Getty New Miami Dolphins RB DeAndre Washington.
This year’s NFL trade deadline was surprisingly uneventful but there were some moves. There are plenty of teams with needs but most decided to play it safe. One player who is on the move is running back DeAndre Washington.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Washington to the Miami Dolphins.
After spending four years with the Raiders, Washington turned into a solid running back and started three games for the team last season. He was effective in relief of an injured Josh Jacobs. The Raiders didn’t re-sign him in the offseason and he joined the Chiefs. Unfortunately, he didn’t find much of a role there. He played in one game and rushed for five yards.
Miami is 28th in the NFL in rushing yards per game so they certainly need a boost. Washington isn’t a game-changer but he’s good enough to get some snaps. He’s also a good guy to have in the locker room.
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How’s Lynn Bowden Doing?
The decision to trade for Washington likely means that the Dolphins are having trouble figuring out how to use Lynn Bowden Jr. The rookie third-round pick was traded by the Raiders before he even got a chance to see the field. It was clear that he ended up not being a fit and it’s looking like that might be the case in Miami, also.
In four games, Bowden has four rushes for nine yards and one catch for a negative yard. It’s still very possible that he can develop into an effective playmaker but it’s becoming apparent why the Raiders let him go. The transition to running back is difficult for him. He might have to go back to being a wide receiver. Regardless, Las Vegas was wise for trading him. They shouldn’t have drafted him but at least they were able to get something in return before it became clear that he doesn’t have a lot of value.
Raiders Run Game Picking Up
Last year, the Raiders’ offense relied heavily on the run game. This year, the attack has been more balanced. In Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team had one of their worst rushing performances over the last couple of years. They only accumulated 76 rushing yards in the whole game.
The team was able to turn things around against the Cleveland Browns as they ran for 208 rushing yards. Josh Jacobs had one of his best games of the season which is a great sign for the Raider offense.
“I feel like that’s our style of play. I know that’s my style of play and our mentality,” Jacobs said after the game. “To be able to showcase that this week is huge.”
It’s no secret that Jon Gruden wants to run the ball well. If he can continue to have his offense be diverse, the Raiders are going to be hard to stop.
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