Can Antonio Gibson Be Washington's Version of McCaffrey?

"You saw Christian McCaffrey in this offense a couple of years ago," Allen said. "Obviously, one of the best players in the league. But, I think that's where we're trying to push Antonio to go."

Kyle Allen has worked in a backfield with Christian McCaffrey.

Kyle Allen has worked in a backfield with Antonio Gibson.

Kyle Allen - with one of the best views in the house - can see it working in Washington.

"You saw Christian McCaffrey in this offense a couple of years ago," Allen said. "Obviously, one of the best players in the league. But, I think that's where we're trying to push Antonio to go."

In other words, the Washington Football Team has visions of second-year running back Gibson blossoming into a McCaffrey-like player, special for Carolina (where Allen and WFT head coach Ron Rivera and a host of others around here used to work) because of his consistent explosiveness as a runner and receiver.

Gibson, a college receiver who converted to running back last year as a rookie, was good for more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. that's now quite at McCaffrey's level. 

But Gibson, a receiver at Memphis, is just now learning the position. The WFT coaching staff has raved about how he's gobbled up the info necessary to succeed. 

Was this going to take time? Yes, and maybe that why Gibson caught just 36 balls last year, leaving that particular job to J.D. McKissic, who looped out of the backfield to catch 80.totaled.

But maybe the time is now.

"We try and get him the ball in the pass game. We try and run the ball with him a ton," Allen said. "We'll motion him out, we'll use him in different spaces. ... 

Added Allen, smart enough to know that such comps can be traps as much as compliments: I'm not trying to compare him, but it's the way we're trying to go with it. I think he has the potential. He's only gotten better since he's been there."

And if Antonio Gibson gets a bit better? He gets a bit closer to being Christian McCaffrey.

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