Any day now, according to published reports and common sense, the Redskins will release running back Clinton Portis. That’s not a surprise considering he was scheduled to make $8.3 million this season.
And you don’t pay running backs who turn 30 before the season and who have missed 19 games in a combined two years that sort of money. But the question then becomes: Do you bring him back?
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A lot depends on what Portis is willing to accept. At season’s end, Portis said he still viewed himself as a full-time back. Does another team? Hard to imagine considering his injury history. It doesn’t matter at this stage whether the injuries are flukes; they still take a toll.
He’s still a good runner when healthy — but you can’t rely on him for 16 games. He can still pass protect. His hands are mediocre.
And if the Redskins were willing to take a flyer on Larry Johnson and Willie Parker last year, why not Portis this year?
Portis did an awful lot for the Redskins and may not get enough credit for what he accomplished, lost in part because of the lack of team success and occasional outlandish statements. But for most of his tenure in Washington, the Redskins only had a consistent ground game. That meant teams loaded up to stop him. When he says he did more with less than, say, John Riggins, he wasn’t kidding. It doesn’t mean he was better, but just compare the offenses and he’s right.
Still, the Redskins need to move forward and start fresh at this spot. But that leads to another question: With whom?
