New Look Redskins Running Game

Can newly signed Tim Hightower be the next successful RB in Mike Shanahan's system?

With former starting RB Clinton Portis now out of the picture in Washington, the Redskins entered training camp for the 2011 season with an open competition for the position.  Mike Shanahan has produced more 1,000 yard RB's than any other coach in the league. Terrell Davis, Travis Henry, Rueben Droughns, Clinton Portis, Tatum Bell, Mike Anderson, the list goes on and on. Last season, Ryan Torain got plenty of game action after Portis went down with an injury and did a decent job filling in.  His play, however, was very inconsistent.  He had great games against the Colts, Buccaneers, and Bears but struggled to put up anything more than average numbers against any other team.  He averaged a respectable 4.5 yards per carry last season, although only on 164 attempts, but he only caught 18 passes in the 10 games he played.  The Redskins also drafted RB Roy Helu from Nebraska in the 4th round of this years draft, and Helu does have the measurables to be a starting running back in this league (4.40 40 yard dash time, 6 feet tall 219 pounds).  Former Arizona Cardinals RB and goaline star Tim Hightower was also signed by the Redksins following the NFL lockout.  Hightower may not have the best pure running and ball carrying ability out of this group, but he does have 2 skills that set himself apart from the rest of the pack: his aforementioned ability to get the ball into the endzone around the goaline and great pass catching hands.  With Chris Cooley's knee injury his status for the season opener is in serious question and Hightower could provide a great check down option for either Beck or Grossman to begin the season.  Without Cooley as a safety valve, an inexperienced starting QB is going to need somewhere short to go with the ball when he feels pressure in the pocket or his first read is being covered downfield.  Hightower is also the best pass protecting back in the mix for the job, which could further set him apart from everyone else on the team.  Hightower should begin the season as the 'Skins starter, but Roy Helu could begin to see more and more action as the season progresses, especially if the Redskins struggle.