Washington running back Mack Brown had the type of game in Wednesday's preseason finale that every roster bubble player dreams of.
Nestled firmly behind Matt Jones, Chris Thompson and perhaps even Rob Kelley, Brown came into the game as the odd man out. If he remains that way, he'll hit the open market knowing full well that he did all he could.
"I just went out there and left everything on the field," Brown said, via the team's official website. "I praise God for everything. I want to be here so I left everything on the field. Hopefully, it's good things from here on."
Brown carried the ball 19 times for 149 yards and a touchdown -- 130 of which came in the first half against Tampa Bay. It nearly doubled his preseason rushing total to that point.
"Coach told me early I've got to finish," Brown said. "Those two runs before I should've came through and broke some long runs so that last one I had to finish it to score. It gives the team the momentum and we came out with a win. That's the main thing. I just had to finish that last touchdown – that's it."
Brown's story is interesting because it's analogous to what so many players are going through this weekend. It also illustrates how difficult it is to be a general manager in the NFL. Washington doesn't have ideal depth or experience at running back and maybe a fourth guy makes sense. However, that may come at the expense of an offensive lineman who paved the way for Brown's big night.
It's foolish to think that roster spots aren't won on Thursday. Teams may not be playing starters for the most part but they are watching the hungriest players on their roster duke it out in what amounts to one last talent showcase. Brown can rest assured that, even if he doesn't make the roster in Washington, he's put himself on everyone's radar.
