The Washington Redskins will open training camp Thursday in Richmond, Virginia looking to rebound off of last year’s 7-9 campaign. The Redskins will arrive in Richmond with their entire backfield healthy and ready to compete. Runningback Chris Thompson told reporters Monday that he’s fully healed and will participate when practices begin and won’t be placed on the physically unable to perform list.
“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Thompson said. “I will start practicing with the guys from day one, but just taking it slowly. The focus is to really be ready by that first regular-season game.”
"I'm feeling pretty good right now, I will start practicing w/ the guys from day one but just taking it slowly….the focus is to really be ready by that first regular season game"
– @ChrisThompson_4 on his recovery from broken fibula #HTTR pic.twitter.com/V4tc0WjvH4— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) July 23, 2018
Thompson, 27, was well onto his best year as a professional having recorded 510 receiving yards, 294 rushing yards, and six combined touchdowns in just ten games before a fractured fibula ended his year. The 5-foot-8, 195-pounder has shown an extreme ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and has the athleticism to make defenders miss entirely in open space. Thompson is expected to be one of Redskins head coach Jay Gruden’s top weapons and their go-to third-down target in 2018.
Thompson was around the Redskins practice facilities working out on the sidelines during spring practice but was not allowed to practice with the team until he was fully healed. He spent a good portion of this offseason training like a madman trying to get in top shape as the picture below shows. Thompson, who is pictured furthest to the right, added a lot of muscle to his small frame the past few months.
https://twitter.com/SAVAGE_PROGRAM/status/1014537633924599814
“Chris Thompson is by far the guy that we need to be healthy to make this a great corps of running backs,” Redskins senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams said recently.
As it turns out, Thompson isn’t the only Redskins running back trying to return from injury as Robert Kelley is also looking to rebound from a shortened 2017 season. Kelley will have tons of competition this year from rookie Derrius Guice, who the Redskins drafted in the second round, as well as second-year back Samaje Perine who put up 603 rushing yards on his own in 2017.
"Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson together could be what Kamara and Ingram are in New Orleans." 👀@heykayadams thinks the RB duo of @DhaSickest and @ChrisThompson_4 could make a huge impact for the @Redskins this season. pic.twitter.com/dBV7OkxIWW
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 24, 2018
[Featured Image by Jeff Gross/Getty Images]
