Jaret Patterson has piqued his coach’s interest, so what’s next?

Jaret Patterson has gotten the attention of every staff member responsible for his fate for the final-53 man roster. So what’s next for the UDFA?

Rookie running back Jaret Patterson had an impressive outing in his first game for the Washington Football Team. With 70 all-purpose yards, Patterson led the team in rushing and receiving yards in the preseason opener against the New England Patriots. It wasn’t a great performance by any means, but his usage in both the pass and run game, in addition to what head coach Ron Rivera said after the game, sheds light on the potential Patterson has to be an all-purpose player for the Washington Football Team.

Rivera briefly mentioned that he wanted to see Jaret Patterson get some attempts at returning, though he didn’t specifically mention kickoffs or punts. However, we’re starting to see the process that coaches go through to find out just how much their players can do for the team. So for Patterson, Rivera mentioning, albeit briefly, that he wants to give the undrafted free agent even more, looks to showcase his skills in other areas of the team indicates that he has piqued his coach’s interest moving forward.

Veteran running back Lamar Miller was cut Sunday morning, leaving the position group to five backs.

Who are the locks at running back?

• Antonio Gibson.

Is that it? Yes, that’s it. In my opinion, second-year running back Antonio Gibson is the only lock right now to make the roster. Before I continue, though, I love J.D. McKissic’s game, and I personally believe he ends up making the roster for obvious reasons. McKissic is a multi-purpose back with natural receiving skills that give him a leg up against the competition. But the hard truth of the matter is that McKissic is fighting for his spot just like Peyton Barber, Jonathan Williams, and Jaret Patterson. It’s all about competition, and Rivera has shown on two different occasions that he’s definitely interested in keeping Patterson, so long as he keeps coming through for him in practice and games.

It’s a process of elimination at this point, and Washington is now down to five running backs. In the end, it’ll be just three, and more importantly, it’ll come down to what the coaches think of Peyton Barber. How valuable do they believe Barber is to the offense? If you ask me, it isn’t acceptable for any running back, no matter what role they have in an offense, to average 2.7 yards per carry. That is Peyton Barber. Washington asks for a back who can get them a yard or two and leans on Barber. However, it is critical to really pay attention to Patterson if you like his game. Can Patterson get the tough yards and short-distance first downs? Can he handle that type of traffic at the line of scrimmage? We know that he can be a decent pass-catcher, which is an encouraging sign when being evaluated against Baber and Williams.

Patterson will continue to be a storyline throughout the preseason, but if you’re looking to gain more insight, pay attention to what his coaches are saying and how they use him in the games.

What do you all think? Are the Patterson discussions overblown? Be honest! If it is, it is. What is his potential, in your opinion?