Here is what you need to know on this Friday, March 2, 13 days before NFL free agency starts.  

Supply at running back is good for the Redskins’ demand

Doug Williams did not mince words when asked about the Redskins’ need at a particular position.

“We need to upgrade at running back, ain’t no doubt about it,” the Redskins’ senior VP of player personnel told reporters at the NFL combine. “Nobody is going to sit here and sugar coat the fact that we [didn’t have] a good running game.”

You watched the games this year so you don’t need a lot of detail to convince you that Williams is right. They were 28th in the league with an average of 90.5 yards per game and 29th with an average of 3.6 yards per attempt.

More advanced stats will bear out the problems running the ball but one picture from 2017 was as good as a thousand stats. It was of Samaje Perine getting stopped for a loss on third and one in the Superdome when getting that yard would have clinched a huge win, one that perhaps would have changed the complexion of the season.

Let’s be clear, it wasn’t all Perine’s fault that the play failed. He really didn’t have anywhere to run. But the fact that the Redskins didn’t have a back they could send between the tackles on that play limited their options considerably and when your options are fewer, you chance of success is lower.

Williams may have tipped his hand a bit in regards to where the Redskins might look for a back.

It doesn’t look like the top free agents will be on their shopping list. “Running backs are not what they used to be in the day when you said, hey, I’ve got to get that free agent running back,” he said. He is look for a group to get the job done.

“Running backs are almost by committee,” he said. “The important thing is to have two or three good running backs.”

Williams believes that it’s a good year to be looking for a running back, saying that the position is the deepest one in the draft.

“With this draft and what you already have, you get again in second, fourth round, third round, that’s a pretty good running back to go with what you already have,” he said.

You can take from that what you’d like to. The Redskins don’t have a third-round pick unless they can get one via a trade. Williams appears to be willing to seriously consider taking a runner in the second. But the thinking could be that there are plenty of backs to go around that they could still get a quality player in the fourth.

You should apply the usual dose of draft-time skepticism to what any team official says this time of year. That being said, sometimes a situation is just too obvious to overthink.

Stay up to date on the Redskins. Rich Tandler covers the team 365 days a year. Like his Facebook page Facebook.com/TandlerNBCS and follow him on Twitter @TandlerNBCS.

Tandler on Twitter

Jay Gruden on Su'a Cravens: "We're not trading him from what I know. I just saw that (trade report) on the ticker. I think he's still a member of this fball team and we have every intention of seeing where he's at. ...The big thing is: Is this something that he wants to do?"

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) March 1, 2018

This is exactly what you want to say when you want to keep the players. It's also what you say if you desperately want to trade the player and want to make it look like you would be perfectly happy to keep him to maintain his value. https://t.co/lajaeX8tVX

— Rich Tandler (@TandlerNBCS) March 1, 2018

Timeline  

Days until:

—Offseason workouts begin (4/16) 45
—NFL Draft (4/26) 55
—2018 NFL season starts (9/9) 191

In case you missed it

• Redskins #AuthenticFan Draft Bracket: First Round Results
• What could the Redskins get in a Cravens trade?
• Redskins may not have to decide between need and best available in Round 1