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The Redskins depth at running back continues to get thinner and thinner by the week it seems. After injuries to Derrius Guice, Byron Marshall and Samaje Perine, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden announced Robert Kelley will miss at least one month with a toe injury and it may require surgery.
Gruden says Rob Kelley might need surgery for toe injury. He's out a month at least
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) September 17, 2018
Kelley was pegged the starting running back for much of the preseason until the arrival of Adrian Peterson, who was signed after the first string of injuries that claimed Guice, Marshall and Perine. Kelley slid to third running back on the depth chart behind Peterson and all-purpose back Chris Thompson. Through the first two games, Kelley was limited to four rushing attempts for eight yards.
The lost of Kelley is significant in many ways for the Redskins. In Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Washington’s running backs were held to 22 yards on 16 carries. While Peterson is still the starter and Thompson still the third-down back, any chance of Gruden changing the rotation or distribution of carries is now gone.
The Redskins still have Perine on the active 53-man roster. Perine was inactive for each of the first two games of the season after sliding down the depth chart as he returned from an ankle injury. Both Marshall and Guice are on injured reserved although Marshall is expected to be eligible to return later this season.
Meanwhile this is Kelley’s latest injury, he was limited to seven games last season after dealing with an MCL sprain and high ankle sprain. He worked back to be ready for the start of training camp losing over 10 pounds in effort to be in the best shape and make the roster. Unfortunately, now that progress is halted more as he is expected to miss one month with a toe injury.
