Former Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson is reuniting with his former head coach Jay Gruden. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Thompson is signing a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Thompson landing in Jacksonville with Gruden may come as no surprise. The two have have a strong relationship after spending six seasons together with the Redskins. The two have been joined to the hip.
In October, Thompson was brought to tears when it was evident that Gruden would be fired following a 0-5 start to the season.
Thompson flashed potential of a great change-of-pass option, but injuries throughout his NFL career hampered his progress. He was ascending in 2017 after a breakout season in 2016, Thompson was on path for a career-year with 804 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. However, he suffered a broken fibula that cut his season short at 10 games.
Thompson struggled the next two seasons with more injuries, limiting him to 21 total games between 2018 and 2019. His contract expired at the end of last season. The Redskins decided to go in another direction by signing JD McKissic as free agency started.
Meanwhile, Gruden will be entering his first season as the Jaguars offensive coordinator, a position he previously held with the Cincinnati Bengals before he was hired as the Redskins’ head coach in 2014.
Thompson’s skill sets in pass protection and receiving makes him an ideal fit for Gruden, who favors smaller and faster running backs who can produce in single-back sets. He will give Gruden options in packages at running back.
The Jaguars were rumored to be looking to trade Leonard Fournette. If he remains on the team, Thompson could be a good mix with power-running style of Fournette.
