Alfred Morris Injury: Updates on Redskins Star's Knee and Return

Updates from Wednesday, Sept. 24

The Washington Redskins updated Alfred Morris' status prior to Thursday's meeting with New York:

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Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris was forced to exit the team's Week 3 game vs. Philadelphia with a knee injury:

The Redskins confirmed the news via their Twitter account:

Morris, however, returned to the game (via the Redskins):

Morris is a key piece of the Redskins' offensive game plan, which obviously means any type of extended absence would be a major setback. The team will hope that's not the case while it awaits further word about his playing status.

During the offseason there was plenty of talk about what his role would be as new head coach Jay Gruden shifted the offensive philosophy. Although it's set up as a more balanced approach, the top back remains heavily involved.

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He previously talked about the benefits of the switch, which coincided with the arrival of dynamic wide receiver DeSean Jackson. John Keim of ESPN.com passed along Morris' comments about it being the best of both worlds.

"Just having [Jackson], they have to respect him," he said. "I would love it if they stacked the box this year. We could just go deep every play. I would love that. The quicker we can get off the field, the better."

Morris appeared in all 32 games over his first two seasons in the league. Conventional wisdom would suggest less work would have reduced his chances of getting hurt, but injuries are often random and tough to avoid.

If he does miss regular-season games for the first time, Washington will have to hope a committee approach is able to fill the void. Based on the view from Dan Hellie of the NFL Network, the NFC East squad is losing one of its most important players:

Roy Helu is likely to pick up most of the slack while Morris is on the mend. He doesn't have the same inside running ability, but his prowess for making plays out of the backfield could lead to a more pass-heavy offense. Lache Seastrunk also figures to get involved.

More information about Morris' status should be available after further evaluation. The Redskins will keep their collective fingers crossed until that point. Even in a slightly lesser role, it would be tough to replace him for the long haul.