Washington Redskins: Derrius Guice injury pressures Alex Smith
The Washington Redskins got devastating news after their first preseason game with rookie running back Derrius Guice suffering a torn ACL…
The Washington Redskins are already facing an uphill battle playing in the same division as the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
A season-ending injury to rookie running back Derrius Guice would be detrimental.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in their first preseason game on Thursday night.
RB Derrius Guice and TE Manasseh Garner will miss the 2018 season due to ACL injuries sustained from last night's preseason game at the New England Patriots. Both players are expected to make a full recovery and are looking forward to playing in 2019.
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 10, 2018
Complicating matters for #Redskins RB Derrius Guice: He suffered a hyperextended knee at LSU but never got surgery. Same knee. Tough to know if that played a part in the ACL tear, but it’s a question being asked now as Guice is set to miss the 2018 season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 10, 2018
Guice was considered one of the best running back prospects in a draft class full of really good ones, some even thinking he would be the Redskins’ first-round pick.
Washington was able to land him with the 59th overall pick (second round) and added him to an offense that already added a league MVP candidate from a season ago in quarterback Alex Smith, and a big-time speedster at wide receiver in Paul Richardson.
The injury to Guice is a back-breaker for the Redskins, whose running back depth is okay but not great. Chris Thompson is coming off of injury, and it remains to be seen whether or not Samaje Perine will ever return to the form he showed at Oklahoma.
Guice was expected to take a lot of pressure off of Alex Smith, but that pressure is back on.
Smith was fortunate this past season in Kansas City with the emergence of rookie running back Kareem Hunt, one of the NFL’s best running backs in his first season with the team.
The emergence of Hunt as a runner and receiver took a ton of pressure off of Smith, who was able not only to manage games but manipulate defenses and push the ball downfield.
Guice was expected to be an impact player for the Redskins this season, but the focus has now shifted back to Smith.
Next. Notable rookie performances from preseason week one. dark
Last season, Smith threw for over 4,000 yards for the first time in his NFL career. He finished with 26 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions and looks like he’s playing the best football of his career.
He’s going to have to be an MVP candidate again this year with Guice going down for the season.