The Redskins have three very experienced and solid RBs at the top of the depth chart heading into training camp.  It appears that 28-year old Clinton Portis would be at the top of the pecking order due to seniority in Washington.  He played in 8 games (all starts) for the Redskins last season in which he carried the ball 124 times for 494 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Portis also caught 9 passes for 57 yards (6.3 avg) with 1 TD grab last season.  Portis has now played in 108 games (103 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 2,176 times for 9,696 yards (4.5 ypc) with 73 TD runs.  He has also caught 242 passes for 1,963 yards (8.1 avg) with 5 TD grabs in his career.  Portis also has two years of experience playing under head coach Mike Shanahan so he could suddenly excel again due to the zone blocking scheme.

30-year old Larry Johnson is trying to get his career back on the right path.  He played in 14 games (7 starts) for the Bengals & Chiefs last season in which he carried the ball 178 times for 581 yards (3.3 ypc).  He also caught 15 passes for 80 yards (5.3 avg) last year.  Johnson has now played in 82 games (55 starts) in his seven years in the NFL in which he has carried the ball 1,421 times for 6,219 yards (4.4 ypc) with 55 TD runs.  Johnson has also caught 154 passes for 1,373 yards (8.9 avg) with 6 TD grabs in his career.  Johnson hasn’t been the same player he was early in his career lately but that could change in the Redskins’ new offense.

29-year old Willie Parker adds some speed to this unit.  He played in 14 games (3 starts) for the Steelers last season and he carried the ball 98 times for 389 yards (4.0 ypc).  Parker also caught 6 passes for 64 yards (10.7 avg) with 1 TD grab last year.  Parker has now played in 79 games (60 starts) in his six years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 1,253 times for 5,378 yards (4.3 ypc) with 24 TD runs.  Parker also has caught 84 passes for 697 yards (8.3 avg) with 5 TD grabs in his NFL career.  Parker, like Johnson and Portis, has been a featured back in the NFL giving the Redskins tremendous depth at RB.

23-year old Ryan Torain didn’t play at all last season.  He played in 2 games (1 start) in Mike Shanahan’s last year with the Broncos and he carried the ball 15 times for 69 yards (4.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Torain has been brittle in his football career but Coach Shanahan sees something he likes in the kid.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE REDSKINS RBs in 2010:  B