ASHBURN, Va. -- Last week, it was Clinton Portis. Now Larry Johnson has his turn in the crowded competition for playing time in the Washington Redskins' backfield.
Johnson will start Saturday night's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens as Redskins coach Mike Shanahan continues to sort out how best to handle three older running backs seeking to prove they're not past their prime.
"Larry's been very consistent," Shanahan said, "but I do see a sense of urgency this week. He's going to get an opportunity to showcase his talents."
The third back in the veteran mix is Willie Parker, who will run with the first unit in next week's game against the New York Jets.
"We will get a chance to see these guys in game situations," Shanahan said. "We have had a chance to evaluate them in practice, but it is always a little hard to evaluate backs when people are not tackling them."
Johnson will turn 31 and Parker 30 in November, and Portis hits 29 on Sept. 1. Johnson's last 1,000-yard season came in 2006, when he piled up 1,789 yards with the Kansas City Chiefs. Parker last hit the four-digit mark in 2007, gaining 1,316 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Portis ran for 1,487 with the Redskins two years ago, but he missed half of last season with a concussion.
The additions of Johnson and Parker put Portis on notice that he's not irreplaceable. Although he entered training camp at the top of the depth chart, Portis had to play more than token time in the first preseason game, carrying six times for 22 yards.
Johnson and Parker sat out the first game, waiting their turns. For Johnson, it's a chance to show he still has something left after declining performance and off-the-field issues led to his departure from the Chiefs last year.
"My body's still fresh and young," Johnson said. "People who sit on the couch, when they hit their 30s, they give up on the things that they can do (or) they used to do when they were 21. Being an athlete, you're year-round working out and doing the things you need to do to keep yourself that way, and so being 30 doesn't really change anything."
The second game is usually more telling, with starters on both sides seeing more action. There's also the annual debate on whether these teams have an actual rivalry -- or if they're just neighbors who get together every now and then. The Redskins barely broached the topic this week, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh tried to talk it up a little.
"When you get on the field and you look over there and you see the burgundy and gold, and you see that that's the team you're playing, the competitive juices start flowing," Harbaugh said. "And I'm sure they will for them, too."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
