As if things weren't bad enough for the Washington Commanders right now. They are on a three-game losing run and potentially dealing with an injury crisis in their running back room to further complicate matters.
Brian Robinson Jr. rolled his ankle on the first play against the Dallas Cowboys. He was able to come back into the game, but something was missing. His status moving forward is in doubt, so keeping an eye on his progress throughout the week will provide a broader indication of the former third-round selection's recovery.
Veteran dual-threat Austin Ekeler was involved in a scary incident late in the game, suffering a violent hit on a kick return that left him motionless initially. Although the initial prognosis was positive, the Colorado State product is in the NFL's concussion protocol and might not feature before or after the bye week.
If Robinson and Ekeler are unavailable, the Commanders must have a sufficient contingency plan in place. General manager Adam Peters will react accordingly. But the team cannot go into a crucial Week 13 clash versus the Tennessee Titans with only Jeremy McNichols to depend upon.
With this in mind, here are five running backs the Commanders could sign amid their potential injury crisis at the position.
Running backs the Commanders could sign amid potential injury crisis
Commanders could sign Chris Rodriguez Jr.
This seems like the most obvious candidate.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. was released recently to make way for returning edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste. If the prognosis surrounding Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler demands another transaction, the former sixth-round selection could return to the fold.
Rodriguez ran well during his only legitimate taste of regular-season action in Washington. He gained 52 rushing yards from 11 carries at the New York Giants. The Kentucky product also knows Kliff Kingsbury's schematic demands well enough to step in at a moment's notice to make a lasting contribution.
Having this familiarity can only help the Commanders. It takes time for new additions to hit their stride. Washington would need immediate assistance if Robinson and Ekeler cannot go.
Nobody will be expecting miracles from Rodriguez. However, he's a physical runner capable of gaining yards methodically. That's all the Commanders are probably looking for until their backfield starting duo are healthy enough to participate.
At the very least, Rodriguez could come back as a contingency plan. That seems like the smartest course of action right now, but much will depend on how Robinson and Ekeler progress throughout the week.
Commanders could sign Jerick McKinnon
If the Washington Commanders decide on something bolder to give them a fresh spark down the stretch, an outside influence will be considered by general manager Adam Peters. Options are thin on the ground at this stage of the campaign. Jerick McKinnon is arguably the best remaining option on the market right now.
McKinnon didn't get another look with the Kansas City Chiefs this season. That was enough for others to also look the other way, which seems strange when one considers his decent dual-threat output when called upon throughout his career.
The former third-round pick accumulated 4,698 all-purpose yards and 34 combined touchdowns in eight seasons. McKinnon is no spring chicken at 32 years old and hasn't played in 2024. Conditioning would be the biggest question mark, but the player is experienced enough to step into the breach if the Commanders are forced to move forward without Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.
This seems like a long shot all things considered. However, the benefits of having someone experienced who's won two Super Bowls would be immense with the Commanders' postseason fortunes hanging by a thread.
Commanders could sign Jermar Jefferson
- Detroit Lions practice squad
The Commanders could also sign someone to their active roster from a practice squad elsewhere around the league. This would be a last resort of sorts for general manager Adam Peters, but something he'll contemplate depending on the respective statuses of Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.
Jermar Jefferson is currently on the Detroit Lions practice squad. He was a highly productive backfield threat during his time in college at Oregon State, gaining 2,923 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns in three years with the Beavers en route to becoming a seventh-round pick.
The last and only time Jefferson's been involved competitively in an NFL setting came during the 2021 campaign, where he gained an encouraging 4.9 yards per carry. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery as the established starting tandem, which makes things difficult for anyone else looking to establish themselves.
This would be a shot in the dark considering Jefferson's lack of involvement. He'll be fresh and at prime fitness levels, so there are far worse options the Commanders can explore if those in power are forced to seek alternatives.
Commanders could sign Myles Gaskin
- Minnesota Vikings practice squad
It looked like a profitable career could be in the offing for Myles Gaskin once upon a time. The running back performed encouraging for the Miami Dolphins from 2020-21. Unfortunately, injuries meant his time with the franchise fell short after that and he's bounced around the league ever since.
Gaskin is currently on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. He's featured a couple of times on the active roster, gaining three carries throughout the season to date. Not exactly the best production to examine, but the Washington Commanders are beggars who cannot be choosers if Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler miss extended time.
What Gaskin has is tremendous on-field vision. Everything has to be spot-on around the backfield threat these days, but there is enough burst and patience in his running style to come under consideration. He'll also be highly motivated to make an impact and help the Commanders on their postseason quest in this scenario.
Much like Jermar Jefferson, the chances of Washington identifying Gaskin as a primary target are slim. But if they do go down the practice squad route, he could be the most intriguing possibility.
Commanders could sign Michael Wiley to active roster
Aside from re-signing Chris Rodriguez Jr. and throwing him into the fire once again, elevating Michael Wiley from the practice squad and bringing him onto the active roster seems like the most realistic avenue of pursuit. After all, continuity is everything at this stage of the campaign for a team entering a fine-margin predicament.
Wiley caught the eye throughout Washington's offseason program after signing as an undrafted free agent. The explosive presence carried this on during his preseason involvement, which led many to believe he'd be taken through onto the 53-man roster following his outstanding efforts.
The Commanders went with experience and took Jeremy McNichols through instead. They thought enough of Wiley to keep him around on the practice squad to continue his development. There would be no better time to see how he's progressing if Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are unable to participate.
Hopefully, Robinson and Ekeler won't be out for too long. But the Commanders better have some options lined up to avoid their hard work in the campaign fading into the abyss.