Last week we took a look at Kirk Cousins and the quarterback position. Let’s now dive deeper into the running back position.
The past few years’ the Skins have heavily leaned on Alfred Morris, the diamond in the rough they found in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. Alf went on to rush for over 1,600 yards and score 13 touchdowns in his rookie year when they made the playoffs. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in three of his four years with the team.
Will any of the backs on their roster this season emerge in the preseason and cement themselves as a top weapon in the Redskins offense similar to what Alf did? Who is going to step up and fill the void that Morris left?
Currently number one of the depth chart is Matt Jones, the second year player from Florida. He only totaled 490 yards on the ground in his rookie campaign but he had some solid games and showed the coaching staff that he can handle a workload. In week two he exploded and had 123 rushing yards highlighted by this touchdown run.
Jones was also able to catch 19 of his 25 targets in the air and put up a total of 300 receiving yards. By the end of the year he had compiled 144 carries but only averaged 3.4 yards per attempt. This was one of the worst ratios in the league. In comparison, Steelers running back Le’veon Bell averaged more yards after contact than Matt Jones averaged yards per carry. These are the metrics that concern NFL observers. The front office does not agree with these notions as illustrated this offseason. “Matt Jones is gonna have a heckuva year,” McCloughan promised. “Matt, I think, is going to step up and have a really good year. A really good year. I mean, shock people.”
Matt Jones will begin the season as the primary back. It will be his job to lose and if he plays like he did during the first half of last season, they will have a serviceable running back.
Jones split time as the backup with Chris Thompson last season. The Redskins used a fifth round pick in 2013 to select Chris Thompson from Florida State. They were hoping to find magic in a bottle like they did with Alfred Morris, but this was not the case. He was on special teams during the first few games and then was eventually placed on IR after tearing his labrum. 2014 was another unproductive year for Thompson as he was on and off the roster.
Thompson is a different type of running back. He is small (5’8’’ and under 200 lbs) and shifty with great hands. In an ideal world he is a Darren Sproles type running back and can be an asset in multiple facets of the game. Even in his fantastic rookie season when he set the record for most rushing yards in a single season by a Redskin, Alfred Morris still he still had one glaring flaw. He was never a threat in the passing game and only caught 47 balls in his 64 game career with the team. This is where Chris Thompson stepped in and perfectly complimented Morris last season. Thompson was also very effective in the hurry up offense in blocking situations and could be the safety valve option for Cousins.
Keith Marshall, the rookie from The University of Georgia has blazing speed. He ran a 4.31 official 40-yard dash at the combine, which was the quickest of all running backs in attendance.
Marshall was an interesting prospect coming into the draft. He is extremely explosive and talented but only started two games in his college career due to injuries and competition on the roster. He played along side Todd Gurley, the former first round draft pick and 2015 rookie of the year. He has good size and great speed for an NFL runner and should be a nice addition to the Skins backfield. He had a rough start to training camp and had a hamstring issue, but has looked better in recent days. “But out here, in the last week, he’s a one cut guy, and when he puts his foot in the ground, he can fly. He’s 220 and he can fly. Keith’s done a really good job,” McCloughan said. “A really good job.”
Whether Gruden officially says it or not, Marshall figures to be the backup behind Jones, but will get his chances in the thin backfield. Washington GM Scot McCloughan did not rule out the possibility of bringing in a veteran RB to play behind Jones. Matt Jones is only entering his sophomore campaign and they are very young at the position. They have a few other young running backs on the roster who will continue to fight for more reps throughout the rest of training camp:
Mack Brown, 1 Yr Experience, Florida
Joe Kerridge, Rookie, Michigan
Robert Kelley, Rookie, Tulane,
Kelsey Young, Rookie, Boise State
It does not look like the Redskins will have a prolific running game, but it is essential that it is at least serviceable to keep the defense honest and to open up play action.
Thompson will be in on the majority of third downs and will not make the highlight touchdown plays, but will get the job done.
I think the Rook can provide them with the spark they need and hit a few home run plays. Don’t be surprised if Gruden sticks with the hot hand and Marshall sees the field more than Jones for a few games.
