How will the Washington Commanders use their new running back tandem of Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr.?
It’s a question worth digging into because 1) Ekeler is a new arrival, and 2) one of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s main spring experiments seems to using be two-back sets.
In his four seasons in Arizona, Kingsbury rarely used sets with multiple backs; the Cardinals never used such sets more often than in 3.1 percent of their snaps in a season, according to TruMedia. But this spring, Kingsbury has regularly deployed split-back formations with Ekeler, Robinson and others.
Kingsbury, who is expected to major in three-receiver sets, could use two-back looks as a change-up in the same way he’s historically used sets of multiple tight ends.
If so, Ekeler (5-foot-10, 200 pounds) and Robinson (6-1, 225) are complementary. The Commanders could manipulate defenses with different alignments and presnap motions. Ekeler said he sees himself and Robinson less as competitors and more as “different assets.”
“He’s a big guy,” Ekeler said during Wednesday’s second day of mandatory minicamp. “He’s going to catch the ball. He’s going to be a strong runner coming downhill. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t have as much wiggle. But if you compare him to me, I’m a jitterbug out there. I’m probably going to be a little bit more maneuverable than he is.”
Washington wants Robinson to improve in the passing game. Even though he broke out as a pass-catcher last year — with 36 catches, 368 receiving yards and four touchdowns — most of those big plays were not designed for him.
Coach Dan Quinn, who calls minicamp a “passing camp,” said Robinson has grown as a pass-catcher this spring, in part because he’s leaned on “somebody that’s as accomplished in the passing game as Austin.”
If Kingsbury sticks to one-back sets this season, the backs seem liable to fall into traditional roles: Robinson the early-down, between-the-tackles bruiser and Ekeler the passing-down receiver.
But if this spring experiment makes it to Sundays, the Commanders offense could have a new feature. Maybe Kingsbury could even dust off this play design, which came out of a two-back set and went for a 47-yard touchdown to Zach Ertz, now with Washington.
Jayden Daniels said he arrives at work every day around 5:45 a.m. Which explains why interior offensive lineman Nick Allegretti, who gets in around 6:30, hasn’t beaten his quarterback to the building yet.
During rookie minicamp, Daniels said, rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey asked him what time he got to the facility, and McCaffrey has showed up at 5:45 as well ever since.
“Just trying to prepare myself for the day,” Daniels said. “It’s kind of just that routine that I had when I was in college, but now I’m in there actually walking through because I’m still learning the playbook and trying to grasp everything. So just being comfortable for the day and being ready to go out there and go out and compete at practice.”
Quan Martin made the play of minicamp. With a free rusher baring down on him, quarterback Marcus Mariota lofted a flare pass over his head and up the field toward Ekeler. But Martin, at safety, saw it the whole way, jumping the route, tipping the ball up with one hand and corralling the interception behind his back.
The amazing display of athleticism drew the biggest cheers of camp. Even some offensive players nodded in approval.
It’s no surprise Martin, a second-year defensive back from Illinois, looks comfortable in Washington’s scheme. With Quinn last year, Dallas played one of the highest rates of Cover 1 in the NFL, and when Martin was in college, Illinois had an extreme reliance on Cover 1.
Lucas Havrisik started the kicker competition strong. The 24-year-old, who’s with the team on a tryout basis, nailed each of his roughly 10 kicks Wednesday, including a 45-yarder in which the entire team crowded around, hollering and waving their arms in an attempt to distract him.
He also nailed a “mayday” drill in which the field goal unit had about 16 seconds of running clock to rush in from the sideline, snap the ball and make a kick from about 30 yards out.
Ramiz Ahmed remains the only kicker signed to the roster, at least for now.
Dyami Brown and Cole Turner have had a few big plays this spring. But the young receiver and tight end have had promising offseason workouts in the past as well. The holdovers from the previous regime are trying to show the new coaching staff they can be consistent and produce when it counts.
Injury report: Linebacker Frankie Luvu missed Wednesday’s practice with a “very minor” ankle injury, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The team, that person said, is not concerned.
Two veterans, tight end Zach Ertz and receiver Jamison Crowder, did not participate in Wednesday’s workout, getting what appeared to be rest days.
