Redskins cut running back Larry Johnson

Updated: 6:38 p.m.

The Redskins cut veteran running back Larry Johnson Tuesday, making him the first casualty of a ground game that has been among the NFL's worst through the first two weeks of the season. Johnson's agent, Peter Schaffer, and the team confirmed the move.



According to two sources familiar with the situation, the team immediately replaced Johnson with Chad Simpson, a third-year player out of Morgan State who spent two years with Indianapolis and was with Buffalo during the preseason.



Johnson, 30, who played for La Plata High School, was signed as a free agent in the offseason and came to camp to compete with incumbent starter Clinton Portis as well as veteran free agent Willie Parker - who was cut before camp - as well as younger backs Keiland Williams and Ryan Torain. Johnson was largely unproductive in the preseason, but made the team anyway. He contributed little in the Redskins' first two games.

Johnson ran five times for two yards in the first-week win over Dallas and Sunday's overtime loss to Houston. That included a 10-yard loss in the fourth quarter of the Texans' game.



Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen, in a news release announcing the move, offered little explanation.

"We appreciate Larry's attitude and contributions to the Redskins," Allen said. "However, we needed to make a roster move in preparation for this week's game against the Rams."

Schaffer said that "we were caught completely off guard by it. It was not something that we were expecting. I was told, by the Redskins, that this was a short-term situation brought on by the need to have a special teams running back, that they cannot afford the luxury of two starting running backs for this week."

Asked whether the Redskins plan to re-sign Johnson after this week, Schaffer said, "I don't know. There are no guarantees about anything in this league."

Johnson did everything that the coaching staff asked of him, several people familiar with the situation said. He was a good teammate, Redskins players said, and remained upbeat despite having a limited role through the first two games.

Schaffer said he plans to seek employment for Johnson. "Larry feels he's in great shape and has a lot to offer to teams, and as I told the Redskins, it's my job to try to find Larry the best possible situation. His preference would have been to play for the Redskins for the remainder of his career. But given the fact right now that he's unemployed, we're going to look at every other alternative that's out there and try to find a great situation for him."



Simpson, 25, had 30 rushing attempts for 147 yards and three touchdowns in 25 games for the Colts in 2008 and '09.



The Redskins managed 18 yards rushing against Houston and are averaging 53.5 yards per game running the ball. That ranks them 31st in the league. Their average of 2.7 yards per carry is 30th in the NFL.

