Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Wednesday that he has full confidence in Kelley and is excited about having him as the starter, Mike Jones of The Washington Post reports.
Samaje Perine's big preseason outing over the weekend may have reinvigorated the discussion regarding Washington's backfield, but Gruden's comments suggest Kelley is secure in his role as the Week 1 starter. That doesn't mean Perine won't also be heavily involved, nor does it mean Kelley will be immune to eventually losing the starting job. Gruden just doesn't seem to view it as a true job battle, which means Perine will need to continue his strong work in practice and preseason games if he's going to open the season with a significant share of the rushing workload. Passing-down specialist Chris Thompson will also be heavily involved, particularly when the Redskins can't establish the run and/or are forced into catch-up mode.