Washington Redskins: Chris Thompson poised for bigger role in 2017
By Donny Starr
At 26 years old, Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson finds himself at the top of the hierarchy of backs.
Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson made his name on third downs, and has earned the respect of head coach Jay Gruden.
According to ESPN’s John Keim, Gruden said, “There’s nobody who’s better as a third-down back than Chris. He has a huge role on our team. Whether he does more on first or second down will be determined. I’m sure he will. He’s so valuable on third down, I have to keep him in that role for now.”
So there is a chance Thompson will have opportunities elsewhere in the game.
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Drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Thompson didn’t make a lot of noise the following year. That all changed in 2015, being targeted 47 times, catching 35 balls for 240 yards and having two touchdowns. Last season he was targeted 62 times for 49 catches, resulting in 349 yards and two touchdowns. He’s ranked No. 6 on the receiving end of the ball and is the No. 3 rusher on the team.
The team has a lot of new offensive weapons. If Gruden targets Thompson for more work, it will be on the ground. The Redskins ranked No. 5 in the league in third down conversions, so Gruden will not pull Thompson too far from that job. Meanwhile, Matt Jones is in the rear view of the team’s plans.
Thompson should prepare to be a No. 2 back behind Robert Kelley. If that happens, he will see a few more touches on first or second down, but should expect to stay consistent in his current job he’s doing. Why? Because he does it well.
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What I expect will happen will be more plays where Cousins uses him for passes no longer than the 7-10 yards he’s used to. Those too will probably come on third down.