Did the Washington Commanders send running back Antonio Gibson a warning on Tuesday?
Washington coaches had Gibson practicing with the first, second, and third teams on Tuesday. He also took reps on special teams. It was the same usage as rookie Brian Robinson Jr.
Do we have a situation here?
Gibson entered the offseason as the No. 1 running back, with J.D. McKissic receiving plenty of reps as Washington’s receiving back. Robinson was always going to figure into the mix, likely in goal-line situations.
However, Gibson’s fumble in the preseason opener, coupled with Robinson’s performance, may have changed the dynamic. Remember, Gibson fumbled six times last season. There was hope the fumbling issues were a thing of the past, but it remains an issue.
Washington offensive coordinator Scott Turner was asked about Gibson’s fumble after Tuesday’s practice.
“That’s one of the first things that we talk about when we get together as an offense when training camp started is protect the football,” Turner said. “We can’t waste possessions, and obviously, if you fumble the ball, that’s a waste of a possession. That’s a ball carrier’s first job, to protect the ball. We can’t have that.”
It didn’t help that Gibson’s fumble occurred deep in Washington territory and led to a relatively easy Carolina touchdown.
After Saturday’s game, Gibson spoke of the fumble, taking accountability and stressing how he needs to fix it.
As for Gibson working with the third team and on special teams, head coach Ron Rivera downplayed it when asked if there was a competition for the No. 1 job.
“There’s always been a competition for the positions on this team,” Rivera said.
Make no mistake, Washington’s coaches sent Gibson a clear message Tuesday. The team loves Gibson, but the presence of Robinson gives them an option if Gibson’s fumbling issues remain. That’s not an option Washington had last season.
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