Head coach Jay Gruden said Kelley (ankle/knee) was rarely healthy during the 2017 season, Stephen Czarda of the Redskins' official site reports. "Rob Kelley, his second game of the year against the Rams, he almost had 100 yards and that's when he hurt his ankle," Gruden relayed. "He never really was quite the same, but when healthy Rob Kelley was very good. Unfortunately, he played in about three or four games not healthy and he just kept returning that ankle and we had to put him on IR."
Gruden's comments don't jibe with reality, at least regarding Kelley's first issue of the campaign. In Week 2, Kelley's departure was blamed on a rib cartilage injury, which forced one DNP before a return Week 4. During the latter contest, he sustained the initial ankle sprain and continued to aggravate it until his placement on injured reserve midseason. When the Redskins ruled Kelley out for the season, two injuries were to blame: a high-ankle sprain and a Grade 1 or 2 MCL sprain. Kelley was one of many dominoes to fall in the backfield during the year, as all of Chris Thompson (fibula), Byron Marshall (hamstring), LeShun Daniels (hand) and Keith Marshall (knee) landed on IR. With Thompson, Samaje Perine, Kelley and Kapri Bibbs under contract for the 2018 season, it'll be interesting to see how the pecking order breaks down during the offseason program.