Running back Morgan Ellison, 2023 Seattle Sea Dragons (Twitter)
In a story first reported by SI’s Mike Mitchell, later confirmed by Washington Post’s Jake Russell, D.C. Defenders RB Abram Smith suffered a torn ACL in practice and is out for the season. Smith was officially placed on injured reserve by the Defenders on Thursday.
Smith led the XFL in rushing in 2023 and was an integral part of D.C’s offense. Last season, Smith accounted for 25% of the team’s offensive yardage, and 55% of its rushing yardage. His production will not easily be replaced. And yet, the Defenders must now do just that.
Three running backs are left on the roster: Pooka Williams, Jr., Cam’Ron Harris, and Darius Hagans. Hagans and Harris are built more like Smith, while Williams is somewhat of a RB/WR hybrid. None of them, though, have a track record at a professional level that would indicate they could adequately fill Smith’s shoes.
So who can? Here are some potential acquisitions the Defenders could make if they seek to improve the roster at the running back position.
Mohamed Ibrahim: A workhorse at the University of Minnesota to the tune of 867 career carries, Ibrahim spent his rookie season in the NFL on-and-off the roster of the Detroit Lions. A hip dislocation ended his season, landing him on the practice squad injured list in October. The normal recovery time for that injury is up to six months, so we’re right in the period where he may be working his way back. Ibrahim was not signed to a futures contract by the Lions, making him a free agent.
Morgan Ellison: A big back (6’1″, 238 lbs), Ellison put up some nice stats for the Seattle Sea Dragons last year, averaging 4.9 yards per carry across five games. He dealt with injuries during the season but was picked up by the Arlington Renegades in the dispersal draft. However, he was released in the first cut-down. That doesn’t bode well for his chances of being picked up and performing as a workhorse for what is expected to be one of the top franchises in the league. Having gone through camp to this point, though, the Defenders will at least know he’s in shape at this time of year.
Ezra Gray: Like Ellison, Gray was released in Sunday’s cuts to 58. He had been with the Houston Roughnecks. Gary and Kerrith Whyte, another recent release (by the Memphis Showboats), could be candidates to be brought in by D.C. Both have the same problem as Ellison, in that they were not retained by other teams in the league and therefore bring questions as to their viability as starters. Gray has an advantage, though: He played college ball at Alabama State, where Defenders Head Coach Reggie Barlow was once the program lead. Football is all about connections.
Rod Smith: At 32 years old, Smith may be a free agent because he’s not interested in returning to spring football after leading the Vegas Vipers in rushing last season. He did show he still has some tread left on the tires, and as a rotational back, Smith has value. He might relish playing in a RB-friendly offense like the one coordinator Fred Kaiss runs in D.C. Size is again an attribute for Smith, as he would provide the ability to wear down defenses at the end of games.
SaRodorick Thompson: Thompson entered the NFL as an undrafted free-agent of the New Orleans Saints last April and finished the year on the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys, though he was not retained for 2024. Thompson (5’11”, 207 lbs) compares favorably in size to Smith (5’11”, 213 lbs) and could provide the same bruising running style as did Smith. At Texas Tech, Thompson rushed for 4.9 yards per carry during his career with 40 touchdowns.
