The Washington Commanders officially have organized team activities in the rearview mirror. It's been a productive phase of preparations for the new campaign, with the tempo high in practice and the players quickly showing fierce resolve as they look to bounce back.
It's just a small part of the process, but an important one nonetheless. It's also raised a question that nobody expected so early.
The Commanders needed more in their running back room. This became more glaring when Chris Rodriguez Jr. left for the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, and offensive coordinator David Blough made no secret of this fact. Fortunately, general manager Adam Peters agreed, and the measures were taken to revamp the backfield unit alongside quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Commanders have a nice problem brewing at the running back position
Just how these new pieces will mesh is another matter.
Most envisage a committee approach. Several caught the eye impressively at OTAs. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was forced to sit out as the Commanders carefully manage a minor injury, but there is absolutely no need for fans to panic at this early juncture.
Without Croskey-Merritt watching from the sidelines, free-agent signing Rachaad White has taken center stage. His speed and pass-catching prowess were notable, which indicates an important role could be on the way as he looks to rekindle his college chemistry with Daniels. Jerome Ford has also impressed, and sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen is setting out his stall through powerful running and an instant intent to give the veterans plenty to think about.
If the same trend continues when things get tougher over the summer, the Commanders have a big decision to make. It'll probably be a committee approach, but keeping everyone happy will be difficult. Blough will do what's right for the team while keeping everyone fresh, but there's no telling how things will look when Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles arrives.
It's a tricky conundrum. But in all honesty, it's a nice problem for the Commanders to have.
Peters wanted to raise competition this offseason. He accomplished this feat through aggressive free-agent moves and by finding value with his limited draft assets. This is no more evident than in the running back room, where the stakes have been raised exponentially.
Based on initial impressions, the trio of Croskey-Merritt, White, and Allen could be preferred. Their respective skills complement each other very well. They all offer something different, and behind a stable offensive line, each could put up decent numbers. Given how effective Daniels is at taking off when things aren't developing as expected downfield, this might be all Washington needs.
Strength in numbers is a growing trend in running back rooms around the league. It's early days, but it seems as if the Commanders now have it.
Just how the pieces will come together is the big question nobody knows the answer to right now.
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