Redskins HC Jay Gruden called RB Matt Jones a "very integral part" of the team's running game.  The rookie is being held out of the 4th preseason game -- a sign that Washington is happy with where he's at.  "We want to make sure we have him for 16 weeks and don’t burn him out," Gruden explained.  Alfred Morris will enter the season as the clear lead back, but Jones looks capable of eating into his workload.  Jones busted off 7 yards per carry this preseason, with some of that work coming with the 1st-team offense.

"Matt Jones is better than Alfred Morris."  That was a blunt tweet from ESPN's Louis Riddick during Saturday night's Redskins-Ravens preseason game.  Jones finished that one with 7 carries for 57 yards, plus a 17-yard catch.  He's now up to 20 carries for  139 yards this preseason -- an impressive 6.95 yards per carry.  RB Alfred Morris, meanwhile, has mustered just 3.1 YPC.  Morris has operated as the clear lead back, but Jones has mixed in with the 1st team.  The rookie certainly looks capable of stealing some early-down work from Morris this season.  That adds risk to Morris' outlook.

Redskins HC Jay Gruden liked what he saw from RB Matt Jones as a pass-catcher at rookie minicamp.  "In the passing game, running some option routes on linebackers. He has done some good things," Gruden said.  "He has got natural hands, so we’ve been very impressed with him.”  Jones totaled just 19 catches in 3 college seasons, but that might have been because of a lack of opportunity more than anything else.  Florida ranked outside the top 100 in passing offense in all 3 of Jones' seasons.  There's a significant pass-catching role available in Washington after RB Roy Helu departed in free agency.  Helu ranked among the top 25 RBs in both targets (47) and catches (42) last year.  Don't expect Jones to reach either of those marks in 2015.  But if he wins the change-of-pace, pass-catching role, he could at least be a spot starter in PPR fantasy leagues.

Redskins GM Scot McCloughan said that rookie RB Matt Jones reminds him of RB Marshawn Lynch.  McCloughan was the Seahawks’ senior personnel executive when the team traded for Lynch in 2010.  “Matt Jones reminds me a lot—a lot—of Marshawn from the standpoint that he’s north-south, he’s downhill and he’s not afraid of contact,” McCloughan said.  “He’s going to hit you and he’s going to keep hitting you until you get tired of tackling him.”  Jones doesn't run with Lynch's tenacity (who does?), but he's a 6'2, 231-pounder with plenty of power.  He only figures to serve in a complementary role behind Alfred Morris this year.  But Morris is set to hit free agency after the season.  It sounds like Washington views Jones as a potential replacement.

Redskins HC Jay Gruden said RB Alfred Morris' role "won't be affected" by the arrival of rookie RB Matt Jones.  "Alfred's still the running back here," Gruden added. "He's had three great seasons and that won't change. But to add another guy that can come in here and pound the rock a little bit doesn't hurt anything. It'll help Alfred in that regard, taking some carries off him. For the most part Alfred will be getting the bulk of the carries and Matt will get some too, obviously."  Morris has averaged 292 carries and 1,320 yards through 3 NFL seasons and should at least approach those marks in 2015.  Jones will compete with Chris Thompson and Silas Redd for the leftovers.  Jones caught just 19 passes in 3 college seasons, but Gruden views him as a "good all-around player."

The Redskins selected RB Matt Jones in the 3rd round of the 2015 NFL Draft.  The Florida product goes 6'2, 231 pounds and runs big.  He'll get what's blocked, push piles and fall forward.  But Jones doesn't possess much burst or long speed and caught just 19 balls in 3 college seasons.  NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares Jones to BenJarvus Green-Ellis.  It's tough to see him emerging as anything more than a short-yardage back in the NFL, especially with Alfred Morris locked in as Washington's lead runner.