Quinton Ganther Gets a Shot in Redskins' Backfield

The Redskins have officially reached that point of the season where they're playing for next year -- a Week 13 collapse against New Orleans eliminated Washington from postseason contention. With that in mind, Washington will turn its starting running back spot over to Quinton Ganther on Sunday in Oakland. Ganther has just 28 carries in a four-year NFL career, but got the nod over longtime Redskin Rock Cartwright for one reason:

Ganther might be the only running back on the current roster that's still in Washington next season.

The Redskins placed Clinton Portis on injured reserve earlier this week with post-concussion symptoms, and speculation immediately began that Portis would not return to Washington in 2010. Portis himself even hinted at retirement, saying, "I'm 28, man. I'm not gonna be devastated, 'Oh, man, football is over. ... I enjoyed it. I had fun doing it. I gave everything I had doing it."

Even if Portis doesn't retire -- and it would be stunning if he did, regardless what he said -- the Redskins might opt to release (or try to trade) him. Portis' backup to start the season, Ladell Betts, already had a spot on injured reserve claimed after tearing knee ligaments. And Jason Reid of the Washington Post tossed out the possibility that Betts could have suited up for the Redskins for the last time as well.

Reid points out that Betts' contract no longer includes guaranteed money after this season, a bad situation for a 30-year-old coming off a major knee injury.

With Portis and Betts sidelined, Washington turned to Rock Cartwright as its starter in Weeks 12 and 13. The eight-year Redskins vet carried a combined 28 times for 77 yards in those two games, both losses -- numbers that seemingly proved Cartwright's better off in his usual role of special-teams player.

And Cartwright isn't sure he'll be back in 2010, either.

"I got one year left on my deal," he told the Post. "I'm supposed to make a decent amount of money [$1.5 million in 2010]. Will they want to pay it? Probably not."

So with all that in mind, it makes sense for the Redskins to run Ganther out there at Oakland -- worst-case, he flops, and Washington's still stuck with no answers at RB going forward; but, ideally, he performs well and, if nothing else, earns a spot as a backup to Portis in 2010 (assuming Portis is back).

"I prepare like I'm going to take 50 carries," Ganther said this week. "You never know what will happen. If it comes to game time, and Rock and [third-string running back Marcus] Mason go down, what am I going to do? I can't panic because I didn't prepare myself."

Ganther's been decent in spot duty over the past four weeks -- he averaged 6.4 yards per carry on five runs against Philadelphia in Week 13, then 5.8 yards per carry against New Orleans. At 5-foot-9, 214 pounds, he's a shifty back that can make people miss.

But is he going to be a savior for Washington's backfield? It's pretty doubtful. His presence alone signals how tough of a season this has been for the Redskins. With Portis, Betts and Cartwright, Washington looked to be set at running back, even if there were questions about other offensive positions. That obviously hasn't panned out.

A strong close to the season from Ganther, though, could slow Washington's rush to upgrade at that spot in the offseason -- and given how many other spots the Redskins need to fill, that wouldn't be an awful development.