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Kliff Kingsbury knows his running back play will be crucial in 2025.
As the Commanders have worked out this week, Kingsbury has been watching each position closely on his side of the ball. Certainly, his running back room raises questions from evaluating the 2024 season to expectations for 2025.
Starter and featured running back Brian Robinson Jr. had some really good moments but struggled in several games during the latter half of the season. Kingsbury likes what he has seen in Robinson this offseason.
“Yeah, he's been really focused," Kingsbury said. "The biggest thing that came out of last year, I think, was that any of the guys that we asked to go in and play played at a really high level."
While Kingsbury counted on Robinson for the tough yards, primarily inside the tackles, Austin Ekeler, at times, really brought an exciting spark to the offense with his play out in space. Kingsbury referred to Ekeler's season as one where "what he was able to do, I thought it really had a resurgence."
In addition, there were times Kingsbury really did turn to Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez when Robinson was ailing. "Whenever their number was called, they stepped up and played at a high level. But B-Rob’s a guy who has played an incredibly high level. I thought early in the year, when he was really healthy, he was what we expect him to be, and the focus this offseason has been great. He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level.”
It is a contract year for Robinson, the former Alabama Crimson Tide runner taken in the third round by Washington in the 2022 draft. The nature of the NFL is that it can be very tough on the body of a running back. So naturally, Commanders GM Adam Peters drafted a running back (Jacory Croskey-Merritt) to compete for a roster spot. The tape on Croskey-Merritt leads several to believe that had he played more than his one game in 2024, he would have been drafted a couple of rounds higher.
So, Kingsbury is obviously aware that the running back room will be competitive and crowded in 2025. “Yeah, I mean it's a pretty loaded group, so they're going to have to kind of get in where you fit in with this group, and there's not a ton of footballs to go around."
Kingsbury might also want to offer some runs to rookie Jaylin Lane or Deebo Samuel, both primarily receivers, but they've proven they can run the ball. "So, both guys (rookies Lane and Croskey-Merritt) have really attacked it, great athletes, bring a lot of speed, dynamic players, and so we'll kind of see how this progresses throughout the offseason.”
The questions surrounding Robinson's fade last year and how much of it was injury, will no doubt have Kingsbury looking very closely at his running backs room in 2025. He loves the acquisition of Samuel and the diversity he can bring to the offense.
“Yeah, one of the best competitors I've gone against as a coach, just seeing him twice a year there in Arizona. I was always so impressed with how [49ers Head Coach] Kyle [Shanahan] utilized him and did different things with him, and he's a football player through and through. Even being out here at OTA’s, just you get him on the field, and he's got a natural feel for things as he's figuring this offense out but couldn't be more thrilled having seen it up close and personal for those years to actually get to work with him. Like I said, he's a great football player.”
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Kliff Kingsbury excited about Commanders' running backs in 2025
Continue reading...
As the Commanders have worked out this week, Kingsbury has been watching each position closely on his side of the ball. Certainly, his running back room raises questions from evaluating the 2024 season to expectations for 2025.
Starter and featured running back Brian Robinson Jr. had some really good moments but struggled in several games during the latter half of the season. Kingsbury likes what he has seen in Robinson this offseason.
“Yeah, he's been really focused," Kingsbury said. "The biggest thing that came out of last year, I think, was that any of the guys that we asked to go in and play played at a really high level."
While Kingsbury counted on Robinson for the tough yards, primarily inside the tackles, Austin Ekeler, at times, really brought an exciting spark to the offense with his play out in space. Kingsbury referred to Ekeler's season as one where "what he was able to do, I thought it really had a resurgence."
In addition, there were times Kingsbury really did turn to Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez when Robinson was ailing. "Whenever their number was called, they stepped up and played at a high level. But B-Rob’s a guy who has played an incredibly high level. I thought early in the year, when he was really healthy, he was what we expect him to be, and the focus this offseason has been great. He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level.”
It is a contract year for Robinson, the former Alabama Crimson Tide runner taken in the third round by Washington in the 2022 draft. The nature of the NFL is that it can be very tough on the body of a running back. So naturally, Commanders GM Adam Peters drafted a running back (Jacory Croskey-Merritt) to compete for a roster spot. The tape on Croskey-Merritt leads several to believe that had he played more than his one game in 2024, he would have been drafted a couple of rounds higher.
So, Kingsbury is obviously aware that the running back room will be competitive and crowded in 2025. “Yeah, I mean it's a pretty loaded group, so they're going to have to kind of get in where you fit in with this group, and there's not a ton of footballs to go around."
Kingsbury might also want to offer some runs to rookie Jaylin Lane or Deebo Samuel, both primarily receivers, but they've proven they can run the ball. "So, both guys (rookies Lane and Croskey-Merritt) have really attacked it, great athletes, bring a lot of speed, dynamic players, and so we'll kind of see how this progresses throughout the offseason.”
The questions surrounding Robinson's fade last year and how much of it was injury, will no doubt have Kingsbury looking very closely at his running backs room in 2025. He loves the acquisition of Samuel and the diversity he can bring to the offense.
“Yeah, one of the best competitors I've gone against as a coach, just seeing him twice a year there in Arizona. I was always so impressed with how [49ers Head Coach] Kyle [Shanahan] utilized him and did different things with him, and he's a football player through and through. Even being out here at OTA’s, just you get him on the field, and he's got a natural feel for things as he's figuring this offense out but couldn't be more thrilled having seen it up close and personal for those years to actually get to work with him. Like I said, he's a great football player.”
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Kliff Kingsbury excited about Commanders' running backs in 2025
Continue reading...
