Longtime NFL veteran running back J.D. McKissic has signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Washington Commanders. He initially was going to sign the same deal with the Buffalo Bills, but changed course. McKissic, a six-year veteran, spent the 2021 season with the Washington Football Team but has also played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions.
RB J.D. McKissic – who intended to sign a two-year, $7 million deal with the Buffalo Bills – changed his mind and is instead returning to Washington for the same compensation, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2022
J.D. McKissic, Washington Commanders, Agree to Contract
At age 28, J.D. McKissic is coming off one of the best seasons of his young career. Appearing in 11 games opposite Antonio Gibson, the former undrafted free agent finished the season with 212 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 48 carries. Of course, McKissic did most of his work in the passing game, recording 43 receptions for 397 yards and two touchdowns on 53 targets.
This was McKissic’s second straight season with a sizable workload in Washington. In 2020, the journeyman running back ended the season with 365 rushing yards and one touchdown on 85 carries to go along with 80 receptions, 589 receiving yards, and two touchdowns on 110 targets from four different quarterbacks.
McKissic originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft. Signing with the Seattle Seahawks, the Arkansas State product didn’t do much of anything as a rookie. Relegated to a depth role, McKissic only appeared in one game, recorded one carry for two yards and two receptions for 16 yards.
The running back earned a larger role in 2017, serving as a complementary piece to Seattle’s running back rotation. In total, McKissic finished the year with 187 rushing yards and one touchdown on 46 attempts and 34 receptions for 266 yards, and two touchdowns on 46 targets. Unfortunately, McKissic didn’t see the field much in 2018, as he recorded just three carries for eight yards while only playing in five games.
Following his time in Seattle, McKissic spent one year with the Detroit Lions. Appearing in all 16 games for the first time in his career, the undrafted free agent finished the season with 205 rushing yards on 38 carries to go along with 233 receiving yards and a touchdown on 34 receptions.
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