The lack of McKissic is a little bit of a shock; each he and the group had expressed mutual curiosity in maintaining him in Washington.
On the NFL scouting mix in early March, Normal Supervisor Martin Mayhew mentioned he deliberate to satisfy with representatives for a few of the group’s free brokers, together with McKissic’s, and allow them to know the Commanders wished these gamers to remain in Washington however weren’t ready to make a suggestion but. Washington wished to unravel its quarterback situation first.
“We’d like to have J.D. again,” Mayhew mentioned on the time. “He’s explosive and he made some massive performs for us final yr, and he’s an vital a part of what now we have going.”
In two years with the Commanders, McKissic developed right into a key piece of their offense in each the run and cross recreation. He was labeled a third-down again, however his versatility allowed the group to make use of him on any down.
McKissic ranked third amongst operating backs in complete receptions (123), receiving yards (986) and first-down catches (47) since 2020, sitting behind the New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara the Los Angeles Chargers’ Austin Ekeler in each classes.
Coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Scott Turner each praised McKissic as a valued chief in a locker room, particularly amongst a comparatively younger group of backs, with Antonio Gibson and Jaret Patterson.
An undrafted receiver out of Arkansas State, McKissic first signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, then jumped to the Seattle Seahawks, the place he transformed to operating again. After a stint with the Detroit Lions, he signed with Washington as a lesser-known addition to the offense.
However in his first yr in Turner’s system, McKissic, 28, produced career-highs practically throughout the board, with 85 rushes for 365 speeding yards and a landing, and 80 catches for 589 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
“J.D. McKissic is an enormous a part of what we do,” Rivera mentioned final season. “And he’s a younger man that’s displaying that when he will get an opportunity to the touch the ball, he might make one thing occur.”
McKissic and Gibson gave Washington a complementary speeding tandem that keyed the group’s four-game win streak late final season earlier than accidents and the coronavirus depleted the roster. However in Week 12, after scoring a pair of touchdowns to steer Washington in a win over his former group, Seattle, McKissic suffered a head damage that ended his season.
“That was an enormous loss when he bought damage,” Turner mentioned in January. “He’s so versatile and he will get yards in each the speeding and receiving recreation, he gives management to the group and he’s an vitality man. I imply, we had guys step up so far as that side of it, the management and the vitality, however simply on the sphere, he’s a safety blanket for the quarterback.”
Washington cycled by six beginning quarterbacks throughout McKissic’s time with the Commanders, and this offseason got down to discover a participant they hope can lead them again to the playoffs. In buying and selling for Wentz, Washington gave up a number of picks whereas additionally taking up his $28.3 million cap cost that ate into the majority of its salary-cap room.
McKissic’s play the final two seasons created a wholesome marketplace for him in free company, and now he heads to a group with a top-10 offense in each speeding and passing yards.
Washington, in the meantime, has remained pretty quiet in the course of the NFL’s two-day authorized tampering interval, re-signing cornerback Troy Apke and heart Tyler Larsen to one-year offers whereas watching guard Brandon Scherff, Settle and McKissic head elsewhere.
The Commanders might flip to the draft for assist at operating again behind Gibson. They will even have to seek out methods to fill the void on the offensive line, add depth on the line of defense, get a security or two, discover a center linebacker and add to their receiving corps.
