The Washington Redskins will be dealing with a number of new things in 2020. Whether that be new players, new coaches, or new schemes, everything will be a bit fresh for the majority of players on the roster, and the coaches will have to manage that newness while they try to navigate an uncertain offseason.
This is one of the reasons Washington made a point to focus on veteran players who they have some familiarity with this offseason. Players like Kendall Fuller, Thomas Davis, and Kyle Allen. Players that they won’t have to hold the hand of through every step of the learning period.
Another player that could be fit into this category is running back JD McKissic. The Redskins added the four-year pro to their deep stable of running backs, hoping he can compete for a share of the workload and find his way into offensive success. Lucky for McKissic, he has a leg up on other players on the depth chart, seeing as he is the lead pass-catching back on the roster. The others are capable, but McKissic is proficient, and that matters in Scott Turner’s new offense.
Think about Christian McCaffery, who had over 1,000 yards receiving and four touchdowns in 2019 alone. He was operating in Turner’s system — a system that is now in Washington, looking for a pass-catching back to shoulder some of the load. McKissic is a great candidate, seeing as he played wide receiver at Arkansas state in college. While his size forced him to transition into a scat-back role in the NFL, that doesn’t change his mindset.
“I will always feel like I’m a receiver just because I’ve done it my whole life,” he said, via NBC Sports Washington. “I never want to lose my receiver ability. I feel like it’s kept me in the league to do something different. That’s what sets me apart from a lot of other guys.”
It will have the chance to set him apart in Washington as well. Turner’s offense excels with a pass-catching back on the roster, and outside of McKissic, there are few people to fill that role. Adrian Peterson is better used elsewhere; Derrius Guice proved able in 2019, though it’s too small of a sample size to glean anything from. Who knows if Bryce Love will be healthy, and Peyton Barber has never had more than 20 receptions per season in his career.
That leaves McKissic. In a highly-competitive battle for playing time, he has a way to set himself apart from the rest.
“I got to keep my route running up. I can’t let them forget that I was a wide receiver.”
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