 passes, and reaching double-digit scores is fantastic for a football team. But you’d like for him to be more efficient with his touches, you’d like him to improve as a pass-blocker, and more importantly, you NEED him to improve as it pertains to protecting the football.

It doesn’t matter how good Antonio Gibson is in terms of production, athleticism, and tools, if he’s unable to protect the football, there’s no point in committing to him long-term if you’re the Washington Football Team. Is there a chance that you might need to strip the foundation of his ball-carrying skills and re-work the process? Of course. That’s expected though, as he’s only been a full-time running back in his career once he came to the NFL.

The Washington Football Team shouldn’t worry about Antonio Gibson as we stand here today. In totality, he’s uber-talented and can do a lot of great things for you as an offense that wants to eat the time of possession battle week in and week out. But there are developments to be had, fine-tuning in his game to be emphasized as we conclude his sophomore season and enter his third year in the NFL for the Washington Football Team.