5 veteran running backs the Washington Redskins could sign

Matt Jones is slated to take over as the No. 1 running back for the Washington Redskins, but here are five veteran backs they could look to add.

The free agent departure of Alfred Morris opens the door for second-year man Matt Jones be the clear lead running back for the Washington Redskins this season. Jones showed promise as a rookie in 2015, but injuries and fumbles (four lost) were an issue and his new role could be vulnerable to competition.

Behind Jones on the depth chart entering training camp, the Redskins have Chris Thompson, Keith Marshall, Mack Brown and Robert Kelley. Suffice to say, that’s not exactly a list of great, proven options.

Thompson has the most experience, entering his fourth NFL season, but he’s recovering from shoulder surgery and he played just six games over his first two seasons.

Marshall was drafted in the seventh round this year, but injuries hampered his career at Georgia and his immediate ability to contribute is a question. Brown is a practice squad holdover from last year, which may give him the inside track to a spot on the 53-man roster, and Kelley is an undrafted rookie free agent out of Tulane.

Adding a veteran running back is a possibility for Washington, which head coach Jay Gruden acknowledged to the Washington Post on Wednesday.

"“We could [look at free agents],” Gruden said. “There are some guys who looked pretty good during minicamp. Chris Thompson is coming back and looked good. Obviously, Mack Brown was on the practice squad last year. Robert Kelley is the rookie free agent we picked up. Keith Marshall we’re excited about. We have some guys that we’re going to look out for.”"

If the Redskins wind up taking a serious look at veteran running backs, they could eventually sign one of these five guys.

Next: Toby Gerhart