The Redskins added a familiar face to the active roster on Friday, signing practice squad member Mack Brown. Brown led the NFL in rushing during the 2016 preseason.
The Washington Redskins on Friday announced that they have signed running back Mack Brown from the practice squad to the active roster.
In a corresponding move, safety Josh Evans was waived.
Brown, 25, had spent the entire 2016 season to date on the practice squad after a spectacular preseason performance in which he collected an NFL-high 227 rushing yards.
In the Redskins' preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown rushed for 149 yards, highlighted by a 60-yard touchdown in the first half of the game.
Brown originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Houston Texans in 2015 before two different practice squad stints in Washington last season.
During his four-year career at the University of Florida, Brown registered 805 rushing yards on 201 carries with four touchdowns.
While Brown didn't originally make the active roster to start the season, the team knew that when he would be needed, the first-year veteran would be ready for a call-up at any moment.
"We feel good that the three backs that we have right now are going to be very good and with Mack Brown waiting in the wings, we have four excellent ones in-house," Gruden said in September.
With Brown's addition, the Redskins currently have four running backs on the active roster as he joins Matt Jones, Chris Thompson and Robert Kelley.
Jones has been the Redskins' lead running back this season, registering 460 yards and three rushing touchdowns. But the second-year Florida product has yet to practice this week as he deals with a knee injury.
Thompson, meanwhile, is coming off the best ground performance of his career, as he carried the ball 12 times for 73 yards in the Redskins' Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions.
If Jones can't play this weekend, the Redskins will call on Kelley to fill the lead back role. While the rookie only has 17 carries so far this season, he's impressed coaches and teammates after going undrafted.
"Rob's a guy that we're excited about," offensive coordinator Sean McVay said recently. "He's continuing to grow and learn as a rookie just like they all are. He's a guy that I think if he does get some more opportunities you'll see that confidence grow as the season progresses."
