It was just this time last year that Matt Jones was prepared to take over for Alfred Morris as the Washington Redskins’ top running back. Jones, a third-round pick from Florida, was coming off a rookie season that saw him put up nearly 800 total yards. Meanwhile, Morris had just signed with the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.
Now, following a disastrous 2016 campaign that saw him benched after fumbling three times in seven games, Jones appears to be on the outs in D.C.
Recent suggestions indicated that the Redskins were going to move on from the young ball carrier. For his part, the running back has now requested his release through his agent.
“Let’s move on,” Jones agent, Hadley Engelhard said, via the Associated Press. “”We’re hoping Bruce sees the light and does the gentleman thing and release Matt.”
Compared in the past to a raw Marshawn Lynch, many expected Jones to be the face of the Redskins’ offense with Kirk Cousins over the long term. That’s no longer going to be the case. Either way, it doesn’t look like he will be in a Redskins uniform this upcoming season.
Instead, the expectation is that Washington will roll with the trio of Robert Kelley, Chris Thompson and rookie Samaje Perine.