Here is what you need to know on this Friday, May 17, three days before Redskins OTA’s start.
Hightower makes no sense
There was a report yesterday that the Redskins have had “exploratory talks” about bringing back running back Tim Hightower.
Hightower was the Redskins’ top running back in 2011 until he tore his ACL in the fifth game of the season. The Redskins brought him back last year but he wasn’t fully recovered from his injury and he was released in the final roster cut. He did not play anywhere last year.
So how does he fit with the Redskins in 2013? Well, he doesn’t.
Nobody would have complained had they stood pat with their running back corps of 1600-yard rusher Alfred Morris and backups Roy Helu Jr., Evan Royster and Keiland Williams. But Mike Shanahan likes to collect running backs so the Redskins drafted Chris Thompson in the fifth round and Jawan Jamison in the seventh last month.
On the 53-man roster there room for three running backs, maybe four if one can serve as a backup fullback. Morris, of course, is going nowhere so that means that at least one and probably two backs who Shanahan drafted in the past three drafts will have to be let go.
It wouldn’t make any sense to add Hightower to the mix. They could have done that prior to the draft and taken another player instead of one of the two backs. Perhaps they might consider giving Hightower an opportunity to showcase himself so that he might be able to get a shot with another team. The team likes him a lot and might be inclined to do him a favor.
But they are going to be pressed to find enough reps for the five backs who are competing for the two or three spots. And Morris needs to get some action in practice and in preseason games himself.
It would not surprise me to learn that the reports of the Redskins’ interest in Hightower emanated from the player’s camp for the purpose of creating some competition for his services.
That being said, I never say never when it comes to Shanahan and running backs. But a Hightower-Redskins reunion seems to be a long shot.
This Week @ The Park
Had fun doing this with Ray Smith and Brian Tinsman. I can’t embed the video but here is the show in two parts:
- This Week @ The Park, Part 1
- This Week @ The Park, Part 2
In case you missed it
- Thursday Tweetbag: Answering your Redskins questions
- Jamison in the fold
- Defensive injury concerns for OTA’s
- Redskins sign Jamison
- RG3 No. 83?
Days until: OTA’s 3; Minicamp 25; Redskins @ Packers 121
