Poll: Which UFA RB Should Redskins Target?
Washington’s backfield corps absorbed a major blow Friday when news of Derrius Guice‘s ACL tear surfaced. The second-round pick had impressed during camp and was set to be a key part of the Redskins’ 2018 backfield.
Now, the Redskins are vulnerable here. Chris Thompson admitted he’s not fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered last season, leaving Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine as the team’s top two healthy running backs. Under the circumstances, it would seemingly behoove the Redskins to examine free agent options. Should they?
Washington holds $13MM-plus in cap space, so funding won’t be an issue here given the timing of this injury and the host of proven backs on the market. Of the players available, Orleans Darkwa has generated the most interest this offseason. The Giants’ 2017 rushing leader met with the Patriots in April, before undergoing surgery, and since recovering has met with the Bills, Jets and Colts. Each team passed, but Darkwa has just 276 carries on his NFL odometer. And he averaged 4.4 yards per tote despite running behind an injury-ravaged Giants offensive front.
Alfred Morris led the Redskins in rushing for four straight seasons, and he averaged 4.8 yards per handoff last season as the Cowboys’ primary starter during Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension. The former sixth-round Washington find is 29 and hasn’t generated much interest since his Cowboys contract expired, although he did visit the Jets recently.
Eddie Lacy‘s also fairly young, at 28, but he’s coming off a brutal Seahawks season. After providing per-carry averages north of 4.0 in each of his four Packers seasons, Lacy averaged just 2.6 yards per run for the Seahawks. Branden Oliver has not been as successful on a per-rush basis, holding a career average of 3.4, but he totaled 853 yards from scrimmage as a seven-game starter as a rookie in 2014. Oliver also drew interest from the Bills this summer.
What about the market’s old guard? Adrian Peterson is obviously the first name that comes to mind, and the future Hall of Famer maintains he would like to play a 12th season. Peterson said he’s now healthy and has recovered from the neck injury that ended his 2017 season. While the three-time rushing champion’s best days are behind him, he amassed two 130-plus-yard games with the Cardinals, doing so despite being a midseason acquisition.
Jamaal Charles, 31, made it through last season healthy after extensive knee trouble plagued him in 2015 and 2016, but the Broncos took him out of their rotation. Nevertheless, the two-time All-Pro led Denver backs by averaging 4.3 yards per carry (albeit on just 69 handoffs). DeMarco Murray retired, but he made it clear shortly before that announcement he was interested in playing this season. Could this situation lure the 2014 offensive player of the year out of retirement?
However, the Redskins also have former Broncos backup Kapri Bibbs and third-year UDFA Byron Marshall. Should they bypass the market and go with a cast fronted by Kelley and Perine?
Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section!
Which free agent running back should the Redskins sign?
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DeMarco Murray 25% (379)
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Adrian Peterson 21% (318)
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Alfred Morris 21% (311)
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Orleans Darkwa 15% (224)
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Jamaal Charles 9% (142)
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Eddie Lacy 5% (81)
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Other (specify in comments) 2% (30)
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Branden Oliver 1% (20)
Total votes: 1,505
Redskins RB Derrius Guice Tears ACL
Redskins rookie running back Derrius Guice tore his ACL, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). An ACL tear is an automatic season-ender, so the Redskins will be placing Guice on injured reserve in the coming days. Same goes for tight end Manasseh Garner, who also suffered an ACL tear in Thursday night’s exhibition game against the Patriots. 
It was initially believed that Guice had suffered an MCL sprain, but further tests revealed a much more serious issue. It’s a crushing injury for Guice, who was in line to be the club’s top rusher this year. Considered by some the second-best back in this year’s draft, the LSU product fell largely because of character concerns. However, Guice averaged 7.6 yards per carry in 2016 on nearly 200 attempts and the Redskins were thrilled to land him late in the second round.
The good news here – if there is any – is that the Redskins boast a deep group at running back. Pass-catching specialist Chris Thompson figures to be an integral part of the offense, and the Redskins can draw from a group of more traditional runners including Rob Kelley, Byron Marshall, Kapri Bibbs, and Samaje Perine. Perine was believed to be a trade candidate, but the Oklahoma product may have better odds of making the roster in the wake of Guice’s injury.
If the Redskins feel the need to look for outside help, they could turn to a free agent market that still includes the likes of Orleans Darkwa, Alfred Morris, Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy, Branden Oliver, and Andre Ellington. DeMarco Murray may also be an option, if the Redskins can lure him out of his recent retirement.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/18
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Sterling Bailey
- Waived: DT Ashaad Mabry
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: RB Akeem Judd
- Placed on injured reserve: LB C.J. Johnson
- Waived: G Ethan Cooper
Kansas City Chiefs
- Claimed off waivers: G Ethan Cooper
- Waived with left squad designation: C Jack Allen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: T Jarron Jones
- Waived: K Trevor Moore
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Brandon Chubb, TE Jerome Cunningham
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Nate Palmer
- Waived: TE Phillip Supernaw
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Cassanova McKinzy, DL Dante Sawyer
- Waived/injured: DL Tavaris Barnes, LB Alex McCalister
Redskins' Perine On Trade Block?
Redskins running back Samaje Perine could be a trade candidate, as ESPN.com’s John Keim writes. The Redskins have a surplus of running backs, with Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson as their lead rushers. Rob Kelley was once thought to be on the bubble, but coaches say that he looks quicker this summer than he has in previous years. The Redskins also seem to be eyeing Byron Marshall or Kapri Bibbs as their third-down back, which could leave Perine as the odd man out.
The Oklahoma product drew a great deal of attention in the 2017 draft, so other teams could be interested in giving him a shot. The Redskins, meanwhile, could net a future draft choice for him if they are comfortable enough with the rest of the group.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Within the aforementioned piece, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus suggests that Eagles cornerback Rasul Douglas could wind up on the block. There hasn’t been a ton of talk about Douglas being traded, but the Eagles have plenty of cornerback options and could afford to part with Douglas for the right offer. The former third-round choice out of West Virginia offers good size with his 6’2″, 209-pound frame and could hold some appeal for other clubs. McManus notes that the Eagles also could deal from their surplus receivers and offensive linemen.
- On Monday, we heard conflicting reports regarding the negotiations between Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants. One report indicated that the Giants are offering OBJ less than Sammy Watkins‘ average annual value of $16MM/year. Later, we heard that the Giants are willing to make OBJ the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. The discrepancy likely comes from different interpretations of the same offer, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. In an unusual role reversal, it seems that the team is evaluating the offer based on the new money average, while the player’s agent is going off of the cumulative average, which includes Beckham’s 2018 salary of $8.49MM. In theory, the Giants’ offer to Beckham could be a five-year, $85.5MM deal, which would give him a league-leading $17.1MM new money average. However, if the 2018 salary is included, that would give him an average of $15.659MM. Reading between the lines, it sounds as though OBJ’s team could be looking to top Antonio Brown‘s AAV including the current year, which would be a very lofty goal.
Examining Josh Norman's Future In DC
Although Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz wasn’t placed on the physically unable to perform list to start training camp, Philadelphia’s plan for its signal-caller — who tore his ACL in December — isn’t exactly clear, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer details. Wentz participated in last Sunday’s workout in a limited fashion, and then wasn’t involved in on-field activities for the remainder of the week. Although both Wentz and the Eagles have maintained the third-year pro hasn’t suffered any setbacks, Philadelphia will need to balance its attempts to get Wentz ready with the requirement of preparing backup Nick Foles in the event Wentz isn’t ready for Week 1.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Cornerback Josh Norman‘s future with the Redskins hinges on a number of factors, as John Keim of ESPN.com explains in his latest mailbag. Washington had added depth to its defensive backfield recently, and if Quinton Dunbar or 2017 third-rounder Fabian Moreau proves capable of starting this season, the Redskins could move on from Norman, who inked a five-year, $75MM deal in 2016. Financials, then, play another role in Norman’s fate in the nation’s capital. After counting for a massive $20MM on the Redskins’ salary cap in 2017, Norman’s charge will decrease to roughly $17MM this year and $14,5MM in 2019. Washington would save $8.5MM by cutting Norman before June of 2019, and $11.5MM by designating him a post-June 1 release.
- Tavon Austin has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Cowboys since he was acquired via trade during the draft, but there’s one area of his game that hasn’t yet been utilized. “All the things you see me doing out here is pretty much what I’ll be doing,” Austin said, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I ain’t touched the backfield yet, but hopefully, eventually if they need me back there, I’ll be back there too.” Dallas picked up Austin, a disappointing former first-round pick, from Los Angeles in exchange for a sixth-round pick, and he’s now expected to be the club’s primary punt returner.
- The Giants are experimenting by using longtime cornerback William Gay at safety, writes Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. Gay, who spent most of his time at corner over an 11-year career mostly spent in Pittsburgh, would give New York another option alongside Landon Collins and Darian Thompson. Gay, 33, saw a bit of action as a linebacker/safety with the Steelers, and also has experience in the slot, so a move to safety shouldn’t be all too challenging.
Josh Doctson Doesn't Need Heel Drained
The Vikings now have three of their four major offseason extension candidates signed long-term, with Anthony Barr being the only member of the contract-year quartet (Barr/Stefon Diggs/Eric Kendricks/Danielle Hunter) still attached to a rookie contract. Diggs was the latest to sign, and some details of that five-year, $72MM extension have emerged. Of the $40MM in guarantees, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports (on Twitter) that only Diggs’ $15MM signing bonus and $1.9MM 2018 base salary are fully guaranteed at signing. The remainder of the wide receiver’s guaranteed money will depend on his roster status.
If Diggs is on the Vikings’ roster by the third day of the 2019 league year, all of his $8.9MM 2019 base becomes guaranteed. The same structure exists for the 2020 and ’21 league years, with Goessling reporting Diggs’ 2020 base of $10.9MM becomes fully guaranteed on Day 3 of that league year and $3.3MM of his $10.9MM 2021 salary will be guaranteed if he’s with the Vikes on Day 3 of that league year.
Here’s the latest from some teams’ pass-catching situations, shifting to more contract talk.
- Eric Decker‘s one-year Patriots agreement comes in at just shy of $2MM. The former Broncos, Jets and Titans wideout signed for $1.9MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). He has a chance to earn up to $2.5MM, per Rapoport, via incentives tied to his reception count. Decker suited up in Patriots gear for the first time Saturday. Now 31, Decker is entering his ninth season.
- While Emmanuel Sanders has yet to relinquish his status as the Broncos’ No. 2 wide receiver — a role he inherited from Decker in 2014 — the team looks to have found a No. 3 target at long last. Having failed to find a capable cog for that job since Wes Welker‘s exit, the Broncos appear to be zeroing in on Courtland Sutton as their No. 3 receiver, Lindsay Jones of USA Today writes. The SMU product’s drawn rave reviews throughout Broncos camp, and Jones notes the second-rounder’s all but locked up the WR3 job going into preseason play. Fourth-round pick DaeSean Hamilton, viewed as a superior route-runner than the 6-foot-3 Sutton, is expected to play a role as well. But Sutton will likely start out as Denver’s third option. The rookies’ work will be interesting, given the non-guaranteed contract-year salaries for the Broncos’ longtime starting wideouts in 2019.
- Josh Doctson has suffered another injury, a shoulder setback, but contrary to a previous assessment, the Redskins target won’t be out too long. NBC Sports Washington’s Brian Mitchell, a longtime Redskins return man, said Doctson also needed to have his heel drained earlier this week. Jay Gruden, though, refuted that. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a heel being drained,” Gruden said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “So I don’t know where that came from. That is not true, but he’s going to do a little something out here today. We’ll see. I’d be surprised if he went full-go, but he did not have his heel drained.” Doctson has struggled to stay healthy during his NFL career. The 2016 first-rounder missed all of his rookie year because of Achilles trouble and encountered hamstring issues last year.
Redskins Notes: Smith, Thompson
Linebacker Preston Smith is slated to be a free agent after the season, but the Redskins have yet to approach him about a new deal (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com). The Redskins have hammered out pre-season extensions with key players in the past such as Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan, and Jordan Reed, but Smith is still waiting on that call. For what it’s worth, Smith says he’s staying patient.
“You play good; they’re going to pay good,” said Smith, who matched a career-high with eight sacks last season.
If Smith is not signed to a new deal and can offer a repeat performance, he could be in store for riches in March. For now, the former second-round pick is set to play out the final year of his contract as he earns a modest $1.2MM base salary.
Here’s more from D.C.:
- Redskins running back Chris Thompson says he likely won’t be fully recovered from his broken fibula until November (Twitter link via Keim). Thompson has had a handful of surgeries in his career, but he says that this has been his most challenging recovery to date. Thompson suffered the broken leg last November, so he’s looking at a full year before being back to 100%. It’s a frustrating situation for Thompson, who was in the midst of a breakout campaign before being sidelined in 2017. Heading into Week 11, Thompson had posted 771 yards from scrimmage, a total that had already topped his previous career high, and was averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He was even more effective in the passing game, where he recorded 38 receptions for 494 yards.
- Recently, the Redskins extended the contract of backup quarterback Colt McCoy.
- On Wednesday, the Redskins added linebacker/defensive end Dadi Nicolas to the roster.
Redskins Sign LB/DE Dadi Nicolas
The Redskins have signed linebacker/defensive end Dadi Nicolas, according to a team announcement. To make room, the team has waived offensive lineman Alex Balducci. 
Nicolas, 26 in September, joined the Chiefs as a sixth-round pick in 2016, and the Chiefs soon announced their intention to move him from defensive end to linebacker. The position switch never quite off the ground, however, as Nicolas appeared sparingly in eleven games during his rookie campaign before a ruptured patellar ended his season. He hasn’t seen the field since.
The Chiefs actually completed a trade involving Nicolas earlier this year, sending him to the Browns in exchange for tight end Randall Telfer. That deal was later voided, however, and though no specific reason was given, failed physicals are known to regularly cancel transactions. Kansas City subsequently waived him, leading him to the Seahawks in May. However, he was released one month later.
At 6″3, 225 pounds, Nicolas could see time at either linebacker or defensive end for the Redskins, if he makes the roster. The Redskins edge rushing crew is headlined by Matthew Ioannidis, Jonathan Allen, Ryan Kerrigan, and Preston Smith. Nicolas will fight for a spot in reserve, alongside new outside linebacker Pernell McPhee.
Redskins' Gruden OK With Pressure
Expectations are high for the Redskins this year, but that doesn’t bother head coach Jay Gruden.
“I felt pressure the moment I signed the contract,” Gruden said (via John Keim of ESPN.com). “That’s the way it is here in D.C. Everyone expects a winner. I know Mr. Snyder does and Bruce [Allen], the whole city and the fans. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to this without winning a playoff game. I understand the expectations are high. We’ve put ourselves in position that it should be high, given the talent on this team.”
In Gruden’s opinion, this year’s Redskins roster is the club’s most talented since he was hired in 2014. Indeed, the Redskins do have more depth on the defensive line and at running back than they’ve had in years past, but the quarterback position remains a question mark for most. The Redskins believe that Alex Smith is an upgrade over Kirk Cousins, but plenty of people in the football world disagree with that notion.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles‘ toughest roster decisions will be at running back, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com writes. Donnel Pumphrey, Matt Jones, Josh Adams, and Wendell Smallwood are likely competing for two roster spots and each player brings something unique to the table. Meanwhile, both Pumphrey and Jones have worked hard to improve their pass-catching ability. If they continue to make strides as receivers, they could both have an edge heading into September.
- The Cowboys worked out wide receiver Ricky Jeune on Tuesday, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Jeune, who previously spent time with the Rams, could add to the club’s depth in the wake of Cedrick Wilson’s shoulder injury.
- Recently, former agent Joel Corry gave his thoughts on what an extension for Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. might look like.
Redskins Sign QB Colt McCoy To Extension
The Redskins have extended quarterback Colt McCoy through the 2019 season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the organization has signed the 31-year-old to a one-year extension that can be worth up to $7MM.
In a follow-up tweet, Rapoport notes that McCoy could still have the ability to hit free agency next summer. The deal contains a “void and buyback provision,” and if the quarterback hits the “void criteria,” the organization will have the ability to buyback for six different amounts, each of which is based on playing time and performance. McCoy it set to earn a $2.8MM base salary in what would have been the final season of his contract in 2018. He originally inked a three-year, $9MM extension with the organization back in 2016.
After spending the first four years of his career with the Browns and 49ers, the 2010 third-round has found a home in Washington. The quarterback has spent the past four seasons with the Redskins, including a 2015 campaign where he completed 71.1-percent of his passes for 1,057 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions in five games (four starts). However, McCoy slid into a backup role following the emergence of Kirk Cousins, and he’s only appeared in a single regular season game over the past two seasons.
It will likely be more of the same for McCoy in 2018. While Cousins is gone, the team added veteran signal-caller Alex Smith this past offseason. McCoy will likely serve as Smith’s backup, with Kevin Hogan rounding out the depth chart.