The Washington Redskins are in mandatory minicamp this week and rookie Matt Jones as impressed head coach Jay Gruden and has received some first team reps in practice along with Alfred Morris and this comes as Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy are battling to be the primary backup for Robert Griffin III, as Gruden has already named RG3 the 2015 starter at quarterback.
The Redskins drafted Matt Jones in the third round and Gruden has high expectations for the running back coming into the season. According to the Washington Post, Jones had the majority of first team reps in minicamp practice on Wednesday and he has been getting more work ahead of Silas Redd behind Alfred Morris. Gruden said that Morris is still the starter, but the move to give Jones carries in practice likely is to help give him experience heading into training camp.
Gruden talked highly of Jones after rookie camp and OTA workouts and he said that he could be the main backup for Morris with Roy Helu gone. Gruden said that Jones has shown better than expected skills as a receiver and that could be a good way for him to get on the field. The Redskins have used Morris quite a bit over the past three years and the team wants to limit his carries a bit to avoid overworking him in 2015.
Mike Jones at the Washington Post writes that Jones said after practice that he is "grinding every day" to be the starting running back and that he likely slots in at number two on the depth chart. Jones got the majority of the carries in practice in the red zone and that could also be a way for Gruden to give Jones some experience, as Morris is clearly the starter. The Redskins offense has the chance to improve with Brandon Scherff and Jones coming in, as they can really help Morris in the rushing game. Redd, Chris Thompson and Jones are on the roster behind Morris and they are looking to all get in position to contribute on offense.
Robert Griffin is coming in as the starter and he has had a very solid offseason for Gruden, who said that he expects a "big jump" from RG3 this year. Griffin having a consistent rushing game with Morris and Jones should help him get back on track after a so-so season and Gruden is pushing for the offense to be more explosive. Gruden used Griffin, McCoy and Cousins at QB last season and coming into this year, Gruden is hoping RG3 can play well enough and stay healthy enough to start all season.
Gruden said to the Washington Post that McCoy and Cousins are handling the competition well and they are playing as if they are at the level of starters in camp. Gruden said he was pleased by the performances of both players and that he has not yet named the number two quarterback behind Griffin. Cousins was up and down last year while McCoy played better overall, but things could come down to how the players perform in training camp and then in the preseason, as Griffin likely will not get much playing time.