Getty Images Chiefs RB DeAndre Washington spent his first four NFL seasons with the Raiders.
If you can’t beat them, join them.
At least that’s what former Las Vegas Raiders RB DeAndre Washington elected for when signing a 1-year contract this offseason to join the Kansas City Chiefs. Now the 27-year-old rusher has an opportunity to take the field against his former squad.
On Thursday, the Chiefs announced that Washington has been promoted from the team’s practice squad to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s AFC West matchup.
The Chiefs have signed RB DeAndre Washington from their practice squad to the active roster. The move gives the Chiefs four RBs, at least for now: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson and Washington.
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Washington’s Journey to the Active Roster
After 2019 starting RB Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season in July, Washington was considered a favorite to crack the 53-man roster and work into the backfield rotation behind first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Instead, Washington was waived on September 5 during final roster cuts before returning to Kansas City’s practice squad shortly thereafter.
Notably, the 2016 fifth-round draft pick started three of the Raiders’ final four games of the 2019 season, posting 215 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 54 carries, plus an additional 119 yards on 16 receptions in those three starts. Washington boasts 370 touches for 1,735 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 55 career games.
Washington’s role may ultimately be game-flow dependent on Sunday, as he is now the fourth running back on roster behind Edwards-Helaire, backup Darrel Williams and third-stringer Darwin Thompson, who did not receive a single offensive snap in Week 4 versus New England.
Chiefs Add Marcus Kemp to Practice Squad
In a separate move on Thursday, Kansas City also re-signed WR Marcus Kemp to the practice squad after the 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound wideout cleared waivers. The defending Super Bowl champions waived Kemp on Tuesday to clear a spot for CB Bashaud Breeland, who returns this week from a four-week suspension to open the regular season.
From Thursday’s transaction report: Chiefs officially sign RB DeAndre Washington to active roster from practice squad and re-sign WR Marcus Kemp to practice squad. No corresponding move on the active roster for Washington yet since club still has exemption for Bashaud Breeland.
However, as Chiefs Digest beat writer Matt Derrick noted on Twitter, another transaction may be on the horizon for the Chiefs since Breeland is still being held under a roster exemption.
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