Matt Jones - RB

[riggofan]

Well, we didn't draft a RB in the first three rounds, and didn't sign a running back in FA yet. Not too surprising that Matt Jones is looking like an every down back now.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

Well, we didn't draft a RB in the first three rounds, and didn't sign a running back in FA yet. Not too surprising that Matt Jones is looking like an every down back now.

By force, not necessarily by choice. His primary backup at the moment is Chris Thompson.

[riggofan]

hah. My point exactly. And I know why you're calling the kid from Tulane to make the roster!

I actually think Jones will be fine in his second year. I'm more concerned about whether he can go the entire year and stay healthy as the primary guy. Hopefully McCloughan found one of this under the radar guys in Keith Marshall.

[Deadskins]

hah. My point exactly. And I know why you're calling the kid from Tulane to make the roster!

I actually think Jones will be fine in his second year. I'm more concerned about whether he can go the entire year and stay healthy as the primary guy. Hopefully McCloughan found one of this under the radar guys in Keith Marshall.

I think Marshall will be used as more of a change-of-pace 3rd down back.

[riggofan]

hah. My point exactly. And I know why you're calling the kid from Tulane to make the roster!

I actually think Jones will be fine in his second year. I'm more concerned about whether he can go the entire year and stay healthy as the primary guy. Hopefully McCloughan found one of this under the radar guys in Keith Marshall.

I think Marshall will be used as more of a change-of-pace 3rd down back.

Isn't that Chris Thompson's job?

I know Marshall is fast but he's also 5'11" 220 lbs vs. Thompson's 5'8" 203 lbs. Marshall seems to compare more to Alfred Morris physically.

[Deadskins]

hah. My point exactly. And I know why you're calling the kid from Tulane to make the roster!

I actually think Jones will be fine in his second year. I'm more concerned about whether he can go the entire year and stay healthy as the primary guy. Hopefully McCloughan found one of this under the radar guys in Keith Marshall.

I think Marshall will be used as more of a change-of-pace 3rd down back.

Isn't that Chris Thompson's job?

I know Marshall is fast but he's also 5'11" 220 lbs vs. Thompson's 5'8" 203 lbs. Marshall seems to compare more to Alfred Morris physically.

True, but with his knee issue, they probably don't want to overwork him on the early downs.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

It doesn't make a ton of sense for the team to keep Thompson (a Shanahan holdover) and Marshall (a McCloughan pick) when Thompson has never carried the ball more than 35 times in a season. You know what you're getting with Thompson, which isn't much. He simply cannot be the primary backup. Nor can any rookie be expected to be the fallback option. Expect the team to call Pierre Thomas. Or pick up a veteran off the waiver wire.

We know the team will keep all of Scot McCloughan's picks. Therefore we know the team will keep Jones and Marshall. We know the team will keep two each each type of back, two power and two speed, a primary and a backup. We know the prototype Scot McCloughan likes in a back. 6'0" and 220lbs. Give or take an inch and five pounds. We know which back does not fit this mold. Thompson is 5'7" and 190lbs. Not 5.8" and 200+. We know Rob Kelley would have been a high round draft selection had he not had the legal issue and sat out his senior season. We know speed cannot be coached. We know players on the practice squad are available to other teams.

Without trying to sound like a broken record here there is a snowball's chance in hell Chris Thompson is the primary backup on opening day. I doubt he's even on the roster unless they keep five backs.

[riggofan]

I pretty much agree with what you're saying. You can't really say though that no rookie can be expected to be the fallback option. Jones was just that last year. And of course Alf Morris went right to the head of the line as a rookie.

Its possible we could see Jones, Marshall as his backup, and Thompson as the third down, change of pace guy. But seems like that scenario would be making big assumptions about Marshall. I expect to see Pierre Thomas back at some point too.

[oj]

Some good analysis and points I hadn't considered, good stuff.
When Helu left he created an empty spot that we really haven't filled. Thompsons' ok, he just isn't all the way there.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

I pretty much agree with what you're saying. You can't really say though that no rookie can be expected to be the fallback option. Jones was just that last year. And of course Alf Morris went right to the head of the line as a rookie.

Its possible we could see Jones, Marshall as his backup, and Thompson as the third down, change of pace guy. But seems like that scenario would be making big assumptions about Marshall. I expect to see Pierre Thomas back at some point too.

The situations were a bit different. Morris was a proven starter and Jones was a 3rd round pick. Now Jones is a 3rd round starter who has never carried the ball more than 19 times in a single game. He's backed up by a situational back who has never carried the ball more than 7 times in a game. And ostensibly two rookies who have never taken a meaningful NFL snap. I can't read minds but it seems unfathomable McCloughan and Gruden are comfortable with the running back situation.

[riggofan]

I pretty much agree with what you're saying. You can't really say though that no rookie can be expected to be the fallback option. Jones was just that last year. And of course Alf Morris went right to the head of the line as a rookie.

Its possible we could see Jones, Marshall as his backup, and Thompson as the third down, change of pace guy. But seems like that scenario would be making big assumptions about Marshall. I expect to see Pierre Thomas back at some point too.

The situations were a bit different. Morris was a proven starter and Jones was a 3rd round pick. Now Jones is a 3rd round starter who has never carried the ball more than 19 times in a single game. He's backed up by a situational back who has never carried the ball more than 7 times in a game. And ostensibly two rookies who have never taken a meaningful NFL snap. I can't read minds but it seems unfathomable McCloughan and Gruden are comfortable with the running back situation.

Nah, I wouldn't think so. McCloughan has done well in biding his time to fill some of these spots with veteran guys. I think he'll be patient and bring in a reliable veteran on the cheap at some point.

[DEHog]

^^ Agreed lots of FA RB's out there...

Arian Foster
Joique Bell
Toby Gerhart
Reggie Bush
Anthony Dixon
Chris Polk
Bernard Pierce
Fred Jackson
Ahmad Bradshaw
Cierre Wood
Dan Herron
Pierre Thomas
Bryce Brown
Kendall Hunter
Terrence Magee
Steven Jackson
Ross Scheuerman
Ben Malena
Marion Grice
Robert Hughes
Cameron Marshall
Christian Powell
Michael Hill
Vick Ballard
Kevin Monangai

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

^^ Agreed lots of FA RB's out there...

Arian Foster
Joique Bell
Toby Gerhart
Reggie Bush
Anthony Dixon
Chris Polk
Bernard Pierce
Fred Jackson
Ahmad Bradshaw
Cierre Wood
Dan Herron
Pierre Thomas
Bryce Brown
Kendall Hunter
Terrence Magee
Steven Jackson
Ross Scheuerman
Ben Malena
Marion Grice
Robert Hughes
Cameron Marshall
Christian Powell
Michael Hill
Vick Ballard
Kevin Monangai

Once they tell Andre Roberts to hit the bricks they should have plenty of cap to sign one of them. This is going to happen, right?

[RigAr4456]

I am new to this board and don't know how to properly quote from another's post, and so as I agree with B&G that Chris Thompson doesn't offer a lot to the Redskins when it comes to productive carries, we should all remember that he is a very good to excellent blocker in picking up the blitz. He isn't as aggressive and violent of a blocker as Portis was but he is still very good.

[DarthMonk]

I am new to this board and don't know how to properly quote from another's post, and so as I agree with B&G that Chris Thompson doesn't offer a lot to the Redskins when it comes to productive carries, we should all remember that he is a very good to excellent blocker in picking up the blitz. He isn't as aggressive and violent of a blocker as Portis was but he is still very good.

If you see a post you want to quote then hit the quote button above and to the right of the post and the text of the post will appear between the quote and unquote.

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Then you can paste stuff in there.

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After you finish reading this, hit the quote button above and to the right of this post then look at the gray screen. You'll see how it works.

[RigAr4456]

I am new to this board and don't know how to properly quote from another's post, and so as I agree with B&G that Chris Thompson doesn't offer a lot to the Redskins when it comes to productive carries, we should all remember that he is a very good to excellent blocker in picking up the blitz. He isn't as aggressive and violent of a blocker as Portis was but he is still very good.

If you see a post you want to quote then hit the quote button above and to the right of the post and the text of the post will appear between the quote and unquote.

You can also cut and paste sections of a post and enclose what you want to quote between the quote and unquote.

If you click the Quote tab when you are about to compose the quote and unquote appear with a cursor blinking between them.

Then you can paste stuff in there.

You can also type the quote and unquote commands.

For example, I am about to click the Quote tab. Here it goes.

stuff i might paste in here

After you finish reading this, hit the quote button above and to the right of this post then look at the gray screen. You'll see how it works.

Thanks Darth!

[Deadskins]

I am new to this board and don't know how to properly quote from another's post, and so as I agree with B&G that Chris Thompson doesn't offer a lot to the Redskins when it comes to productive carries, we should all remember that he is a very good to excellent blocker in picking up the blitz. He isn't as aggressive and violent of a blocker as Portis was but he is still very good.

If you see a post you want to quote then hit the quote button above and to the right of the post and the text of the post will appear between the quote and unquote.

You can also cut and paste sections of a post and enclose what you want to quote between the quote and unquote.

If you click the Quote tab when you are about to compose the quote and unquote appear with a cursor blinking between them.

Then you can paste stuff in there.

You can also type the quote and unquote commands.

For example, I am about to click the Quote tab. Here it goes.

stuff i might paste in here

After you finish reading this, hit the quote button above and to the right of this post then look at the gray screen. You'll see how it works.

If you highlight a section of text and hit the quote tab, it will put the quote and unquote around the highlighted text.

No need to paste.

[Irn-Bru]

hah. My point exactly. And I know why you're calling the kid from Tulane to make the roster!

I actually think Jones will be fine in his second year. I'm more concerned about whether he can go the entire year and stay healthy as the primary guy. Hopefully McCloughan found one of this under the radar guys in Keith Marshall.

I think Marshall will be used as more of a change-of-pace 3rd down back.

Isn't that Chris Thompson's job?

I know Marshall is fast but he's also 5'11" 220 lbs vs. Thompson's 5'8" 203 lbs. Marshall seems to compare more to Alfred Morris physically.

He's got Alfred Morris' size but Chris Thompson's speed. We'll have to wait and see about his ability to read the field and make cuts, and also whether he's recovered fully from his injuries, but physically the guy has the tools to be a monster in the pros.

[Countertrey]

Does anyone have a handle on Marshall's receiving skills? Obviously, with his speed and size (I have also seen some elusiveness in video) they will try to manufacture ways to get the ball to him in the open field...

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

Does anyone have a handle on Marshall's receiving skills? Obviously, with his speed and size (I have also seen some elusiveness in video) they will try to manufacture ways to get the ball to him in the open field...

They're practically non-existent from his collegiate numbers.

24-225-3 9.4 YPR

[DarthMonk]

Matt Jones is practicing with a football which emits a warning signal if he does not apply pressure to every key point.

After Jones fumbled five times in just 163 touches last year, the Redskins are pulling out all the stops to improve his ball security. "We’ve got all kinds of things that help him out," coach Jay Gruden said, "mainly focus on the ball not just when he’s in contact or in the line of scrimmage, but outside of contact where he had a lot of trouble last year."

Jones is expected to carry the load for Washington, but he will have to protect the ball better to retain the workhorse role. Jones is shaping up as a risk/reward RB2.

Source: CSN Mid-Atlantic Jun 7 - 9:20 AM