Derrius Guice - Pro Football Rumors

NFL Suspends RB Derrius Guice

August 13th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the domestic violence charges ended up being dismissed for Derrius Guice in what has turned out to be a career-altering incident, the NFL will still suspend the running back.

The league handed Guice a six-game suspension Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Guice is not currently on a team, and this ban will not make his return to the league easier. Washington waived Guice in August 2020.

Guice played just one season with Washington, losing his rookie year to injury and being cut because of the 2020 arrest. In June, Guice saw charges against him dropped. He and the alleged victim reached an out-of-court settlement. No charges need to stick in order for an NFL suspension to commence, however, in accordance with the league’s personal conduct policy.

The LSU product also battled injuries during his time in Washington. Following his 2018 ACL tear, the former second-round pick ran into more knee trouble a year later. The setbacks limited Guice to just five games in 2019. While a comeback should not be considered out of the question, the 24-year-old back’s health history will make such a path more difficult following this suspension.

Charges Dismissed For Derrius Guice

June 23rd, 2021 at 12:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The domestic violence charges against former Washington running back Derrius Guice have been dismissed, as Justin Jouvenal of the Washington Post writes. Guice, 23, was facing potential time in prison.

Guice and the woman involved in the matter reached a resolution out of court, which helped bring the legal side of things to a close. The former LSU star was arrested for domestic violence charges in August of 2020, stemming from three alleged incidents. Soon after, the Washington Football Team release him. He remains a free agent and could sign with any club, though league discipline is still in play.

Guice was viewed by many as the second-best running back in the 2018 draft class behind Saquon Barkley, but rumored off-field issues caused him to fall to Washington at No. 59 overall. He missed his his entire rookie campaign after a summer ACL tear. Then, complications from surgery caused his rehab to drag. Last year, a knee injury put him back on IR and he appeared in just five games. On the field, he performed well in his limited snaps, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

Washington Football Team Releases Derrius Guice

August 8th, 2020 at 12:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Shortly after his arrest for domestic violence charges, Washington released running back Derrius Guice. Guice is facing charges for three separate incidents that took place earlier this year, and Washington moved fast to drop the former LSU star.

Guice was viewed by many as the second-best running back in the 2018 draft class behind Saquon Barkley, but rumored off-field issues caused him to fall to Washington at No. 59 overall. Guice went on to miss his his entire rookie campaign after a summer ACL tear. Then, complications from surgery caused his rehab to drag. Last year, a knee injury put him back on IR and he appeared in just five games. From a football perspective, Washington was excited to see what Guice could do – in that limited sample, he averaged 5.8 yards per carry.

With Guice out of the picture, Washington will move forward with Adrian Peterson, former Seahawk J.D. McKissic, and ex-Buc Peyton Barber, on the depth chart. They also have rookie RB/WR Antonio Gibson on the roster, plus Bryce Love. That could be enough backfield firepower for Ron Rivera & Co., especially if Love stays healthy. Still, it stands to reason that they’ll explore the open market between now and Week 1.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Guice, Giants

July 29th, 2020 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson for a while. They placed their Pro Bowl right tackle on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Teams are not permitted to disclose whether a player tested positive or if he was placed on the list for other reasons, but Johnson tweets he did indeed test positive for COVID-19. The eighth-year right tackle will be on the shelf for a bit because of the roster designation. The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. Players must pass three coronavirus tests to return to action. Fellow tackle Jordan Mailata and linebacker Nathan Gerry also landed on Philadelphia’s reserve/COVID list.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Ahead of what could be a make-or-break season, Washington running back Derrius Guice is healthy again. The third-year player tweeted that he has been fully cleared for participation in football activities. Guice missed all of 2018 with an ACL tear and encountered multiple bouts of knee trouble last season as well. The former second-round pick has played in five of a possible 32 regular-season games and now will attempt to carve out a role for a new Washington regime.
Although rookies have come in at slot deals since 2011, the Eagles sweetened their second-round quarterback’s deal a bit. Jalen Hurts‘ four-year, $6.02MM rookie contract includes a $75K workout bonus in 2022 and a $100K workout bump in 2023, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Broncos included workout bonuses in 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock‘s contract.
The Giants and Leonard Williams were not close on a long-term deal, and an NFL executive believes Big Blue overpaid the sixth-year defensive lineman on the $16.1MM franchise tag, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Williams has an interesting trait of almost sacking quarterbacks, ranking 12th in QB hits (101) since 2015 but 84th in sacks in that span. As a result of the pricey tag, which makes Williams the Giants’ highest-paid player this season, an agent told Raanan that the team raised Williams’ asking price. Despite registering a half-sack in 15 games last season, Williams sought an $18-$20MM-per-year deal.
Ten-year veteran defensive lineman Ziggy Hood is moving into the coaching ranks. The former defensive tackle will be a Washington coaching intern this season, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Hood, 33, played in Washington from 2016-18.

NFC East Notes: Guice, Davis, Cowboys

February 9th, 2020 at 8:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Derrius Guice has played five of a possible 32 NFL games. The 2018 second-round pick fared well in limited time for the Redskins last season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry on 42 attempts, but saw more injury trouble intervene. Knee trouble has dogged Guice at nearly ever turn as an NFLer, but the former LSU standout does at least expect to be ready to go by the time Washington’s first Ron Rivera-led offseason program opens.

“I’m feeling pretty good about entering OTAs 100% healthy,” Guice said, via The Athletic’s Rhiannon Walker (subscription required). “So that’s the most important thing to me. It’s very comforting to feel that and have that mindset going into OTAs and then training camp and then the season.

“… The main thing is actually like getting through games healthy. I’ve been a practice All-American so far, and I’m trying to bring that to the field, so that’s kind of where I’m at with it.”

Guice missed 2018 with a torn ACL, underwent another knee surgery early last season and, after returning from IR, sustained MCL damage en route to the Redskins shutting him down. With a new regime being assembled in Washington, Guice will face a key season in 2020.

Here is the latest from the NFC East, moving first to a player who will not be with the 2020 Redskins:

Former Redskins tight end Vernon Davis announced his retirement in a Super Bowl Sunday sketch with Rob Gronkowski and James Harrison but elaborated on his decision this week. “Just the simple wear and tear over time. Especially those concussions,” Davis said in a letter (via NBC Sports Washington’s Ethan Cadeaux). “They can take a toll on you in the long haul. It’s just better safe than sorry. But if it wasn’t for that throughout the course of time, then I probably would have played for the next five years, at least. But I feel like I made a great decision as I move forward.” Davis missed most of last season with a concussion, had already played 14 seasons and turned 36 two weeks ago. He was set to be a 2020 free agent after four Redskins seasons.
Byron Jones is not the only Cowboys cornerback who will be an unrestricted free agent come March. Dallas’ four-year slot corner, Anthony Brown, is on track for free agency but does not expect nearly the same kind of deal as Jones will receive. Brown may be eyeing a short-term pact in order to re-establish his value after an injury-marred season, with Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News noting Brown’s reps expect their client to earn roughly $10MM in total on his next contract. Still, Watkins expects that will be beyond what the Cowboys will authorize. Dallas losing both Jones and Brown will make corner a need area, despite both Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis under contract for next season.
Leonard Williams has set a high price for his services, despite minimal statistical production. The Giants, however, are “intent” on keeping their 2019 trade acquistion.

Redskins Place Derrius Guice On IR

December 10th, 2019 at 4:17pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Derrius Guice‘s season is officially over. The Redskins placed their young running back on injured reserve with a knee injury today, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Rapoport tweeted earlier today that the official diagnosis was an MCL sprain and that the team would be cautious with him, so this isn’t too surprising. Fortunately, his ACL was spared. Guice has had some brutal injury luck during his brief time in the NFL, as this is at least his third significant knee issue since becoming a pro. Washington drafted Guice in the second round last year, and he tore an ACL during his first preseason.

The initial ACL tear didn’t heal right, and resulted in multiple infections and an extended recovery. He was able to battle his way back to make it back on the field for Week 1 of this season, and promptly went down with another knee injury. He was placed on injured reserve, and then activated after sitting out the required eight games.

During the five contests he ended up appearing in this season, he mostly split time with Adrian Peterson. He had a breakout game two weeks ago in Washington’s win over the Panthers, carrying the ball ten times for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Guice obviously has a rough injury history, but he won’t turn 23 until June and he’s obviously still high on talent. The latest MCL issue isn’t considered serious, and he should have a good chance of being the Redskins’ featured back next year if he can stay healthy.

Injury Updates: Thielen, Moreau, Andrews, Guice, Chark

December 8th, 2019 at 9:17pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are the latest injury updates from around the league as you enjoy Sunday Night Football:

Adam Thielen missed another game with his hamstring issue Sunday, but he should be back out there soon. “All parties are optimistic” that the Vikings will have their star receiver when they play a pivotal Week 15 game against the Chargers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Thielen has only played eight games this season, and in two of those he played only a handful of snaps.
The Raiders have been pretty banged up recently, and they took another blow during their crucial loss to the Titans. Tight end Foster Moreau went down with a knee injury, and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said after the game he could be done for the season. Moreau doesn’t play a huge role as a pass-catcher, but he has had a couple of big games and has been playing around half of the team’s offensive snaps.
Ravens fans were left holding their breath when breakout tight end Mark Andrews left their victory over the Bills and didn’t return, but fortunately it doesn’t appear to be anything too serious. Andrews suffered a contusion between his knee and thigh a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, and the “indication is it’s nothing major” (Twitter link). That’s good news, but Baltimore does have a short week with a Thursday Night Football game against the Jets waiting. It wouldn’t be surprising if Andrews misses that one, but it doesn’t sound like it’ll be a longterm absence.
Derrius Guice has had brutal injury luck so far in his young NFL career, so it was terrible to see the Redskins running back go down with another knee issue during their loss to the Packers. Fortunately it seems like he might’ve dodged a bullet, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets that the initial diagnosis is an MCL sprain. It seems like Guice could miss some time and potentially the rest of the season, but fortunately it doesn’t appear to be anything long-term. Guice missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL that resulted in multiple infections, and then missed the first eight games of this season with a knee injury.
The Jaguars have been getting embarrassed weekly recently, and now things are getting even worse. On the heels of their 45-10 blowout loss to the Chargers, it looks like they could be without top receiver D.J. Chark moving forward. Chark left the game with an ankle injury, and his “left foot was in a protective boot and he left the locker room using a scooter” after the game, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Chark has been having a breakout year and has 881 yards with eight touchdowns, and it now seems like his sophomore campaign could be over.

We’ll have more on all the other big injuries suffered today as soon as there are additional details to pass along.

Redskins Activate RB Derruis Guice

November 7th, 2019 at 8:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins have formally activated running back Derrius Guice from injured reserve, the club announced today. The move had been fully expected after Washington waived fellow running back Craig Reynolds earlier this week in order to open a roster spot for Guice.

Injuries have defined the early portion of Guice’s NFL career after the Redskins selected him with the 49th overall selection in the 2018 draft. Expected to serve as Washington’s bellcow during his rookie campaign, Guice suffered a torn ACL in May, ending his year before it began. The LSU product made his Redskins debut in Week 1 of the 2019 season, but tore his meniscus and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.

Like all players designated to return from IR, Guice was required to miss at least eight games. He returned to practice in late October, opening a three-week window during which Washington needed to either add him to the 53-man roster or keep him on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Guice will officially return to action when the Redskins return from their bye to play the Jets in Week 11.

With Guice sidelined, veteran Adrian Peterson has taken over as Washington’s starting running back, averaging 19 carries for 96 yards over the club’s last four games. Guice will surely take over some of that workload, but it’s unclear just how involved he’ll be in the Redskins offense, at least initially.

Derrius Guice Set To Return After Redskins’ Bye

November 5th, 2019 at 4:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It appears everything has gone smoothly in Redskins running back Derrius Guice‘s recovery. Washington has cut running back Craig Reynolds in order to clear the way for Guice’s return, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.

Guice missed his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL during the preseason, and complications from surgery prolonged his initial recovery. Everyone was excited to see what he would look like in 2019, but after carrying the ball ten times for 18 yards in Week 1, he was placed on injured reserve again with a knee issue. After missing the requisite eight games, it looks like he’s going to be ready to roll in Week 11 following Washington’s bye. He returned to practice recently.

Guice has had a lot of tough luck during his short time in the pros, and hopefully he’s able to stay healthy this time around. Guice was viewed by many as the second-best running back in the 2018 draft class behind Saquon Barkley, but he fell to the Redskins with the 59th pick amid rumors of off-field issues. It’ll be very interesting to see how interim Redskins coach Bill Callahan divides the playing time in his backfield moving forward.

Callahan has committed the team to running the ball a lot more, and has been pounding the rock with Adrian Peterson since he took over for Jay Gruden. Washington isn’t going anywhere this season, so they’ll likely be cautious with Guice at first. At the same time, they obviously want to see what they have in a young guy who has barely played in his first two seasons. Reynolds is an undrafted rookie from D-II school Kutztown, who was promoted from the practice squad a few weeks back.

Redskins’ Derrius Guice Returns To Practice

October 28th, 2019 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Redskins running back Derrius Guice returned to the practice field on Monday. With that, the Redskins are hoping that he’ll be able to take the field for Week 11, when they take on the Jets.

Guice underwent knee surgery earlier this year and landed on IR for a second-straight season. All along, the Redskins planned to bring Guice back from IR using one of their two allotted slots, and that’s exactly what they’ll do, barring any setbacks.

The 2018 second-round pick suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery from last year’s knee injury, so his latest one was a major source of frustration. Despite it all, Guice has kept up the fight, with an eye on fulfilling his enormous potential.

Without Guice, the Redskins have turned to Adrian Peterson, who turned in yet another solid performance on Thursday night against the Vikings. Facing his former friends, Peterson ran for 76 yards off of 14 carries, good for 5.43 yards per tote. Over the last three games, Peterson has averaged 4.82 yards per carry, which isn’t too shabby for a 34-year-old that has been counted out on multiple occasions. Still, the Redskins know that their backfield will be even better with Guice on hand.