The Washington Commanders running-back depth chart made some news earlier this week, but coach Dan Quinn cleared up some of the confusion.
Quinn spoke a bit about how he and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury intend to deploy their backs when Washington opens its season against the New York Giants on Sunday at Northwest Stadium.
Washington made waves earlier this week when it listed highly touted rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the No. 4 back on its unofficial depth chart — and he is still in that spot on the Commanders website as of Friday behind Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez.
But Quinn addressed the group as a whole and what he and the Commanders are hoping to get out of its backfield this year.
What Did Dan Quinn Say About His Running Back Rotation?
Though things are a little unsettled after Washington traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers last week, Quinn spoke highly of the four-headed RBs room.
“They all bring some special things to the table that’s unique,” Quinn said. “Special-teams roles, offensive roles, and that’s what I like about it. That’s our job is to find the strengths and pull them out of these guys and see what they can do. It’s a fun part of coaching too.”
Quinn cited Ekeler’s versatility, but McNichols is coming off a breakout year where he averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored a career high four touchdowns on 55 carries.
Plus, Croskey-Merritt dropped to a seventh-round pick only due to an injury that caused to make just 13 carries. He had 106 yards and a touchdown at Arizona after posting 1,190 yards and 17 TDs for New Mexico in 2023.
What Did Kliff Kingsbury Say About the Commanders’ Running Backs?
Quinn’s belief in the Commanders running backs is important, since the head coach sets the tone for the team. But Kingsbury’s assessment is arguably more important, since he has to figure out how to deploy each player.
But Kingsbury spoke glowingly of the whole RBs room.
“We have four guys that we feel really comfortable operating in all phases of the game,” Kingsbury said. “That’s a great feeling as a play caller. All four have shown what we’ve needed them to show this camp to have all the faith in the world that any one can execute at a high level.”
Like Quinn, Kingsbury spoke highly of Ekeler’s ability to create mismatches, since he has long been effective both rushing and catching the ball. Ekeler had one fewer receiving yard (366) than rushing yard (367) in his first season with the Commanders in 2024, and Kingsbury expressed his excitement for having him on his side.
“The NFL is about finding matchups and mismatches and trying to take advantage of them,” Kingsbury said. “Having been [the head coach] in Arizona, I had to watch that for four years [49ers star back] Christian [McCaffrey] and [Ekeler], and it’s tough. You don’t know what the personnel groups is, and who is out there an and who is a receiver and who is a running back, so that can be a unique challenge to a defense.”
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