Could Marcus Mason Win A Running Back Spot With The Washington Redskins?

He entered the 2007 preseason as a virtual unknown, but since then, RB Marcus Mason has achieved cult-like status amongst those that truly bleed the Burgundy and Gold.

For Mason, another big preseason might earn him a spot on the final 53-man roster come September.

Twice now, Mason has been one of the brightest stars in August for the Redskins, but twice his success has failed to give him a permanent place on the team. However, the old adage, "third time's the charm", bodes well for Mason.

An undrafted free agent from Youngstown State, Mason was a longshot to even see action in the preseason. Yet he burst onto the scene in 2007, rushing for 95 yards on 25 carries. He displayed a knack for finding the open holes and made the most of every hand-off.

Against Jacksonville in the final week of preseason, Mason carried the ball 12 times for 54 yards, his best showing of 2007.

Mason made the team, but was moved to the practice squad to make room for Omar Stoutmire. He returned for another crack at it in 2008.

He didn't disappoint. Mason led the league in rushing through the preseason with 317 yards at an astounding 4.8 yards per carry. He looked even more impressive than he had in 2007, using a combination of speed and instinct to string together plenty of solid runs.

Despite his outstanding performance, Mason failed to make the 'Skins roster in 2008. Coach Jim Zorn was already working with three other backs, and couldn't afford to keep a fourth.

Mason outplayed backups Rock Cartwright and Ladell Betts, but he did post most of his numbers against third and fourth-stringers. Betts also had a big contract and Cartwright was the kick-off return man. All of this factored into Zorn's decision to cut Mason.

Mason was recently claimed by the 'Skins off of waivers and will be in the running yet again to make the final roster. This time, he has an even better shot.

Mason has made it a priority to improve on special teams where he struggled last year. "What I'm going to do different this year is focus on special teams," he said. "Clinton and Ladell are great backs. I understand what my role is. No matter how well I run the ball, I have to be a better special teams player if I'm going to make the team."

Had Mason been better on special teams in 2008, Zorn might have kept him on the roster. But that's in the past, and now Mason has to focus on this year.

The Redskins should be looking to upgrade at the backup RB position. They need an effective runner to spell Clinton Portis. Portis has notched over 300 carries in four of the last five seasons and is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. 

Betts is coming off of a down-year where he only carried the ball 61 times for just 206 yards. His yards per carry was a mere 3.4 yards, slightly worse than his 3.6 YPC in 2007.

Betts hasn't been used extensively since his 2006 spot duty for an injured Portis. He played well during that stretch, but he did have trouble protecting the ball and wasn't capable of turning 10-yard runs into 15 or 20-yard gainers.

Washington overpaid to keep him in the fold and their investment hasn't panned out. Mason would be a cheaper and more valuable backup so it will be interesting to see if Betts gets the boot.

Cartwright has desperately wanted to see more action at RB, but the staff seems intent on keeping him at returner. Mason has less of a downhill style, but he picks his holes with more precision and his vision far exceeds Cartwright's.

If Mason can unseat Betts, expect to see him not only make the roster, but play an important role in the Redskins' offense come 2009.