The Washington Commanders have been known to have a solid running game on offense. Washington had the fourth ranked rushing offense in the NFL in 2025 despite quarterback Jayden Daniels and running back Austin Ekeler missing much of the season due to injuries. Rookie running back Bill Croskey-Merritt anchored the running game, rushing for 805 yards. Running back Chris Rodriguez rushed for 500 yards while substituting for Croskey-Merritt, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Assuming that Daniels and Ekeler have recovered from their injury filled 2025, Washington’s running game looks poised to solidify the offense in 2026 with this group.
However, the only constant thing in life is change, and the NFL is no different. Rodriguez didn’t receive a contract extension from the Commanders, and wound up signing a two year, $14 million dollar contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 11. To compensate for losing Rodriguez, Washington signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back Rachaad White to a one year contract. The acquisition of White makes perfect sense. He started 48 of a possible 68 games for the Buccaneers during his four year career, rushing for 2,656 yards. White is also efficient as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 205 passes in his NFL career. It also should be mentioned that White is efficient as a blocker in pass protection, which bodes well for quarterback Jayden Daniels. And it should be noted that White and Daniels were teammates at Arizona State, which should bode well for their on field chemistry.
Washington continued to add to their backfield, signing former Cleveland Browns’ running back Jerome Ford to a one year contract. Ford played sparingly in 2025, carrying the ball only 24 times for 73 yards. Like White, Ford also is proficient in the passing game, catching 26 passes for 103 yards.
Will Croskey-Merritt be the featured back receiving the lion’s share of the carries? Or will Washington employ a running back by committee approach? Let’s not forget that the Commanders hold the seventh pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Some Commanders’ fans are hoping that Washington selects University of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he’s available. Regardless of what happens, each running back will have to maximize their opportunities in an effort to solidify the running game. If White, Ford, Ekeler (and maybe even Love) are able to solidify the running game, the Commanders’ offense could become a force to reckon with in 2026.
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